freezing WITHOUT (new) plastics

[mirime]

I'd prefer not to use plastics of any sort to freeze my produce (due to environmental concerns) But then what does that leave me with, other than Mason freezing jars?

I guess I could use large yogurt containers that aren't recyclable here (we only take 1 and 2s). I do have a TON of those around the house.

Any suggestions? Thanks in advance!!

 

[Britesea]

I my chest freezer, which is where I put mainly meats, I sewed up several cloth bags of different colors to make it easier to sort- yellow for chicken, brown for beef, red for pork, white for fish, and green for bacon/sausage etc. I have handles to lift them out if I need to rummage in the bag. I tried the paper bag idea but the paper eventually tore and became a problem. My cloth bags are about 2 years old now, and still going strong. I can always make more of them if I decide it's needed.

 

[tortoise]

@milkmansdaughter I don't get the foil pans with lids. That's why I slide them into a ziploc. I might use your idea for foil loaf pans for zoodles! I sure don't have any better ideas! I could freeze in them in water to make a brick and then freezer paper?

re: sorting, a beer bottle case (12 pack glass bottles) holds quart ziploc bags that are filled and frozen flat. I'm not helping much on how to *stop* using new plastic in the freezer

 

[wyoDreamer]

Growing up, my job during the deer butcher season was to wrap the meat in freezer paper. I was taught this technique:
-place the meat on the paper about 2" from an edge.
- grab the 2" edge and pull the paper and meat up and over, pressing the paper to the meat and kinda squeezing the meat into a solid mass as you turn it over.
- fold about 1/2" of the paper back so it is not on the meat - this prevents the edges from getting stuck to the meat when you try to unwrap it.
- fold the sides over it tightly.
- roll meat up in rest of paper and place it seam side down on another piece of freezer paper.
- wrap it tightly with the second piece of freezer paper, then tape it shut. My dad only uses a couple of pieces of tape to keep it wrapped, my uncle tapes all the loose edges of the paper.

Paper and tape was a lot cheaper than replacing freezer burned meat. Double wrapping is the key to preventing freezer burn, IMHO.

 

[Lazy Gardener]

I freeze corn. Occasionally freeze the "extra beans". When I have a canner full of beans, and a few pints left over, I blanch them, and freeze them in the vac bags. But, the frozen beans are no where near as good as canned. Opened up a jar of pickled beets today. They were incredible!!!

 

[patandchickens]

The difficulty as I see it of not using plastic is that you will have a heck of a time minimizing airspace around the produce enough to prevent massive freezerburn. (You could TRY waxpaper or freezerpaper mashed real tightly around the produce but I would not be holdin' my breath) (and anyhow I'm not sure that freezer paper these days isn't made with plastic? I dunno).

I have never done it but I think the first thing to try would be freezing your veggies in water or other liquid, so you have a solid block of ice. Only the bits on the edges could possibly get freezerburn. You would not be able to store quite as much produce in the same am't of freezer space. OTOH you would have more mass in the freezer which would give you a *bit* more insurance against power outage losses.

I'd be interested in hearing how this works, or any other methods for the same goal.

Pat

 

[enjoy the ride]

Whoa- I have used glass in the freezer a lot- just not vacuum packed mason jars. I routinely use glass food containers (what was common before plastic) in the freezer, taking them out to thaw, then microwaving in the same container. Then into the dishwasher and reuse.
It's true that glass will break when really cold- I can't really be sure if it breaks more easily but all glass breaks as does plastic. Untempered glass will not go from the freezer directly to the oven without cracking but Pyrex does as do other kinds.
But if you don't reheat while cold, glass works just fine in the freezer.

PS Of course dropping glass will cause it to break but I have never had one break in the freezer- not even the few mason jars I've used. I have had recylced jars from store products break when I simply poured something hot into them but not in the freezer.

 

[milkmansdaughter]

@tortoise you mentioned 8x8 foil pans. I know you can get smaller loaf pan foil pans. I use them to bake small loaves of zucchini or banana bread that I'm giving away. You can especially find these around Christmas time. Would those work for single servings of noodles? Cover with freezer safe foil? And pull out the old fashioned masking tape?
This is probably a dumb question, but why do you put the foil pans inside ziplock bags?

 

[Mini Horses]

Freezer burn ruins more in freezer items than anything else. I find my vacuum sealer to be excellent for this reason. The bags are NOT cheap but I buy the rolls so that I am able to adjust to the size I need. Plus those bags ARE reusable if you wash them out, dry, etc. Meats are the major freezer burned ruined item - IMO - and that has as much to do with cost of it as anything. Not talking a little spot or two, than can always be cut off before cooking, but a whole layer is a PITA to trim out. You can buy the base in a gusseted form to handle the large, odd shaped meats -- a ham or shoulder roast, etc. Did that when freezing the pigs I butchered.

Some veggies just do NOT lay well, so water added to freeze in a solid mass. Green beans, peas, for example. Now those can also be a pain to vacuum if water added -- UNLESS you bag, water, freeze and then vac seal. The vaccum will suck moisture and ruin the seal. Even your meats can do better if you freeze slightly first, in the bag. I have also laid a paper towel in the bag at the suction end to catch the wetness as it sealed.

Tortoise, you mention "sliding around" issues. Baymule had some great ideas in another thread. She uses containers for various items -- either cardboard boxes or baskets of some sort -- this allows those odd shapes to be corralled. It also gives you a method to sort -- pork, beef, veggies, etc.

My concerns with freezer paper -- all we used to have years ago -- is the freezer burn issue. We used to put saran onto surface of meats, then paper wrap.

 

[Mini Horses]

I like the beer case info Of course, summer is when I find an icey beer is the best thirst quencher after a long day of working in the sun.
My freezer is a small-med size top load. Uprights are easier to see what's there. But, this one works great & size is good for me so won't be buying another soon. (Hope I didn't jinx me!) With that, I like things that fit & I can lift out to see under.

I find that it helps if I list/log what's in there during summer fill. Not foolproof but, it does help. I've even used groc bags for holding bags of veggies -- can mark on outide of bag and handles make it easy to move. Plus, it's all pliable to make fit any area.