The Great Produce Preserve-Along
An ongoing guide to processing and freezing anything a CSA or garden sends your way.
Hello and welcome to my magnum opus, a comprehensive-as-possible guide to processing, storing and/or freezing vegetables! I will update this post as different vegetables are in season. It’s in alphabetical order, but to find something fast, hit Command+F on your keyboard to search. Have a question about a specific vegetable? Drop it in the comments!
A note about uncovered sheet tray freezing, a method you’ll see a lot: if you don’t have space for a big one, consider getting three or four smaller sheet trays (1/4 or 1/8 size) that you can crisscross stack on top of one another. I recommend this step because it wicks away any extra moisture on the surface of your veg and keeps them from sticking together in a bag. Other useful tools: a large pot, a steamer basket or rice cooker, parchment paper, a colander, ice, lint-free kitchen towels, any kind of storage bag made specifically for the freezer, glass jars (I use a combination of mason jars, Weck jars and old Bon Maman jam containers). A large kettle is not required but if you happen upon one at a thrift store or yard sale, don’t hesitate to purchase! It will make the work of blanching much faster. I also like to keep a sturdy, reusable straw around because when I’m feeling a little anal retentive I’ll suck the air out of a storage bag like a human vac pack machine, lol.
Beets
I really feel people over complicate beets. All you have to do is steam them! It’s much faster and less messy than roasting. Like any root vegetable, if you can’t process right away, cut the greens off and put the roots in water inside a covered container in the fridge. Scrub them clean (but you don’t have to be too particular about it). You can steam them in a little collapsible basket inside a pot with a lid, or if like me, you own a hand-me-down rice cooker/steamer held together by tape, that will work great too. No peeking for at least 15 minutes! They will take up to 30 minutes to become tender, depending on the size and color— golden beets usually go a bit faster. On average, medium sized beets take 20-25 minutes in my rice cooker. Cool on a rack until you can comfortably touch them, then take the edge of a pairing knife to the skin, granny style. It should peel right off with little to no resistance.
I like to slice them lengthwise then place in a single, thin layer, cut side up for the most part, on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper and freeze, uncovered, for several hours or until relatively solid. Place in a freezer bag and remove as much air as possible. You can defrost and eat them as is— they’re so nice in a cold salad on a hot day. It’s also very delicious to pan fry or roast the beets cut side down for a warm dish with extra caramelized notes. Defrost them or don’t before cooking, it’ll be fine.
To process beet greens, see the instructions for chard below.
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