Category Archives: Freezing

Are You Prepared for Severe Weather?

If the trials of this winter season have not already spurred you to carefully evaluate your severe weather preparedness, or perhaps if you are still feeling uncertain if you are as prepared as you want to be, then don’t think you’ve missed your chance – it’s never too late to prepare for the next severe weather event.  The National Weather Service declared the first week of March 2014 as Severe Weather Preparedness Week. In case you missed it, here’s a link to preparedness resources provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Do you have a disaster supply kit yet? If not, you can use the disaster supplies kit link on NOAA’s site (above) to help you put one together to meet your particular needs. In addition to items like a flashlight and first aid kit, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) suggests that you stock a disaster supplies kit with food supplies enough for 3 days and nights. If you chose foods that require heating, then remember to also pack a small camping stove and fuel.

Comfort foods like cookies, lollipops, and coffee are very useful for morale, but it’s important to primarily pack an assortment of nutrient-rich foods to sustain your health during the crisis. Store-bought canned fruits, veggies, soups and meats are good options, as are granola bars, peanut butter, and crackers. Some home-preserved canned foods also make a great choice, although you’ll want to pay extra attention to packing glass jars so they do not break, and keep in mind that they add weight as compared to metal cans. Conversely, dehydrated fruits and veggies make for a very light-weight option to help maintain your energy.

To maintain the usefulness and quality of your supplies, check expiration dates, batteries, and your own changing personal needs to re-stock your disaster supply kit at least once per year.

If you lose power, remember to first eat foods from your refrigerator and then from your freezer before turning to your supply kit. Eat your non-perishable foods only once your perishable supplies run out. Refrigerated foods need to be monitored at 40°F or below or else eaten quickly, as they may cause support microbial growth and cause sickness after just a few hours at temperatures above 40°F. Keep the refrigerator/freezer doors closed as much as possible and wrap it in blankets or towels to help hold in the cool air. Freezer foods can be consumed as long as they still have ice crystals and/or you can check that the freezer has remained at 40°F or below. Usually, you’ll have 2 to 3 days to eat freezer foods if the freezer is well-insulated.

More tips, including how to prepare a two-week supply, are found in this publication from the University of Georgia: Preparing an Emergency Food Supply, Short Term Storage. A collection of publications including Storing Water Supplies is available from UGA Cooperative Extension’s Consumer Guide: Preparing an Emergency Food Supply.

Melt-in-your-Mouth Lemon Curd

lcurdbowl6

Although not meant to be a part of your everyday diet (you’ll see why when you consider the ingredients list), lemon curd sure is a special treat! A traditional English sweet spread, curds work well as a topping on cakes, cookies, and scones or as filling in pies and tarts. You could spoon it onto cream cheese for a unique dip or simply drip it over ice cream or frozen yogurt.

Making lemon curd is somewhat challenging, so if you are a novice then you might want to recruit help from a more experienced cook. And, as usual, if you are new to canning then please read step-by-step instructions on Using Boiling Water Canners and Principles of Home Canning.

frozen l curd

You can prepare this lemon curd to be consumed fresh, frozen, or canned. You could even make Lime Curd instead, substituting the lemon juice and zest for equal parts lime juice and zest. Either way, fresh curd needs to be refrigerated and eaten within 4 weeks, frozen curd will maintain best quality for up to a year, and canned curd for just 3 to 4 months.

The procedure for making lemon curd is an exacting process. Low-acid foods make up a significant portion of the ingredients (butter and eggs), so it is especially important to follow a tested recipe and canning process time for safety’s sake. Instead of detailing each step of the procedure here, please review the ingredient and equipment lists below, and then use these links for complete instructions from the National Center for Home Food Preservation: Canned Lemon Curd and Preparing and Preserving Lemon Curd (frozen).

l curd ingredientsl curd whisking

Lemon Curd, canned or frozen

Ingredients:

2½ cups superfine sugar (or grind granulated sugar in a food processor for one minute)

½ cup lemon zest (optional)

1 cup commercially bottled standard lemon juice (needs to be bottled for consistent pH)

¾ cup unsalted butter, chilled and cut into approximately ¾-inch pieces

7 large egg yolks

4 large whole eggs

Equipment needed:

lemon zester

small mixing bowl

balloon whisk

1½ quart double boiler

mesh strainer

kitchen thermometer measuring at least up to 180°F

silicone spatula or cooking spoon

dish cloth or towel

medium-sized glass or stainless steel mixing bowl

1 quart-sized or 2 pint-sized freezer containers and plastic food wrap (only if freezing)

3 to 4 half-pint canning jars, lids, and ring bands and a boiling water canner (only if canning)

This entry was inspired by the season, the Valentine’s Day holiday (because lemon curd makes an impressive gift whether fresh or preserved) and by the article Preserving and Preparing Lemon Curd by Elaine M. D’Sa.

Got the Wintertime “Greens”?

frozen lettuce

Chances are that you don’t have much to harvest from your garden these days, but if you do, then there’s a good chance it’s at least somewhat green and leafy. Lettuce, bok choy, spinach, turnip greens, collards, and swiss chard are among the hearty plants that are able to thrive in cooler temperatures. If your local temperatures have been too cold even for those crops, then head to a grocery store and keep your eyes open for special deals and seasonal sales in the produce department. Keep in mind however that lettuce has such a high water content and such thin tissue that it does not tend to preserve well using any method.

As mentioned in the recent New Year’s posting, Spinach and Other Greens can be canned, using a pressure canner. You might be amazed at the quantity you can fit in each jar once the tender leaves have wilted from being steamed – a canner load of 9 pints requires about 18 pounds of greens, and a canner load of 7 quarts holds an impressive average of 28 pounds! Note: These “other greens” should be greens with a similar texture to spinach, and not very hard, firm leaves such as cabbage.

Freezing greens is an option, but is recommended only for use as a cooked vegetable. This is for the sake of quality — their cells are full of water and those thin cell walls will burst when that water freezes and expands. So, rather than making a salad with frozen greens, try using them in casseroles, lasagna, soups, sauces and dips. Also, keep in in mind that leafy greens will heat more evenly if thawed before cooking. The water blanching time for most Greens, including Spinach, is 2 minutes, but water blanch collards for 1 additional minute (blanch time: 3 minutes) and Cabbage for 30 seconds less (blanch time: 1½ minutes). Blanching is important to slow or stop destructive enzyme action, clean surfaces, brighten color, help retain vitamins, and make the vegetables easier to pack into jars. Specific directions for water blanching are available here.

Blancher

Perhaps the least common method of preserving greens is to dry them. However, dehydrating can be a useful method for use in baked goods, soups, and casseroles. Dried greens may even be ground into flour to sneak some extra nutrients into breads, pancakes, and cookies. As with freezing, blanching is required. Cabbage can be water blanched for 1½ to 2 minutes or steam blanched for 2½ to 3 minutes or until wilted. Other greens can be water blanched for 1½ minutes or steam blanched for 2 to 2½ minutes or until wilted. Read this publication from the University of Georgia for more information about Drying Fruits and Vegetables.

The Hunt is On: Know the Basics of Venison Preservation

Exact dates for deer hunting season vary across the United States, but wherever you are, fall is the time of year that deer are most active and most actively hunted. To help you make the most of your wild game, here are a few tips and recommendations (follow the links below) for safely preserving the highest quality venison.

– Sanitation begins in the field. Be careful not to contaminate the carcass when field dressing the deer. Cool the meat to 35 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit as quickly as possible.

– Proper aging reduces the game taste, tenderizes tissues, and gives the meat better cutting quality. Never age meat at room temperature. Age meat at an air temperature of 40 degrees F or less for no more than 2 to 3 days in a clean, dry, well-ventilated storage facility. If you are making sausage, then aging is not needed.

– Refrigerated meat needs to be used within 2 to 3 days.

Freezing Venison:

Fat goes rancid quickly, so trim fat and clean cuts. For best quality, separate into meal sized portions (usually about one pound) then either use a vacuum sealer or wrap the meat tightly in waxed paper, plastic freezer wrap, aluminum foil, or plastic freezer storage bags, and if not already sealed then seal in a freezer bag or container. Remember to label and date each package. Freeze quickly at 0 degrees F or below. At this temperature, store venison for up to 9 to 12 months.

Labeling plastic freezer bag

Venison Sausage:

– Breakfast-type Sausage

– Summer Sausage and Smoked Sausage

– Quick Sausage and Wild Game Polish Sausage (page 9)

Canning Venison:

– Strips, cubes, or chunks

– Mincemeat

– Chile Con Carne (substitute venison for beef)

Curing/Smoking Venison:

– Corning; Sweet and Hot Pickle Cure

– Dry Curing Game

Venison Jerky

Pieces of meat on dryer trayEnjoy! jerky

Information in this document is based on Resources for Home Preserving Venison by Brian Nummer and Proper Care and Handling of Venison from Field to Table by Penn State Cooperative Extension.