By Katie Goodman
Do you ever have an extra bit of something (in this case, rhubarb) and want to freeze it for later? How do you avoid freezer burn or a big block of stuff all stuck together? Here’s my tried and true method for freezing food without the unpleasant side affects.
Step 1: If needed, wash and dry your food (produce, for instance). This depends on what you’re freezing, of course. Sometimes it won’t be necessary.
Step 2: Then cut or form the food into the right pieces — the size you will need later on when you use this food to prepare a recipe.
Step 3: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick silicone baking sheet. This will help the food you are freezing from being stuck to the pan. I like the silicon baking sheets best. Place the prepared food on the sheet in one layer, making sure nothing touches.
Step 4: Place the sheet in the freezer until the food is completely frozen. Remove and place the frozen food into a freezer zip-top bag. Label the bag with the contents and date.
Step 5: Suck out as much of the air as you can. You can use a Food Saver machine, or you can simply zip the bag almost all the way up, leaving just enough room to fit a straw in the opening. Insert a straw and suck out the air. Place a finger over the top of the straw, remove the straw, and zip the bag.
Now you can stash the bag back in your freezer for later use. I illustrated this with rhubarb. You can use this method with preformed cookie dough balls, other fruits and vegetables (chopped bell pepper from your garden/farmer’s market or berries), whatever you like. Be creative! Basically, anything you’re worried about getting stuck together in the freezer could benefit from this method.
About the Author:
Katie Goodman resides in New Mexico with her husband and two children (a 4-year-old boy and an 18-month-old girl). Learning in the kitchen, eating, trying new recipes, and sharing them with friends and loved ones are some of Katie’s favorite things to do. She wholeheartedly believes that part of the goodness in life is enjoying good food with good friends and family, and goodLife {eats} is a place for her to share what she finds good in the kitchen.
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