Connections:
Freezer Tips
By Nancy Yergin, MS,
RD, LDN, Forest County Penn State
Cooperative Extension
The backyard is alive with birds and bees this month as
the combination of hot sun and plenty of rain has put my vegetables into
hyper drive. Asparagus has turned from sturdy edible spears to delicate
filigree while the "Smeraldo" Romano pole bean vines race each other up
their bamboo teepee in a bid to take over the towers of tomatoes and
spaghetti squash next door. Meanwhile, a neighboring scarlet runner bean
trellis is heavy with red flowers, to the delight of resident
hummingbirds. I get to watch blooms are maturing into long bean pods that
will dry and then eventually surface in the kitchen as makings for bean
soup.
It's time to begin preparing for the cold season ahead
when the winter wind whistles and a soup pot simmers on the stove. I've
found my dehydrator and dusted it off for drying parsley and paprika
peppers. With a garden full of produce and area farmers markets to visit,
I decided to purchase a new pressure canner to take on the beans and other
low-acid vegetables I'd like to can. For the kale, collard greens and
other foods that are better frozen, I have my newest favorite appliance: a
7.2 cubic foot chest freezer.
Freezing is an excellent choice of preservation in terms
of convenience, nutrition, and stability of food. As with any other
household appliance, there are guidelines to effective freezer management
and general appliance care. For example, maintaining a freezer temperature
at zero degrees F is important because a uniform, low temperature promotes
longer shelf life - the period of time before foods are noticeably lower
in quality. Temperatures above zero degrees F cause more rapid
deterioration of quality and nutritive value in the foods.
Another important maintenance duty is to defrost and/or
clean a freezer when needed. If your freezer is so full of frost that you
can't squeeze one more package in or can't read the package labels, it's
time to do something about it.
Accumulating freezer frost reduces storage space and
increases operating costs. Defrosting should be scheduled when the food
inventory is relatively low and when defrosting can be completed within
one to two hours. A manual model freezer should be defrosted once a year
or when the frost is one-fourth inch thick.
A manual-defrost model should be disconnected from the
electrical supply before defrosting. Frozen packages should then be placed
in large cardboard cartons or insulated ice chests. With a cardboard
carton, several layers of newspapers may be used for extra insulation.
Clean the freezer as quickly as possible. Place a large
pan of hot steamy water on each shelf or section of the freezer and close
the freezer door. Check after a few minutes to remove more frost and
replace the cooled water with more hot water. Remove loose frost with a
wooden or plastic ice scraper.
When all the frost has been removed, sponge out the
interior with a cleaning solution made of one teaspoon of baking soda per
quart of water. Sponge with clean water and dry with an absorbent cloth.
Turn the freezer on and close the door to allow the freezer to become
chilled (15 to 30 minutes) before returning the food. If food packages are
frosty, scrape or wipe them to remove frost or moisture before placing the
food in the freezer in an organized manner.
A frost-free ("frostless") freezer does not need
defrosting. However, it should be cleaned out once a year or more often if
dirt or food residues are visible. In cleaning the freezer, follow the
procedure described above. Turn off the power source. Empty the freezer,
wipe it with a baking-soda solution, rinse, towel-dry it, and then replace
the food. Don't forget to turn it back on.
Questions or comments on this or other columns? Nancy Yergin can be reached via email at
NLY1@PSU.EDU.
More Connections
Penn State is committed to affirmative action, equal
opportunity, and the diversity
of its workforce.
