We'll talk about why skipping the blanch (or cutting it short) costs you flavor and color in the freezer, which vegetables you can freeze raw, and why a full freezer rides out a power outage twice as long as a half-empty one. Then we'll get into drying in a humid climate, why vegetables need a blanch before the dehydrator, and what the research does and doesn't say about home freeze dryers.
We'll make a simple, safe batch of sauerkraut, cover the one rule for fridge pickles, and wrap up with the temperature and humidity each storage crop wants, from potatoes and onions to carrots, sweet potatoes, and apples. There's a crop-by-crop quick-reference chart to download, and a fantastic fermenting book to check out.
Let’s dig in!
References and Resources:
Larry's Coffee (affiliate): https://LarrysCoffee.com/JustGrow
Download the preserving guide: https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/preserve
Fermented Vegetables by Kristen and Christopher Shockey: https://amzn.to/4zjI2g4
Freezing
National Center for Home Food Preservation — Blanching Vegetables: https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/freeze/freeze-general-information/blanching-vegetables/
National Center for Home Food Preservation — Freezing Tomatoes: https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/freeze/vegetable/freezing-tomatoes/
National Center for Home Food Preservation — Freezing Onions: https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/freeze/vegetable/freezing-onions/
National Center for Home Food Preservation — Freezing Bell or Sweet Peppers: https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/freeze/vegetable/freezing-bell-or-sweet-peppers/
North Dakota State University Extension — Freezing Vegetables (blanching times, freezer loading, storage time): https://www.ndsu.edu/agriculture/extension/publications/freezing-vegetables
University of Illinois Extension — Power Outages: https://extension.illinois.edu/food-safety/power-outages
Li, L., Pegg, R. B., Eitenmiller, R. R., Chun, J. Y., & Kerrihard, A. (2017). Selected nutrient analyses of fresh, fresh-stored, and frozen fruits and vegetables. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfca.2017.02.002
Drying and Freeze-Drying
National Center for Home Food Preservation — Food Dehydrators: https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/dry/drying-general/food-dehydrators/
National Center for Home Food Preservation — Packaging and Storing Dried Foods: https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/dry/drying-general/packaging-and-storing-dried-foods/
Penn State Extension — Let's Preserve: Drying Fruits and Vegetables (Dehydration): https://extension.psu.edu/lets-preserve-drying-fruits-and-vegetables-dehydration
South Dakota State University Extension — Preserving Herbs: https://extension.sdstate.edu/preserving-herbs
Utah State University Extension — Buying a Home Freeze-Dryer: What to Know Before You Go: https://extension.usu.edu/preserve-the-harvest/research/buying-a-home-freeze-dryer-what-to-know-before-you-go
Utah State University Extension — Can I Freeze-Dry That? A Practical Guide to Safe and Effective Freeze-Drying: https://extension.usu.edu/foodsafety/research/can-i-freeze-dry-that-a-practical-guide-to-safe-and-effective-freeze-drying
Fermenting and Refrigerator Pickles
North Dakota State University Extension — Sauerkraut: From Garden to Table: https://www.ndsu.edu/agriculture/extension/publications/sauerkraut-garden-table
UConn Extension — Fermentation: Preservation with Benefits: https://extension.uconn.edu/?p=3394
University of Florida IFAS Extension — Fermented Foods: Sauerkraut, FS474: https://ask.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/FS474
NC State Extension Food Safety — How to Make Quick Refrigerator Pickles: https://foodsafety.ces.ncsu.edu/news/how-to-make-quick-refrigerator-pickles/
Cold Storage
University of Missouri Extension — Home Storage of Fruits and Vegetables in Root Cellars, MP562: https://extension.missouri.edu/publications/mp562
Iowa State University Extension and Outreach — Storing Winter Storage Vegetables: https://yardandgarden.extension.iastate.edu/how-to/storing-winter-storage-vegetables
Iowa State University Extension and Outreach — Growing Carrots and Parsnips: https://yardandgarden.extension.iastate.edu/how-to/growing-carrots-and-parsnips
Just Grow Something: https://justgrowsomething.com
Gardening Courses: https://justgrowsomething.com/courses
Just Grow Something Merch and Downloads: https://justgrowsomething.com/shop
Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/18YgHveF5P/
Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/JustGrowSomething
Feed my coffee habit: https://buymeacoffee.com/justgrowsomething
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