docjered
07-06-2007, 02:19 PM
It has been discussed off and on over the years in a number of threads, but thought I would reiterate for those newer members or those who simply forgot.
Many people fill their freezers during harvest, which is upon us, and reading about freezing spices just reminded me:
Freezing is definitely good, and works well to keep foods fresh tasting, but is a bit less independent than dehydrating and canning. If you depend upon your freezer, though, a few simple things can make a big difference.
1. If your freezer has a cord running to the door, near a hinge, this means it is running a low wattage heater to keep the outside from forming moisture. With most everybody air conditioning or otherwise keeping their homes low humidity, this simply doesnt make sense, to heat your freezer. Unplug that cord!!! But only if it goes to a door that simply has shelves and not a thermostat inside the freezer... one Amana unit puts the thermostat on the inside of the freezer door.
2. If your freezer isnt full, fill it immediately! That doesnt mean to say that you have to wipe out your budget this week... freeze 2 liter bottles or milk jugs of water. The freezer will run more efficient, it will provide emergency ice, and in the event of a power failure will keep your food inside usable longer. It also helps minimize freezer burn, as you arent filling all that empty space with humid air every time you open the unit.
3. If your freezer is in a basement or somewhere that it is not necessary for it to be beautiful, add a layer of styrofoam to the outside (spray adhesive or liquid nails will do). You can just cover the unit, or cover the unit and door... duct tape on all edges makes it a complete assembly! *You will not believe how much energy this saves, but only if you do not have heating coils energized just inside the metal skin, keeping the outside warm to the touch... checking out the schematic diagram, usually somewhere on the back or by the compressor, would show these coils and where you can cut them (with the power off, of course).
If you want it to look interesting, add 2 inches of foam then cover with a thin layer of lauan, paneling, FRP, or such and use outside moulding for the edges.
4. When you remove something fill the space with a water jug, or something from the store next shopping trip. I cannot stress enough keeping the freezer absolutely full; particularly in summer!
5. There is a little device you can buy at Lowes, Depot, or online that is a "green" adapter specifically to use on appliances with a motor. It is actually a capacitor bank (with a few extra circuits) that cuts the amount of electricity you draw when the compressor cuts in and out. *Drastic savings on power, and protects the compressor from brownouts and spikes.
6. Tightly package and rotate... Why spend all that energy money to freeze things that you will never use or have so much frost on them they look like ice sculptures? I have a bad habit of doing that with ice cream, which goes bad once it is about half empty... too many ice crystals to taste good any more.
7. Radio Shack has a great little battery operated alarm for a freezer that will go crazy if the temperature rises... useful if you have a lot of value in your freezer, or have kids like mine, that leave the door open a crack and ruin a full side of beef.
8. Keep an inventory on the outside of the door, so you know what is where... this minimizes the time the door stays open when you must.
9. A padlock is not a bad idea; particularly with kids, elderly parents, or anybody who may undermine your desire to hold frozen foods long term.
10. Consider your freezer a grocery store. It is long storage... shop from it to fill your refrigerator freezer, so you neednt open it every time you want a pound of ground beef or a popsicle.
11. A good inventory (itemized) becomes a handy companion at the grocery store.
12. Take some time to learn what you can freeze, and how to rotate, properly package, and how long to keep. Remember many fats do not really freeze, like the fat on a good roast. Good trim before freezing will keep it longer. On one of the forums, somebody mentioned having more eggs than they knew what to do with at the moment. Yes, you can even freeze eggs; just not eggshells, so go to the dollar store and invest in cheap twistie ice trays, crack an egg in each cube slot, and freeze in your refrigerator/freezer. When frozen, transfer to a plastic bag then place in your real freezer. End of problem! *Ice trays are a great way to also freeze soup stock, that great jus, left over from a roast, fresh spices in water, etc., etc. Like other food storage methods, think outside the box, learn all you can, and have fun with it!
Good luck!
Many people fill their freezers during harvest, which is upon us, and reading about freezing spices just reminded me:
Freezing is definitely good, and works well to keep foods fresh tasting, but is a bit less independent than dehydrating and canning. If you depend upon your freezer, though, a few simple things can make a big difference.
1. If your freezer has a cord running to the door, near a hinge, this means it is running a low wattage heater to keep the outside from forming moisture. With most everybody air conditioning or otherwise keeping their homes low humidity, this simply doesnt make sense, to heat your freezer. Unplug that cord!!! But only if it goes to a door that simply has shelves and not a thermostat inside the freezer... one Amana unit puts the thermostat on the inside of the freezer door.
2. If your freezer isnt full, fill it immediately! That doesnt mean to say that you have to wipe out your budget this week... freeze 2 liter bottles or milk jugs of water. The freezer will run more efficient, it will provide emergency ice, and in the event of a power failure will keep your food inside usable longer. It also helps minimize freezer burn, as you arent filling all that empty space with humid air every time you open the unit.
3. If your freezer is in a basement or somewhere that it is not necessary for it to be beautiful, add a layer of styrofoam to the outside (spray adhesive or liquid nails will do). You can just cover the unit, or cover the unit and door... duct tape on all edges makes it a complete assembly! *You will not believe how much energy this saves, but only if you do not have heating coils energized just inside the metal skin, keeping the outside warm to the touch... checking out the schematic diagram, usually somewhere on the back or by the compressor, would show these coils and where you can cut them (with the power off, of course).
If you want it to look interesting, add 2 inches of foam then cover with a thin layer of lauan, paneling, FRP, or such and use outside moulding for the edges.
4. When you remove something fill the space with a water jug, or something from the store next shopping trip. I cannot stress enough keeping the freezer absolutely full; particularly in summer!
5. There is a little device you can buy at Lowes, Depot, or online that is a "green" adapter specifically to use on appliances with a motor. It is actually a capacitor bank (with a few extra circuits) that cuts the amount of electricity you draw when the compressor cuts in and out. *Drastic savings on power, and protects the compressor from brownouts and spikes.
6. Tightly package and rotate... Why spend all that energy money to freeze things that you will never use or have so much frost on them they look like ice sculptures? I have a bad habit of doing that with ice cream, which goes bad once it is about half empty... too many ice crystals to taste good any more.
7. Radio Shack has a great little battery operated alarm for a freezer that will go crazy if the temperature rises... useful if you have a lot of value in your freezer, or have kids like mine, that leave the door open a crack and ruin a full side of beef.
8. Keep an inventory on the outside of the door, so you know what is where... this minimizes the time the door stays open when you must.
9. A padlock is not a bad idea; particularly with kids, elderly parents, or anybody who may undermine your desire to hold frozen foods long term.
10. Consider your freezer a grocery store. It is long storage... shop from it to fill your refrigerator freezer, so you neednt open it every time you want a pound of ground beef or a popsicle.
11. A good inventory (itemized) becomes a handy companion at the grocery store.
12. Take some time to learn what you can freeze, and how to rotate, properly package, and how long to keep. Remember many fats do not really freeze, like the fat on a good roast. Good trim before freezing will keep it longer. On one of the forums, somebody mentioned having more eggs than they knew what to do with at the moment. Yes, you can even freeze eggs; just not eggshells, so go to the dollar store and invest in cheap twistie ice trays, crack an egg in each cube slot, and freeze in your refrigerator/freezer. When frozen, transfer to a plastic bag then place in your real freezer. End of problem! *Ice trays are a great way to also freeze soup stock, that great jus, left over from a roast, fresh spices in water, etc., etc. Like other food storage methods, think outside the box, learn all you can, and have fun with it!
Good luck!