Making the Bounty Last
Fresh produce is abundant right now in Nova Scotia, including in Nourish Your Roots boxes. Preserving vegetables and fruit is a great way to access it all year round!
Produce Preservation
Treating vegetables and fruit in a way that slows down spoilage after harvest is known as food preservation and has been around since prehistoric times. With many methods to choose from, you’ll have to decide, based on your budget, space, equipment and time: what you’d like to preserve, how it will be used later, and where it will be stored. See below to discover some of the top techniques!
REFRIGERATION is the modern root cellar and ideal for short-term storage of many vegetables and fruits. While food can still spoil when refrigerated for too long, there are ways to make it last longer, such as:
Storing produce in the fridge unwashed
Cooling down cooked food before placing it into the fridge
Knowing which produce items to leave out of the fridge, such as potatoes, onions and garlic
FREEZING is the most common method for longer storage and works for many vegetables and fruits. Some items, like cranberries, are best frozen individually on parchment-lined baking sheets or in ice cubes trays and then stored in the freezer in airtight freezer safe containers. Others, like carrots and squash, should be blanched by immersing them in boiling water for a short period, and then frozen. Here are some other ideas:
Potatoes can be blanched, shredded/diced and then frozen.
Shredded zucchini can be frozen for baking.
Herbs can be frozen whole or chopped, mixed with oil and frozen in ice cube trays.
DEHYDRATION removes moisture from produce, which can be done in an oven or in a more energy-efficient dehydrator. If food is sufficiently dried and stored in airtight containers, there is minimal risk of spoilage. Foods that can be dehydrated include cranberries, apples, kale, herbs, and root vegetables (carrots/beets/potatoes should be sliced and blanched first). Dehydrated foods can be enjoyed as snacks or rehydrated and used in cooking and baking.
WATER BATH CANNING is a jar sealing technique that makes high acid preserves stable for pantry storage. Used for foods packed in vinegar like beets or cucumbers, sliced fruits and jams and jellies. Requires a canner (or a large pot with a rack), jar lifter, sterilized jars, lids and sealing rings. Learn more here: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/general-food-safety-tips/home-canning-safety.html
PICKLING is a technique of covering veggies with vinegar and/or brine, a salt and water solution. If a water bath is not used, fridge storage is required.
PRESSURE CANNING is ideal for the shelf storage of low acid foods like non-pickled veggies, cubed winter squash and combined items like soups or stews. This method requires specialized canning machinery and food safety guidelines must be followed to prevent bacterial growth. Learn more here: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/general-food-safety-tips/home-canning-safety.html
FERMENTATION produces an acid to preserve vegetables and fruit. Food is placed in a glass or ceramic vessel, fully submerged in brine with help from a weight to ensure there is no exposure to oxygen and stored in a cool, dark place to ferment for days to weeks. Foods that can be fermented include cabbage, most vegetables, cucumbers (lacto-fermented pickles), and apples (apple cider vinegar).
VACUUM SEALING removes the oxygen that promotes bacterial growth that causes spoilage. This method of storing needs to be used in conjunction with other food preservation methods. Requires mylar plastic bags and a vacuum sealing machine.