|
26 Aug 10 - 01:55 PM (#2973388) Subject: BS: Help! Freezing onions From: Steve Parkes Does anyone know: can you freeze onions? Do they have to be cooked first? Our stash of edible alliums has started to go critical, and it will soon be dangerous to go into the kitchen. |
|
26 Aug 10 - 02:02 PM (#2973396) Subject: RE: BS: Help! Freezing onions From: olddude No this is what my granddad and I would do ... we would put them out in the sun after we picked them to dry them .. not completely just to get the moisture off the outside and turn them every few hours .. we then would put them in the root cellar wrapped in newspaper .. or you can in your basement .. they kept pretty much all winter - don't freeze them, I mean you can .. you would need to par boiling them for a bit .. they will keep that way .. but whole onions will keep wrapped in a cool place in newspaper .. ours did |
|
26 Aug 10 - 02:08 PM (#2973399) Subject: RE: BS: Help! Freezing onions From: Amergin I just through my onions in the rubbish bin where they belong.... |
|
26 Aug 10 - 03:18 PM (#2973442) Subject: RE: BS: Help! Freezing onions From: gnu I read that you shouldn't freeze them as they will lose their flavour. But I am not sure about cooked onions... let's ask Mr. Google.... |
|
26 Aug 10 - 03:19 PM (#2973444) Subject: RE: BS: Help! Freezing onions From: Maryrrf I freeze onions all the time. If I chop an entire onion and it's more than I need, I put the excess chopped onion in a ziplock bag and pop it in the freezer. Next time a recipe calls for sauteed onions, that's what I use. |
|
26 Aug 10 - 03:22 PM (#2973445) Subject: RE: BS: Help! Freezing onions From: gnu Yes, you can. The problem with this is as it freezes, the liquid inside the cells will rupture the cell membranes and when you thaw it out again, you wind up with an onion flavored mush. The best thing to do is stew them till they are "broke down" and freeze the onions, stew and all. Vegetables that are similar in cellular structure like peppers, celery and leafy greens such as collards, spinach, turnip greens and kale will not hold up to being frozen as the same thing will happen. =And there are lots of other "answers" that say yes. |
|
26 Aug 10 - 03:24 PM (#2973447) Subject: RE: BS: Help! Freezing onions From: gnu Well! If Mary says you can, then you can. I would never freeze onions. There's never any left. I can eat a half dozen fried onions and call it a meal. |
|
26 Aug 10 - 03:43 PM (#2973460) Subject: RE: BS: Help! Freezing onions From: Sorcha If I have a LOT, I put them thru the electric grinder, bag in 1/4 cups with sandwich baggies, use a twist tie and freeze. NO, they are NOT like fresh onions....they go soggy, but work just fine to saute, stews, etc. I have frozen onions for a long time. I guess chopped would work too, but the grinder makes less work of it. |
|
26 Aug 10 - 05:13 PM (#2973522) Subject: RE: BS: Help! Freezing onions From: Tangledwood Any supermarket will probably have bags of frozen onions, and most of the other veggies that Gnu mentions, so it can be done. We just need to know how. |
|
26 Aug 10 - 05:20 PM (#2973529) Subject: RE: BS: Help! Freezing onions From: bobad If you cure them as old dude says, they will keep for several months in a cool, dry environment such as an unheated corner of your cellar. We let ours dry in the sun for a couple of weeks then store in mesh bags in a root cellar where they keep for around eight months. |
|
26 Aug 10 - 05:24 PM (#2973533) Subject: RE: BS: Help! Freezing onions From: Maryrrf You can't really go by frozen stuff that you buy in the supermarket - sometimes the items are flash frozen and you can't duplicate that at home. The chopped home frozen onions do fine for cooking - you wouldn't want to defrost them and eat them raw, as in putting them on a hamburger or in a salad, because the texture would be too soggy. |
|
26 Aug 10 - 06:35 PM (#2973574) Subject: RE: BS: Help! Freezing onions From: The Fooles Troupe Sounds like we need a Challenge Song based on the George Formby song "Help! I'm freezing Onions!" |
|
26 Aug 10 - 07:43 PM (#2973611) Subject: RE: BS: Help! Freezing onions From: IvanB If you dice onions, celery, peppers, etc. and spread them on cookie sheets to place in the freezer, they'll freeze quickly and then can be poured into bags for storage. With this method, they won't all stick together, so just the needed amount can be poured out when used. Yes, the frozen forms of these veggies are suitable only for cooking, but they'll hold together enough as to be recognizable in the finished dish. I also throw the top leaves of celery stalks in a container in the freezer and use them to flavor soups, stews, etc. |
|
27 Aug 10 - 06:05 AM (#2973837) Subject: RE: BS: Help! Freezing onions From: GUEST,Patsy I asked for help with the same thing and was told that they don't freeze well so not recommended as they tend to go mushy and lose their flavour. It wouldn't quite so noticable cooked as an ingredient for a stew or casserole but not so good if used in for example as a vegetable on it's own or a stir fry. The same with freezing mushrooms the result isn't very good with them either. |
|
27 Aug 10 - 06:20 AM (#2973847) Subject: RE: BS: Help! Freezing onions From: VirginiaTam What about pickling, making chutney or relish or dehydrating the onions? Dehydrate onions with tomatoes, garlic and fresh herbs, course grind and put in jars. Can be added to soup, stew, sauce and casserole. Or reconstitute with bit of hot water, olive oil and sweet balsamic vinegar, spread on ciabatta, pizza base, tortilla wrap, add cheese of choice and other goodies, peppers, mushrooms, chicken or beef mince, etc. to make snack or meal. I am hungry now. |
|
27 Aug 10 - 08:44 AM (#2973924) Subject: RE: BS: Help! Freezing onions From: Bat Goddess I do exactly what Maryrrf does -- and then use the leftover onions for cooking. Same thing with leftover green peppers, celery, etcet etcet. Linn |
|
27 Aug 10 - 08:51 AM (#2973927) Subject: RE: BS: Help! Freezing onions From: olddude No kidding try curing them in the sun ... you will have fresh onions all winter long .. like Bobad said just keep them in a cool place away from heat |
|
27 Aug 10 - 04:03 PM (#2974182) Subject: RE: BS: Help! Freezing onions From: Steve Parkes Very helpful advice -- thanks! In return, here's a recipe for freezing strawberries, as used for centuries by countless generations of my Suffolk in-laws. Put a good layer of sugar on a tray; lay the strawberries on top, not touching; sprinkle more sugar over them; pop into the freezer. Works a treat. |