How to Properly Store Meat For Your Freezer A freezer is a great investment for families because it helps them save money by cooking in bulk, and assists with grocery shopping. Food frozen in the freezer is quick, easy and healthy. The hot, high-pressure refrigerant is pumped through condenser coils in order to cool and release the pressure. The gas then flows through a small tube called the evaporator, where it is converted into a liquid. Meat Shopping in bulk and stocking up on meat for the freezer is a great method to save money on food. It also helps to have a ready supply of food for bad weather or last-minute meals. The freezing process can preserve meat's texture, taste and nutritional value. However, it is important to properly store the meat so that you get the most out of it. By freezing at the right temperature, you will prevent the growth of harmful microbes and bacteria. It can also stop the degrading of nutrients. The best method to freeze meat is to put it in a sealed package. This is to prevent air from coming in contact with the food, which causes oxidation (when food loses color), moisture loss, and exposure to contaminants such as bacteria. Plastic wrap and freezer bags are great for this. Consider vacuum sealing when you are planning to store large quantities of meat. This will ensure the best possible seal. This will help avoid freezer burn, and keep your meat more fresh for longer. Once the meat is frozen, it needs to be stored in an area that is dry and clean. This will help prevent freezer burn, which occurs when water molecules near the surface evaporate before going into liquid phase. The resulting ice can harm the cells of meat, making it hard to eat and not appealing. Freezer burn can also cause an unpleasant smell, and could make the meat smell stale. A second problem with freezing meat is the fact that the ice can pull moisture out of the muscles and fat. This can result in dry cuts. It is important to avoid washing the meat prior to freezing because this could result in crystals of ice that are bigger to cause freezer burn. It is recommended to utilize clean cutting surfaces while preparing the meat for freezing. It is also recommended to eliminate any fat or bones from the meat prior wrapping it. Additionally, you should use enough freezer paper to wrap the meat two times. This will prevent the frozen ice crystals from sticking together and creating freezer burn. It is also recommended to organize your freezer according to meat type and follow the FIFO (first in, last out) method when storing your meat. This will enable you to remove the older meat before cooking. Fruit If you have an overly productive yard, or too many cartons of ripe strawberries or you want to satisfy your sweet tooth fast, freezing fruit can be an efficient and cost-effective alternative. Freezing foods is less energy-intensive than canning and requires a shorter period of heat treatment which helps protect nutrients. Once food is frozen, bacteria and molds cannot develop. Food is safe to consume. The preparation of fruits for freezing depends on the kind of fruit and the purpose for which it is intended. Certain fruits, like bananas are best eaten as whole. You can quickly freeze them on a cookie tray prior to placing them in plastic containers or freezer bags. Other fruits can also be prepared to freeze by cutting them in pieces, dicing them or mashing them. A slotted spoon or mashing tool made from wire potato can be used to crush soft fruit, whereas the use of a food processor is ideal for larger pieces of firmer fruit. To remove any excess pulp or juice make use of a colander, strainer, or bowl. Utilize galvanized wares to preserve or prepare fresh or frozen fruit. The acid can damage metals. Most frozen fruits are packed with an easy syrup to keep their texture. Sugar isn't essential to the preservation of most fruits, and it can be removed or substituted with a synthetic sweetener for those who are watching their sugar intake. To make a syrup pack you can put the fruit into the container with a small amount of sugar water and then freeze it until it is solid. This method is suitable for many different fruits, including pears, berries mangoes, peaches and cherries. Freeze-dried fruits are another popular choice for a freezer particularly if you're making smoothies. Fruit snacks are packaged in pouches or cans which have been sucked out of oxygen using oxygen absorbents. They're able to be used for storage over the long term. While they may not contain all of the same minerals and vitamins as fresh or canned fruit, they're a convenient method to get your daily dose of Vitamin C as well as other antioxidants, and other vital nutrients. Vegetables Freezing vegetables and fruits is a great method of keeping them in the future. It can help preserve nutrients, and a variety of studies show that frozen foods contain as much or even more vitamins and minerals as their fresh counterparts. However, not all fruits and vegetables freeze well. Some even lose their original flavor once they are thawed. To avoid this you should freeze them at the earliest in the ripeest state possible. Blanching is another important step that is required for the majority of fruits and vegetables to be frozen as it stops enzymes from causing reactions that can cause a loss of color, flavor and texture. It also cleans the surface and eliminates microorganisms. The process of blanching should be quick but efficient, and it must be followed by a rapid cooling to stop the cooking process. Some leafy greens or berries can be blanched and frozen however, most require it to keep their color and texture. It is recommended to blanch the greens for just a few seconds in boiling water, and then cool them down in cold water that is ice-cold. This is particularly crucial for dark greens like spinach, kale, and chard. Leafy greens are also not suitable for freezing in whole, and must be cut into smaller pieces before putting them in freezer bags or other storage containers. Vegetables with a high water content are likely to become mushy after being thawed like radishes and cucumbers. For this reason, they are better suited for cooking before eating, instead of being frozen raw. To ensure the best quality of vegetables and fruits for freezing, it's essential to adhere to the recommended freezing times and use an instrument to measure your freezer temperature. Be sure that it is at a temperature of 0°F or less, as freezing at temperatures above this can reduce the shelf life of your foods. It is also beneficial to freeze foods in small amounts at a time so that the freezer doesn't get overloaded and slow down, which will decrease the quality of frozen foods. To get the best results, a sheet pan is ideal for placing vegetables in the freezer since they can be moved easily from the pan to other storage containers afterward. Catering Having a freezer on hand allows you to cook meals in bulk. This can be advantageous for families since it allows them to eat healthier without having cook all day long and to profit from the sales at the grocery store. It is also possible to avoid the seasonality issue by storing expensive vegetables and fruits during times when they aren't in season. Freezers are extremely versatile, and they're available in a variety of sizes to meet your needs. They can be as big as a walk in commercial model or as small as dorm-sized models. All of them use the vapor compression principle. This is the process of moving a swift refrigerant stream that is vaporized and moves through the four main components to absorb and expel the heat from the food storage compartment. A good freezer should have adequate storage space to hold all the food items you wish to keep. You should plan ahead to determine how much room you'll need. Most freezers are listed with their interior capacity in cubic feet, however this can vary from one manufacturer to the next. Make sure to read the label to be sure you're comparing like-sized models. Look for a freezer with a lock on the door when you are choosing one. This feature can keep your home safe from burglary and also protect your possessions. Additionally the door lock is essential for those who have small children at home. A freezer filled with well-organized food makes it easy to locate what you require when you're in a hurry. It's also beneficial those who have relatives who have different diet restrictions. By freezing dishes for those who are unable to take gluten or avoid sugar, you can provide them with a meal without having to prepare two separate meals. A deep freezer is the best option for those who want to are storing large amounts of food. They have a larger capacity which lets you freeze larger pieces of meat or more perishable foods. These freezers also have a quicker cooling process that can help keep bacteria from spoiling as quickly as they would in a standard freezer.