Historic, archived document Do not assume content reflects current scientific knowledge, policies, or practices. anh recat) a Fruits and eERINL BEY » *\ Vegetables PARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE ALS HOME FREEZING OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES With a home freezer or neighborhood locker plant, you can bring garden freshness to your family table all year long. Freezing gives you bright color, fresh flavor, and most of the vitamin values of fresh fruits and vegetables. Frozen foods keep for many months because organ- isms that cause spoilage are not active at O° F., the temperature at which frozen food should be stored. Since freezing does not destroy these organisms, they become more active as the temperature rises. Therefore, frozen foods lose quality and may spoil soon after they are thawed. Many frozen foods decrease in quality as they are held, but if properly prepared and stored they maintain their quality for as long as 8 to 12 months. It is wise to plan ahead so you freeze only as much of the different foods as your family will use during the year. By carefully following these modern methods for pre- paring and packaging, you can successfully freeze most fruits and vegetables. Freeze the Best Food that comes out of the freezer won't be any better than the food you put in. Best for freezing are firm, well ripened fruits and fresh, tender vegetables right from the orchard or garden. Freeze fruits or vegetables as quickly as possible after picking. If you must hold foods a day, keep them as cool as possible. Not all varieties of fruits and vegetables freeze equally well. For a list of those in your locality that give highest quality when frozen, write to your State college of agri- culture or experiment station. Wash and Sort Carefully Don't freeze foods that are overripe, bruised, or show signs of decay. Wash food thoroughly in clear water— lift out of washing water so dirt won't drain back on food. Sort according to size; big pieces need longer scalding than the small and medium. Peel, Trim, Slice Prepare foods as for cooking or as served at the table. Some fruits have better flavor and texture when sliced than when frozen whole. See pages 12 and 18 for ways to prepare each vegetable and fruit. Special Steps for Fruits Prevent darkening.—Some light-colored fruits need special treatment to prevent darkening. One way is to let peaches or similar fruit stand in a citric acid solution for 1 to 2 minutes before packing in sirup or sugar (the sirup pack retains color better than the dry sugar pack). To make solution, dissolve |/4 tea- spoon citric acid in 1 quart water (you'll need about a gallon of solution for 1 bushel of fruit). A more effective though slightly more expensive way if you are packing ae . the fruit in a sirup, is to add !/4 teaspoon ascorbic acid (vitamin C) to each 1 or 11/2 cups of sirup. You can buy citric or ascorbic acid at tHe drug store. To keep apples from darkening, scald slices in steam or boiling water for 1!/ to 2 minutes. Or light-colored fruits may be put directly into sugar sirup, but they will darken during freezing and thawing unless completely covered with sirup. Prepare sweetening.—Some fruits such as logan- berries, raspberries, cranberries, and rhubarb are good frozen without sugar. But most fruits have better texture and flavor if sweetened before freezing. This may be done by mixing them with dry sugar, or by packing in a sugar sirup. You can make the sirup several days ahead and keep it in the refrigerator thoroughly chilled for use. The table on page 18 tells how to prepare each fruit, how much sugar and water goes into the-sirup, or how much dry sugar to mix with the fruit. “ Special Steps for Vegetables For all vegetables except green peppers, the dry pack is satisfactory and less trouble than the brine pack. Green peppers are best packed in a weak salt solution (1 teaspoon salt to 1 cup water). Scald before packing.—Scalding lessens the action of enzymes present in all living material. Though enzymes help in growth and ripening, they cause food to lose vitamins as well as flavor and color after the food reaches maturity and is gathered. These changes continue even after freezing if the food is not scalded long enough. Scalding also brightens the color and softens vege- tables, making them easier to pack. Without scalding, frozen vegetables fade in color and develop an ‘‘off’’ flavor in a few months. Scalding vegetables in boiling water gives a satis- factory product. Broccoli has slightly better quality if scalded in steam. The leafy vegetables, such as spinach or chard, must be scalded in boiling water to be uni- formly heated through. Prepare vegetables as directed (p. 12), since size of pieces affects scalding time. Scald a small quantity of food at a time. To scald in boiling water, put about 1 pound of vegetables in a fine-mesh wire basket. A wire cexer holds food under water. Lower basket into rapidly boiling water—at least 1 gallon or more to cover the food. Put the lid on the kettle and start counting time. Scald for as long as directed for each vegetable (p. 12). To scald in. steam, see diréctions for broccoli on page 10. Chill in cold water.—The next step after scalding is to chill the food quickly and thoroughly. This stops the cooking and cuts down the chance for spoilage organ- isms to grow. Plunge the vegetables into iced water, 60° F. or lower. You'll need about 20 pounds of ice to cool 20 pounds of vegetables. Running water may be used if it is cold enough (around 60°). It usually takes as long to chill as to scald. Test for coolness by biting a piece of the food. When it feels cool to the tongue, remove the vegetable from cold water and drain thoroughly. Moisture-vapor-resistant containers: 1. Carton with heat-sealing liner of spe- cially treated cellophane. 2. Carton with heat-sealing liner of spe- cially treated paper. 3. Waxed cup with set-in lid. 4. Stockinette covering for single-thickness cellophane bag. 5. Heat-sealing sheets of specially treated cellophane to make into bags. 6. Heat-sealing, cube-shaped carton, with plastic coating. 7. Carton with specially treated, heat-seal- ing cellophane overwrap. 8. Heat-sealing bag of specially treated cellophane (single thickness). 9. Heat-sealing bag of specially treated cellophane (double thickness). Package right The right containers for frozen foods are of moisture- vapor-resistant material that can be sealed tightly. If foods aren't packaged right, they dry out and lose vitamins. Many types of heat-sealed packages are satisfactory. Plastic-coated boxes, and cartons with specially treated liners or covers protect foods well and are easy to handle and store. There are also ready-made bags for frozen foods or you can make bags of any shape or size from specially treated heat-sealing material by running a warm iron over the folded edges. Cover single-thickness cellophane bags with a carton or mesh cloth known as ‘‘stockinette.”’ Test heat-sealing liners with water to be sure they don't leak. After the liner dries, re-seal leaky seams with a warm iron. Waxed cups are convenient but the seal is not vapor- proof and food dries out and may darken during a long period of storage. Glass jars may be used, but they do not pack so well in the freezer and may break. Foods must be thawed before cooking to remove from jar. Tin cans are satis- factory for fruits, but should not be used for vegetables until further research is done. Leave head space.—Food expands as it freezes. When packed without liquid, leave about |/ inch head space at top of carton or bag for foods that pack tightly. No head space is needed for loosely packed foods such as broccoli or cauliflower. oS sae For foods packed in liquid, purees, or crushed fruits, leave about 1 inch head space in cartons or bags; 1!/2 inches with glass jars or tin cans. Seal tightly.—After filling a carton or bag, wipe in- side edges with a clean cloth to remove moisture that would prevent a tight seal. Press out all air possible from top of bag. Seal tightly. To heat-seal a bag or a box with an overwrap or a special coating, press with a warm iron. Use just enough heat and pressure to hold the edges tightly together. Too much heat may cause an imperfect seal. Label plainly.—Even if the package has a ‘window,’ you will want to label it with the date it was packed, the variety, and any special treatment. Special stamps, labels, tape, and crayons are made for labeling. You can use different colors for different foods, or to indicate dates of storage so foods stored longest can be used first. Freeze Quickly Freeze foods as soon as possible after they are packed. Keep packages cold in the refrigerator until all are ready for freezing. If you take food to a locker plant, transfer packages to an insulated box for carrying. At the locker plant, have foods frozen in the fast-freezing room, if one is available, before placing in your locker. lf you have a home freezer, be sure the temperature of the freezing compartment is O° F. or lower. Follow these rules to speed freezing: Don't freeze too many packages at once. The manu- facturer of your freezer can tell you how much food to freeze at one time or in a 24-hour period. Place packages against freezing plates or coils, but spread them out so air can move between them. Remember that thick or heavily wrapped packages take longer to freeze than those of medium size with only enough wrapping to protect the food. Store at 0° F. After freezing, store food at 0° F. or lower. At higher temperatures, frozen foods lose both eating quality and vitamin values. To help you know how many and what kinds of frozen foods are in the freezer, post an up-to-date list near the freezer. List the foods as you put them into the freezer, and check them off as you take them out, so packages won't be lost or forgotten. If power is interrupted or freezer fails to operate normally, do not open the cabinet. Food in a loaded cabinet will usually stay frozen for 2 days, even in sum- mer. In a cabinet with less than half a load, food may not stay frozen for more than a day. Covering the top and sides of the cabinet with heavy blankets or other insulation will prolong the time the food will stay frozen. lf repairs cannot be made in 1 or 2 days, get dry ice, if available, and place in each compartment as soon as possible. Fifty pounds in a 20 cubic foot cabinet should hold the temperature in o cabinet with less than a half load under freezing for 2 to 3 days and in a loaded cabinet 3 to 4 days. If you can't get dry ice, try to locate a locker plant and move the food there in insulated boxes. 1. Husk corn that is at just the right stage for eating. Kernels will be fully formed, and the milk thin and sweet. Trim off any undeveloped or wormy sections. Whole-kernel corn has proved most successful for freezing. Though many people like to freeze corn on the cob, it is sometimes disappoint- ing because it takes up so much freezer space and does not have the flavor of fresh corn on the cob. 2. Use a dry vegetable brush to remove silks. Then wash or scrub the ears in cold-water. 6. Pack into moisture-vapor-re- sistant containers, Fill to within |/ inch from top. 3. Dip corn in rapidly boiling water 7 minutes. Cover to hold in steam. Start counting time as soon as corn is in. Keep heat high. 7. Close and heat-seal box with a warm iron. When iron is too hot, plastic coating on this type of car- ton melts away so box will not seal. 4, Cool in iced or running cold water for 7 minutes or until a kernel pulled from cob feels cold to tongue. 8. Keep filled, labeled containers cold in refrigerator until all are ready to be frozen. 5. For whole-kernel style, cut corn off cob with sharp knife. Don’t cut too deep. A nail in cutting board holds cob firmly. 9. Place containers in insulated box for taking to locker plant, or freeze in home cabinet. When frozen, store at O° F. or lower. 1. Shell freshly picked, sweet, tender peas. Sort out immature and tough ones, unsuitable for freezing. Vegetables such as peas and sweet corn lose qual- ity very rapidly after picking. They become starchy and lose sweetness if held at summer temperature and should be frozen within a few hours. < alata tH 2. Wash peas and pour into wire basket to drain. 5. Pour peas into freezing package, leaving !|/, inch head space at top. Wipe moisture from inside edges of bag. Press out air. ae “4 ‘ * . ¥ ratecea? : “a A iaene water for 1 minute. Note wire lid that holds peas under water. Cover kettle and begin to count time. 6. Heat-seal bag, using a warm hand iron or a curling iron. A wooden box or platform is con- venient for this job. 4, Chill scalded peas at once in iced water or run- ning cold water until a broken pea feels cold to tongue. Drain. 7. Put filled containers in freezing compartment. When frozen, store at 0° F. ]. Use freshly gathered broccoli with tightly budded, compact heads. If flowers show yellow, broccoli is too old for freezing. Broccoli has better quality when scalded in steam. To steam scald, you need a kettle with a tight lid and a rack to hold the scalding basket at least 1!/, to 2 inches above the boiling water. Use an inch or two of water in the kettle. Place a single layer of broccoli in the basket so steam reaches all parts quickly. Cover kettle and keep heat high. Start counting time as soon as the lid is on. 10 2. Trim off large leaves and tough ends of stalks. Wash broccoli thor- oughly, pressing the buds apart as you wash. 6. Remove from scalding kettle. Chill broccoli at once in cold run- ning water or iced water until a broken. piece feels cold to tongue. fd a 3. Soak stalks head down in salt (i, water (4 teaspoons salt to 1 gallon cold water) about half an hour. * This drives out green worms and , tiny bugs. 7. Lift basket from cold water. ¢ Shake off all excess water pos- sible, and let broccoli drain a few minutes. 4, Cut broccoli lengthwise, into uniform pieces, leaving the heads about 1!/, inches across. This in- sures uniform scalding and makes attractive pieces for serving 8. Pack broccoli so some heads are at one end of box, some at the other. This saves space. Fill box to top. Broccoli packs loosely, so you don't need to allow space for it to expand. Bb. an 5, Steam scald by placing broc- coli over rapidly boiling water. Cover kettle and steam 5 minutes. Keep the heat high. 9. Heat-seal this cellophane-cov- ered package on the outside with a warm iron. After freezing, store at O° F. Handle this type of pack- age carefully so you won't tear the wrapper. VEGETABLES FOR FREEZING VEGETABLE HOW TO PREPARE TIME TO SCALD* toa Asparagus ....... | Wash well and cut into desired lengths. Sort into 3 groups, according to thickness of stalk. Scald, chill, and pack. 2 to 4 minutes in boiling water, | according to size of stalk. Beans, lima ...... Shell, wash, and sort according to size. Scald and chill. Then | 2 to 3 minutes in boiling water, . sort out any beans that have turned white; these may be according to size. cooked or canned. Pack. / Beans, snap ..... | Wash well, cut off stem and tips. Leave whole, slice, or cut into | 2 to 3 minutes in boiling water, | pieces. Scald, chill, and pack. 9 PeerCeOll 33S... Cut off large leaves and tough stalks. Wash well and soak, | 5 minutes in steam, or 4 minutes | heads down in salted water (4 teaspoons salt to 1 gallon cold | in boiling water. | water), for about !/> hour. Split lengthwise so heads are not | | more than 1!/, inches across. Seald, chill, and pack. <4 @) Cauliflower ...... ' Select white, compact heads. Break flowerlets into pieces about | 3 minutes in boiling water. . 1 inch across. Wash, scald, chill, and pack. | arn-son cob... -/.... _ Husk, remove silk and trim off bad spots. Wash. Scald, chill, | 7. minutes in boiling water for and pack. slender ears; 9 minutes for me- dium; 11 minutes for large, | thick ears. & Corn, whole-grain. Husk, remove silk, and trim off bad spots. Wash and sort ac- | 5 to 7 minutes in boiling water. % cording to thickness of ear. Scald, then chill. Cut kernels off i cob. Pack. | | SRO EI Ss os sons iss Wash well, remove imperfect leaves and large, tough stems. 1 to 2 minutes in boiling water. | Scald, chill, and pack. 12 PREPARING AND PACKING VEGETABLE > Peppers, green, and pimiento. Soybeans ..... HOW TO PREPARE TIME TO SCALD* Shell, sort out immature and tough peas, wash, scald, chill, and | 1 minute in boiling water. pack. | Wash. Remove seeds and slice or cut as desired. Scald and chill. | 2 minutes in boiling water. Pack in brine of | teaspoon salt to 1 cup cold water. | | | | ... | Boil in pods for 5 minutes. Chill. Squeeze beans out of pods. | No additional scalding required. Wash, drain, and pack. “If you live 5,000 or more feet above sea level, scald the vegetables 1 minute longer. Head space: In carton or bag— When packed without liquid, leave !/y inch head space for vegetables that pack tightly, such as peas and corn. No head space is needed for vegetables that pack loosely, such as broccoli and cauliflower. For vegetables packed with brine or for vegetable purees, leave | inch head space. In glass jars or tin cans leave 1!/2 inches head space. Vegetables not given in table: The table above gives recommendations for those vegetables most commonly frozen. Other vegetables such as beets, brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, mushrooms, okra, and sweetpotatoes have been frozen successfully and directions have been developed by some of the State agricultural experiment stations. Whole tomatoes, lettuce, celery, cucumbers, and onions. have not been frozen satisfac- torily. 13 Select tree-ripened freestone peaches at just the right stage for eating, and use only varieties recommended for freezing. Sort peaches carefully. Remove those that are overripe and bruised. The good parts of these may be made up into frozen puree or jams and fruit butter. Peaches, like other tree fruits, may be packed with dry sugar or in a sugar sirup. If you use sirup, you'll need about 3 gallons for 1 bushel of medium- sized peaches. To keep peaches from darkening, you can use a citric acid dip before packing in sirup or dry sugar or add ascorbic acid directly to the sugar sirup (see p. 2 for directions). ®s6 14 1. Dip fully ripe, sound freestone peaches about 15 to 30 seconds in Z. boiling water to ioosen skins. The riper the fruit, the less scalding needed, 5. Cover peaches with cold sugar < sirup (see.p. 19). The home-made funnel and stand are handy. | {e ‘ ‘ _— oi > lee ages < ; se >= fg Se- 2. Chill peaches quickly in cold water for 15 to 30 seconds. This stops the cooking action. 6. Wipe the inside edges of liner clean and dry; press out air and seal with a warm iron. Home- made wooden platform makes it easier to seal the liner. 4 a , yd 3. Pit peaches, slip peel from halves, and cut in sections. A cut- ting board is useful. Handle fruit quickly so it won’t darken. 7. Put filled, labeled boxes into refrigerator to keep cold until all are ready to go into freezer. ifs 4, If using a citric acid dip to pre- vent darkening, place fruit at once in the cold solution for 1 to 2 minutes. Drain. Fill containers to within 1 inch from top. 8. Freeze. As soon as peaches are frozen store at O° F. or lower. 1. Carefully sort and cap strawberries. Do not use berries that are green, crushed, or overripe. 4. Fill containers to within 1 inch from top. Cover berries with juice. If necessary, press down on berries with a spoon until juice covers them. Strawberries have better texture and flavor when sweetened with dry sugar before freezing. One cup of sugar with 5 to 8 cups of fruit gives good results. After adding the sugar, turn the berries over and over until all the sugar is dissolved and juice is formed for covering the berries when packed. 2. Wash berries—a few at a time—-in cold water. _ Lift the berries from the water into a colander to 4 drain. * 5 Wipe the inside edges of liner clean and dry. , Press out air, and seal edges together with a warm iron. Label. 3. Mix whole or sliced berries with sugar, using 1 cup sugar with 5 to 8-cups of berries. Turn over and over until all sugar is dissolved. 6. For rapid freezing, place boxes of berries against walls of freezing compartment, allowing space for air to circulate between packages. When frozen, store at 0° F. or lower. FRUITS FOR FREEZING FRUIT Apricots ....... Berries (except blueberries and straw- berries) ..... Blueberries Cherries, sour... Cherries, sweet. . HOW TO PREPARE HOW TO PACK Peel, core, and cut into sections of uniform thickness (about 12 sections for medium- sized, more for larger apples to insure sufficient scalding). Scald apples in steam or boiling water 1!/, to 2 minutes to pre- vent darkening. Or if sirup is used for packing you can slice apples directly into it. Sort for ripeness. Wash, halve, pit, and cut in sections. To keep from darkening, dip for 1 to 2 minutes in a solution of !/%4 tea- spoon citric acid dissolved in 1 quart water or use ascorbic acid (see How to Pack). Pick over, wash, drain well. Do not wash raspberries unless necessary. Pick over, wash, drain well. Wash, drain, and pit. Wash and drain. Pit or not, as desired. 18 Pack in 1 part by weight of sugar to 3 or 4 parts by weight of fruit (1 cup sugar to 5 cups fruit); or in sirup to cover (3 to 4 cups sugar to 4 cups water) With citric acid. Pack in 1 part by weight of sugar to 3 or 4 parts by weight of fruit (1 cup sugar to 4|/, to 6 cups fruit); or in sirup to cover (3 to 4 cups sugar to 4 cups water). With ascorbic acid. Put apricots directly into sugar sirup to which has been added | teaspoon as- corbic acid to each 1 to 11/5 cups sirup. Pack without sugar; or pack in 1 part by weight of sugar to 4 parts by weight of fruit (1 cup sugar to 6 cups fruit); or in sirup to cover (3 cups sugar to 4 cups water). Pack in 1 part by weight of sugar to 4 parts by weight of fruit (1 cup sugar to 6 cups fruit); or in sirup to cover (3 cups sugar to 4 cups water; or pack without sugar). Pack in 1 part by weight of sugar to 3 or 4 parts by weight of fruit (1 cup sugar to 4 to 5 cups fruit). Pitted cherries. Pack in 1 part by weight of sugar to 4 parts by weight of fruit (1 cup sugar to 5 cups fruit). Whole cherries. Pack in sirup to cover (3 cups sugar to 4 cups water with |/4 teaspoon ascorbic acid ~ added to each 1 to 1!/5 cups sirup). Set Cranberries’ % Peaches (free- stone) and nectarines > Plums and 4 prunes Rhubarb ...... ~~ - Strawberries Head space: 1 HOW TO PREPARE Pick over and wash. Sort, wash, remove stems. Leave whole, halve, or slice.. Sort, pit, peel (skins may be loosened by scalding whole peaches 15 to 30 seconds in boiling water). Cut in sections. To keep from darkening, dip sections for 1 to 2 minutes in a solution of 1/4 teaspoon citric acid dissolved in 1 quart water or use as- corbic acid (see How to Pack). Sort, wash, halve, and pit. Wash, trim, and cut stalks into 1-inch pieces. Cap and sort, wash, and drain well. Leave berries whole, or slice. Pack without sugar; or pack in 1 part by weight of sugar to 3 or 4 parts by weight of berries (1 cup sugar to 6 to 8 cups berries; or pack in sirup to cover (4 cups sugar to 4 cups water). Pack without sugar; or pack in 1 part by weight of sugar to 4 parts by weight of fruit (1 cup sugar to 6 cups fruit); or pack in sirup to cover (3 cups sugar to 4 cups water). With citric acid. Pack in 1 part by weight of sugar to 3 or 4 parts by weight of fruit (1 cup sugar to 4\/y to 6 cups fruit); or in sirup to cover (3 cups sugar to 4 cups water). With ascorbic acid. Put peaches directly into sugar sirup to which has been added !/4 teaspoon as- corbic acid for each 1 to 1!/2 cups sirup. Pack in 1 part by weight of sugar to 3 to 5 parts by weight of fruit (1 cup sugar to 4!/, to 10 cups fruit); or in sirup to cover (3 to 5 cups sugar to 4 cups water, with !/4 teaspoon ascorbic acid added to each 1 to 1!/5 cups sirup). Pack without sugar; or pack in 1 part by weight of sugar to 4 or 5 parts by weight of rhubarb (1 cup sugar to 5 to 6 cups fruit); or in sirup to cover (3 cups sugar to 4 cups water). Pack in 1 part by weight of sugar to 3 or 4 parts by weight of fruit (1 cup sugar to 5 to 8 cups fruit), Pack tightly so juice covers berries. Packing fruit in dry sugar: In carton or bag, leave '/y inch head space if packed without liquid. Leave 1 inch head space if packed with sirup, or for purees or crushed fruits. In glass jars or tin cans leave 1!/2 inches head space. 19 When packing fruits in dry sugar, be sure to mix thoroughly until all sugar is dissolved and sufficient sirup is formed to cover the fruit when packed. If necessary press fruit down in package until sirup covers the fruit. s COOKING FROZEN VEGETABLES Cooking frozen vegetables to save their vitamins, bright color, and fresh flavor is like cooking fresh vege- tables . . except the frozen vegetables cook more quickly. The secret lies in using only a little water and cooking them quickly until just tender. You can cook most frozen vegetables without thawing. Corn on the cob must be completely thawed and some vegetables such as greens, asparagus, and broccoli cook more evenly if thawed—just enough to separate the leaves or stalks. Partially thaw vegetables packed in brine; and use part of brine as cooking liquid. Never re- freeze thawed vegetables. Cook only enough vegetables for one meal at a time. You can cut a large package in two before cooking, and keep the uncooked part wrapped and frozen. If yeu cook Place frozen peas in from one-fourth to one-half cup lightly salted boiling water. Cover pan with a lid, keep water boiling steadily with low heat, and cook peas until just tender. more than one package at a time or one large package, use a wide pan to speed cooking time. The frost furnishes some moisture, so use only a small amount of water—one-fourth to one-half cup usually is enough for 4 to 5 servings. The amount depends on the size of the package and the time needed to cook the vegetables tender. Bring lightly salted water to a boil. Add frozen vege- tables, cover, and bring water back to a boil rapidly. Use a tight fitting lid so moisture forms steam for cook- ing. Then reduce heat, but keep it high enough so water boils steadily. Cook until vegetables are just tender; over- cooking destroys flavor and texture. Since frozen vege- tables are partly cooked before freezing, they cook tender in a shorter time than fresh ones. Approximate Cooking Times for Frozen Vegetables Cooking times for frozen vegetables will vary with variety and maturity of vegetable. You can use the times given below as a guide for cooking vegetables of your own pack. Be sure to bring the vegetables back to boil- ing before you start counting time. Minutes Minutes Asparagus 7 Corn, cut 5 Beans, lima 7-15 Corn, on cob 5 Beans, snap 12-15 Peas 4 Broccoli 7 Soybeans. 10-15 Cauliflower 5 Spinach 5 3 x THAWING FRUITS Frozen fruits when thawed are ready to be served as dessert. But thaw only enough for one meal at a time. Fruit quickly loses its freshness after it has thawed— the texture becomes oversoft and the fresh flavor de- creases. For a small family, cut a large package in two before thawing, but be sure to keep the unused part wrapped and frozen. Serve berries while they still contain a few ice crystals. Though texture of peaches or similar fruits is better when they are still a little icy, flavor is improved by more com- plete thawing. If you plan to cook the fruit, thaw it only enough to separate the pieces. Always leave fruit in the sealed container during thaw- ing for best flavor and color. Turn package several times during thawing to keep fruit coated with sirup and to prevent darkening. On the refrigerator shelf, it takes 6 to 8 hours to thaw a 1-pound package of fruit. At room temperature, the time is shortened to 2 to 3 hours. To thaw fruit quickly, place package in cool running water for a half to 1 hour. Fruit packed with dry sugar thaws more quickly than that packed with sirup. Never refreeze fruits after thawing. To keep frozen fruits that have been thawed cook them first, then store in the refrigerator. If you combine frozen fruits with other foods in reci- pes, be sure to allow for the sugar or sirup in which the fruit was packed, In some recipes, no more sugar will be needed. Frozen fruit that has lost its fresh quality may still be used in recipes for cooked desserts. 21 Use frozen peaches or other fruit promptly after thawing. If you wish to use peach slices in salads, dip them, frozen or thawed, in citrus fruit juice to add tartness and retard darkening. Frozen strawberries make excellent shortcake as do other berries and peaches. Arrange on cake while berries are still a little icy. HOME-MADE EQUIPMENT ...FOR FILLING PACKAGES A funnel and stand make it easier to fill box or liner quickly with little chance for tears or spills. You can buy one, or any handyman who has equipment to ; work with tin can make this one shown. 2 The funnel is of tinned metal. The ring, made from a strip of the same metal, is soldered together where ? it joins the bolt. The narrow rim around top edge of ~ funnel keeps liquids from running down on the pack- age below. The mouth of the funnel extends deep 4 enough into the package so sirups or foods do not touch the inside sealing edges of the liner. Holes in the wooden standard make it easy to ad- just the height of the funnel for different packages. = Packaging funnel Se SE 7: Pattern for frank and back Pattern for sides 22 .-»- FOR SEALING PACKAGES This home-made wooden platform holds the pack- age upright as you seal the edges of specially treated liners with a warm iron. The platform has removable blocks so it can be adjusted for packages of different heights. The plat- form should be just as high as the container so you can draw the liner smoothly over the top of the plat- form to press out air before sealing. A bolt with nut holds the blocks firmly in place, and an iron brace inside the platform strengthens it. Though not so convenient as the platform, the top of a small wooden box the same height as the pack- age may be used for sealing. 23 Wooden platform for sealing AN INSULATED CARRYING BOX If you take packages of food to a locker plant for freezing, you'll need an insulated box. To make such a box, set a carton inside a larger one. Fill the space between the cartons with shredded paper or excel- sior. Seal edges of box with gummed paper and use wooden strips to strengthen and hold box off floor. For the lid, use gummed strips of paper to hold to- gether several layers of corrugated paper. Or you can use two wooden boxes or two tin cans, or any other containers you have on hand that will provide 3 to 4 inches of space for insulation. ‘ : INDEX Apples i = As). came vee 18. Interruption of current .... 5 ; Apricots: poten woe aes 18°“\Labeling? =~: 2s). cee ee a ASPOlGQUS °'sjysine cn eee 12 Nectarines. See Peaches .. 19 Beans, lima@ sts. mee ee 12). Peachés).4.22.2S ee 14,19 Berries, except strawberries 18 Peas ................ 8,13 and blueberries. Poppers: \). 3.0.0. se ae 13 i Blueberries) 4 3) 24-455.1%5 0-8 TS. Pldtas*).. 25. 0 Seta See 19 Box, carrying 35.)5.2 4.20.9 24°) Prunes... <8 eee 19 Broccoli. <5... ater 10, 12>. Rhubarb.) 092 oe 19 Cauliflower «7.0 eee 12 Scalding vegetables: Cherries. -y.. eee. ee 18 in boiling water.. 3, 6, 8, 10 Chilling vegetables ....... 3 in steam; = . he Sie 10 Containers, kind of ...... 4 Sealing ...... af ay, ieee 4,23 Cooking frozen vegetables... 20 Soybeans .............. 13 CORI 355. Fi Ey alee See woke 6, 13 Storage i. ees 5 Granberries (55.836 tice 18 Strawberries ......... 16, 19 Darkening, ways to prevent 2 Sweetening fruits ........ 3 Fig8* 4c) setae ede icc Pret Se Orc 19 Temperature, freezing .... 5 Filling packages ......... 22. Thawing fruits ......... Mee 4 Greens). 25.02 Fs See 13. Thawing vegetables ...... 20 Head space”. 55.55%. oa 4 Varieties for freezing ..... 2 Prepared by Bureau of Human Nutrition and Home Economics in cooperation with Bureau of Agricultural and Indystrial Chemistry Agricuitural Research Administration ches: Department of Agriculture - Washington, D. C. May 1946 This publication supersedes AWI-100, How to Prepari Vegetables and Fruits for Freezing