Table of Contents
Advertisement
(continued)
Freezing
l!&?at, Fish, Poultry&
Game
"Preparationand Packaging.Packagemeat, poultry,
*Oysters, Clams, Shrimps9 Scallops. Wash shells in
fish and game in moisture/vapor-proofmaterial such
running water (soak clams) and shuck, working
as aluminum foil, cellophane,freezer foil or plastic
quickly.Discard shells. Do not wash clams or
bags. Exclude as much air as possible. Label and
oysters. Scallops may be rinsed in fresh water. Pack
freeze.at once.
in freezer carton and freeze immediately.Shrimps
NOTE:
Packages of fresh meats and poultry as
are best if frozen uncooked, Remove and discard
commonly purchased in retail stores are not suitably
heads and black vein. Wash and package in freezer
wrapped for freezing. Rewrap in moisture/vapor-
containers.
proof material.
~Crabs and Lobsters. Chill fish and remove back
~Meat. Remove as much bone and fat as possible
shell. Steam or boil in water for 15 to 20 minutes.
from meat before packaging. Do not salt meat.
Cool thoroughly,then pick edible meat from shells
When individual pieces of meat are packaged
and package in proper containers. Seal and freeze
together, place double thickness of freezer wrap
immediately.
between them for easier separation during thawing.
@ Thawing. Frozen meat, fish or poultry should be left
@ Poultry. Clean thoroughly before packaging. Pad
in the originalpackage and thawed in the refrigerator
sharp or protruding bones with folded freezer paper
or cooked frozen. Allow approximately 5 hours per
or aluminum foil. Wrap giblets separately.
pound to thaw meat in the refrigerator. When
cooking frozen meat, increase the cooking time by
~Wild Game. The same methods suggested for
approximately1/3to U2 if cookingin a regular
poultry and meat may be used for preparing and
freezing wild game.
oven— much less if cooking with microwaves. If
necessary to thaw meat quickly, thaw at room
@ Fish. Clean fish thoroughly before packaging. Cut-
temperature— allowing only 2 hours per pound.
up pieces of "lean" fish such as haddock and cod
Don't refreeze meat that has completelythawed; meat,
should be rinsed in brine made with 2/3 cup of pure
table salt per gallon of water to reduce leakage
whether raw or cooked, can be frozen successfully
during thawing. Keep in solution not over 1 minute.
only once.
Brine is unnecessary for whole fish or fatty fish such
as salmon or mackerel.
Frt?ezhgvegetables
1. Only vegetables at their peak of maturity should be
3. Work with small amounts, about one pound, that
chosen for freezing. Some varieties of vegetables
can be packaged in a short time.
are better adapted for freezing than others, For
4. Blanch all vegetables except tomatoes, green
complete information, contact your County
Extension Service.
peppers and herbs before packaging. Proper
blanching stops the ripening process so vegetables
2. Sort, clean anc~wash vegetables in cold water. Keep
are held at their peak of freshness,
those of the same size all together. Large pieces
take longer blanching.
Advertisement
Table of Contents
