1. Texture Appeal
Freezing fresh vegetables is a quick way to preserve the harvest for several months, with a few exceptions. Did you ever wonder why you don't see frozen lettuce at the supermarket? Foods high in water content form large ice crystals, which yield mushy results when you thaw the vegetables. Cucumbers and sliced tomatoes also freeze poorly. If you notice frozen produce that's high in water offered at the store, such as whole tomatoes, this is due to the extremely low temperatures food manufacturers achieve with commercial freezing equipment. Home freezers won't yield quality results with these watery foods.
2. Packaged to Perfection
You must choose a packaging material to freeze fresh vegetables that keeps the vegetables from drying out and developing freezer burn. The packaging should also keep your vegetables from absorbing freezer odors. The best packaging is moisture proof, but moisture resistant is an acceptable alternative for short-term freezing. You can choose a rigid container that stacks for an organized freezer, such as glass, aluminum or plastic. If you only have a small amount of fresh vegetables to freeze, you can use a self-sealing plastic bag. Label the contents of the container and note the date so you remember to consume the vegetables within a year.
3. From Garden to Table
If you're preparing to freeze fresh vegetables you've harvested from your home garden, you must take a few preparatory steps to ready the produce for freezing. Some vegetables, especially those the gardener grows with pesticides, may harbor unwanted hitchhikers. Flush out any caterpillars or beetles with an hour long soak in a salty bath. Use 8 tbs. of salt in 2 gallons of cold water, and the salt will desiccate the pests' tissues, leading to their demise. Shake the vegetables to dislodge any lingering garden grit, and trim the vegetables into uniform chunks.
4. Bring Enzymes to a Halt
Vegetables contain natural enzymes that trigger changes in living tissue such as ripening. These enzymes continue their activity after harvest, and even at freezing temperatures. Therefore, you must inactivate enzymes to protect the quality of your fresh frozen vegetables. The most common way to halt enzyme action is by applying heat to the vegetables. Depending on the thickness of the vegetable, you can boil them for 2 to 4 minutes. Follow this with quick-cook technique, called blanching, with an ice water dip to stop the cooking process.
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