Food Preservation & Storage
by Brian Lewis and Joanna CastroShaffer
Food preservation is a wonderful way to extend the benefits of Sweet Meriam's Farm well into the winter months. A short amount of both time and effort will ensure that fresh organic produce can be enjoyed long after the harvest. Methods of freezing and drying are offered below.
Steam and Freeze
One of my favorite methods of food preservation for storage is freezing. It takes less time than other methods and requires no special equipment or utensils. Steaming and freezing also preserves the nutritive qualities of most foods better than other methods. Frozen foods may be packed in a variety of ways including freezer or zip-lock style bags, can/freeze jars (wide mouth), and plastic or Tupperware® style containers. These are relatively inexpensive and most can be reused many times.
Preparation is simple. First choose quality products, wash then cut to desired size. Next you will need to steam for a few minutes to preserve quality. Times vary depending on the vegetable type.
Steaming may leech a small amount of nutrients from the food, but if you save the water after straining it off, your houseplants or home garden will appreciate it (Water from steaming is also the basis of vegetable broth for your soups. The less water in the bottom of your pan, the better so that the water does not actually come in contact with your vegetables.) Finally you need to cool the vegetables quickly to stop the cooking process by submerging in ice water and draining well. Now you are ready to pack. If using rigid containers, allow a small amount of space at the top, as any liquid within will expand. With bags it's a good idea to press out as much air as possible, which helps the food keep longer.
Some foods can be frozen without steaming such as peppers, green onions, and herbs. Foods frozen in this way will lose their crispness but are still great for cooking.
The following is a list of foods that can be frozen for storage, including preparation for each.
Basil - This can be prepared as pesto and frozen in rigid style containers.
Beans - I usually trim ends and cut to about 2 inch lengths, then steam for 2 - 3 minutes, cool and pack in bags.
Beets - Leave 1 inch of tops and root intact, cook until tender (about 30 40 min.), then cool and remove skins. Cut tops and root off. You can leave whole, slice, or quarter. Pack in bags.
Cabbage - Remove outer leaves and cut into wedges. Steam 3 minutes, cool, drain, and then pack in bags.
Carrots - Peel and dice. Steam 3 minutes, cool, drain, and then pack in bags.
Greens - These include Chard, Collards and Kale. Cut as much of the stem out as possible. Steam 2 minutes, drain and cool. I usually lay these out on cookie sheets and place in freezer to avoid crushing them all together when placing them in bags. You can also use plastic containers or jars.
Peas - Cut off the ends and steam for 2 minutes. Drain, cool and pack in bags.
Peppers - Hot or sweet. Remove seeds and cut to desired size. Freeze without steaming. Small red cayenne peppers are very easily dried as well. Simply lay them out on a tray or hang them by the stems. These can then be ground into flakes or powder for seasoning.
Summer Squash - Slice into _ inch “coins” and steam for 3 minutes. Cool and drain. I also freeze these on cookie sheets before packing into bags.
Tomatoes - I have found Marge Duck's method extremely easy. Quarter and freeze on cookie sheet, then pack in bags. You can also freeze fresh sauce in jars or containers.
If properly prepared and sealed, most vegetables will keep for several months. Your freezer temperature should be at or below 0 degrees. A full freezer also operates more efficiently, saving you money over time.
Most vegetables can be cooked without thawing. Greens should be at least partially thawed so that they may separate before cooking. Thawing is best done in the refrigerator, although a bath of cold water works as well.
Although this is my favorite, other great methods of preserving follow.
Drying
Drying herbs and some vegetables is an effective way of preserving them. Throughout the year you will receive basil, lemon balm, mint, and wood sorrel. Greens such as Kale, Chard, Beet Greens, and Collards can also be dried, stored and used later for soups. The ideal environment for drying herbs and veggies is a dry, fairly dark, well-ventilated area. I use our basement because we run a dehumidifier during the summer and there is no direct sunlight. Herbs like to be dried slowly so that the flavor and volatile oils are preserved. I take a few of our extra window screens, place an open paper bag across the screen (to collect the smaller parts of the herb that may otherwise fall off) suspend the screen so that air passes through, and then lay the herbs out so that none of them overlap. You will know that your herb is sufficiently dry if it will crumple or break when you bend it (ideally this will happen in three to five days).
Dried herbs and veggies are best stored in a cool dry place in an airtight container. Glass jars with a rubber seal work well. Most herbs and veggies should be used within a year of their preservation to take advantage of the best flavor, nutrients and volatile oils.
Dehydrating
Dehydrating foods such as carrots, tomatoes, squash, eggplant, peas and fruit has been successful. There are numerous food dehydrators available on the market. The best ones use stainless steal shelves so that plastic, or aluminum is not in contact with the food. The amount of heat used is minimal and air movement is constant.
Steve Porteous designed a solar dehydrator for the farm with some success. He used an old window, made shelving from screens and scraps wood, made a box around the window and a vent for the top and bottom of the box. A simple design limited to working on sunny days.
We have a gas stove with a constant pilot light that gives off a low level of heat. I cut my veggies in thin slices, place them on a steal screen and leave them to dry for about 24 hours.
The important thing to remember when preserving food is that you want to do your best to preserve the nutrients. Time and heat are two elements you want to minimize. The longer a food has been separated from its plant source, the more nutrients and valuable enzymes are lost. The best way to eat almost all foods is raw, minimally washed, and within forty-eight hours of harvest. However, we are spoiled and want to have all sorts of options all year round. In this case, freezing and drying will help you out. For best results, start your preserving efforts within twenty-four hours of harvest if possible.
Canning - Both pressure cooker and boiling water bath are other methods of preservation. We have limited knowledge on this subject and invite another member to write and share their expertise.
Whichever method you choose, have fun, and enjoy the health of it all!!
-Brian & Joanna