Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Eating and Drinking => Cooking, Storing and Preserving => Topic started by: Dogstar on June 19, 2006, 20:27

Title: Blanching vegetables for freezing
Post by: Dogstar on June 19, 2006, 20:27

All the books I have at home say you should blanch before freezing, but I have heard that some people avoid the trouble of boiling water by immersing the veg in sodium metabisulphate (the stuff you sterilize bottles with in home brewing). This is supposed to kill the surface bacteria just as well as boiling water. Has anyone ever tried this, and, if so, what were the results like?

Title: Blanching vegetables for freezing
Post by: John on June 19, 2006, 21:12

YUCK! I don't fancy that.
The idea of partial cooking / blanching is to 'fix' the enzymes so the food keeps better rather than kill bacteria (so I understand)
Still, if you survive, let us know :)

Title: Blanching vegetables for freezing
Post by: GrannieAnnie on June 19, 2006, 22:52

Don't think I'd fancy that, the stuff stinks enough as it is, without contaminating my lovely fresh veggies with it.  I don't even like using it on my wine making equipment!!!

Title: Blanching
Post by: ladybird on June 21, 2006, 09:12

I agree with Jonh, the whole idea of blanching is to stop the food loosing it's nutritional value, it also helps to preserve the colour.