Freezing fruit and vegetables at home
A freezer is the simplest preserving tool in most kitchens. Frozen while they are at their best, fruit and vegetables keep their colour and flavour for months, and a little preparation beforehand makes them much easier to use later.
Blanching vegetables first
Most vegetables keep their colour, texture and flavour better if they are blanched before freezing. Blanching is a short dip in boiling water followed by iced water to stop the cooking. It slows the natural changes that make frozen vegetables dull and tough over time.
- Bring a large pan of water to the boil, and fill a bowl with cold water and ice.
- Add the prepared vegetables in small batches, so the water comes back to the boil quickly.
- Boil for 1 to 3 minutes, depending on size. Peas need about a minute, while broccoli florets and sliced green beans need two or three.
- Lift them into the iced water for the same length of time, then drain them and pat them dry.
Open-freezing fruit
Berries, sliced bananas and chunks of mango or pineapple don't need blanching. Wash berries gently and let them dry, and peel bananas before slicing. Spread the fruit out in a single layer on a lined tray and freeze until solid, which usually takes a few hours, then tip it into a bag. Because the pieces freeze separately, you can take out a handful at a time. Apples and pears freeze better cooked, as a purée or stewed.
Labelling and storing
Every bag that goes into our freezer gets the same three details in marker pen: what it is, the date it went in and how much there is. We call this habit the maresovor label, and it saves a lot of guessing over mystery bags months later.
Squeeze as much air as you can out of each bag before sealing it, and freeze food flat so it freezes quickly and stacks neatly. A freezer should run at minus 18°C or colder. Most frozen fruit and vegetables taste best if used within about six months.
Thawing and food safety
Freezing pauses the growth of bacteria but doesn't kill them, so freeze only fresh produce in good condition. Most frozen vegetables can be cooked straight from frozen. Thaw fruit in the fridge rather than on the worktop and use it within a day. Don't refreeze fruit or vegetables that have thawed, unless you have cooked them first.