Man has long discovered that keeping food cool extends its shelf life. However, the real revolution came with the invention of the refrigerator. Cold preserves. Ideally, foods should be frozen at a temperature of -18 ° C to -23 ° C.In such low temperatures, the properties of vegetables and fruits hardly deteriorate, and the use-by date is at least several months.
However, several conditions must be met. First of all, the container must be tightly closed and, of course, suitable for storage at low temperatures.The less air in the container, the better the taste of the food after defrosting.Some containers are equipped with special venting clips.If vegetables and fruits are kept in a bag, squeeze out the air and clamp the end of the bag with a clip.
Products intended for freezing must not freeze, because then they spoil. They should always be packed in special bags made of thick, non-freezing foil that does not stick to the products or to the walls of the freezer compartment. Do not use disposable bags and ice cream boxes.Vegetables (and fruit) kept in them freeze, turn blue and oxidize on the surface, which makes them inedible.We do not fill the containers to the brim, because the frozen products increase in volume.
The vegetables should be blanched before freezing, thanks to which they will remain fresh for longer, and they will not lose much juice after defrosting. Let's not forget about hygiene when preparing frozen food. Vegetables and fruit must be carefully cleaned, hands and containers washed. Finally, it is good to describe the bags and containers, not only with the name of the frozen product, but also with the date of preparation.
In no case do we freeze raw potatoes, because then they become sweet and soft.It has to do with the presence of starch, which turns into sugar when it freezes. Lettuce and radishes are also not suitable for freezing. We preserve fresh and ripe products.Strawberries and raspberries can also be frozen as mousse. Blanch the vegetables, with the exception of asparagus and onions, before placing them in the freezer. Mushrooms such as porcini mushrooms and chanterelles are also suitable for freezing.
