Freeze-Drying Onions

February 7, 2024 Sarah

We grew a lot of onions on our homestead this past year. We specialize in “Whidbey Sweets,” as we call our Walla Walla Onions. They don’t grow as big here on the island as they do in their namesake of Walla Walla, WA, but it’s also a lot cooler here than in blazing-hot Eastern Washington. These are not great “storage onions”, so this past year I worked on processing them into long-term storage by freeze-drying many of them. I found we were not always eating all of them before they’d spoil, even when cured. And that is an awful waste to have happened!

And this leads to something that is often claimed. Something even I have been guilty of – that you shouldn’t preserve food that is cheaper just to buy pre-done. Well…….OK, I get it. Onions, even sweet onions, can be had for $1 a pound or less in summer. And dried onions are rather cheap commercially (it’s a couple of dollars for a jar of dehydrated ones).

But if you grew them yourself…well, the flavor is off the charts. And fresh onions often don’t cause uncontrollable crying while you cut them—especially the sweet types. I’d cry once, clean my face with cold water and be fine. And get back to cutting them up.

Hand-sized onions.

So this past summer I harvested our onions, cleaned them up and cut them into half moons.

I froze them flat on cookie sheets (lined with parchment paper to make removal easier). Then I bagged them up into gallon freezer bags until I had five bags worth.

You will notice a pronounced smell in your freezer for a few hours until they are bagged up. Especially if you are buying commercially grown onions, and they are “storage” ones that have sat well cured in the cold for 6 months to a year. Fresh dissipates a lot faster. Keep this in mind in case you have delicate items such as ice cream in it.

I transferred the frozen onions to the freeze-dryer trays and popped them in for the cycle, which is automatic. We didn’t have to add any extra time for this cycle. Onions dry quickly and evenly I felt.

The onions will be light and crispy, snapping easily when dried. Sweet onions like this can be eaten raw right out of the machine.

I cut them into big pieces, but they are easily broken by hand into smaller pieces for adding to meals.

Once fully dry, remove and bag up immediately, adding an oxygen absorber packet in each bag or mason jar. We also added a desiccant packet to each container. Seal fully.

Mark what is in the bag and what day you did it on.

I used a combination of glass mason jars and mylar bags to store them in for both at-home cooking and for future trail meals.

And yes, the taste and texture were well worth the time, even if possibly it would have been cheaper just to buy them ready to use.

I did a tray of purple onions a friend grew so she could have long-term onions as well. She used her “ugly” scraps from when she was pickling red onions. No waste that way!

I ran another batch when I did this, with more sweet onions I had, her purples, lean diced ham (2 trays), and a yellow split pea soup—keeping the flavor profiles similar.

There was no noticeable smell left behind in the freeze-dryer after the batches. That had been a concern of mine.

These last two runs were a worthy cycle of our freeze-dryer.

Want To See More On What We Have Freeze-dried?

Check out all our posts.

Harvest Right is running a Valentine’s Day Sale with up to $500 off on their freeze-dryers.

~Sarah

Freeze Drying · Prepping · Preserving · Recipes

Freeze Drying Handcrafted Large Batch Beef Pasta Sauce

February 3, 2024 Sarah

Harvest Right is running a sale on their freeze-dryers through February 15th, 2024. If you have been thinking about getting a freeze-dryer, this is the time – prices are up to $500 off.

We had found a great sale on the large cans of tomatoes on Amazon. Then the order showed up and nearly every can was dented. It’s been a learning lesson for sure. You might save money (and often a lot) but they don’t always pack well. Amazon refunded our money because dented cans considerably lower your storage time. You want to use them up first, as soon as possible especially if the seam of the can or the lids were dented.

As I mulled over the many meals we’d be eating with like 36 cans of tomatoes, one idea I had was to make a double batch of pasta sauce and then freeze-dry it. It’s an easy sauce to have on hand. And I could reset the clock on the storage time for the tomatoes.

Now then, this is a sauce I enjoy consuming. It’s a fast-fix recipe for busy nights. It doesn’t need to be cooked all day long. A half-hour is plenty of time to simmer it. Now, why do I use canned beef? Easy. It will freeze-dry far better than fresh will, as it isn’t fatty. We pick it up in packs at Costco (the roast beef is next to the canned chicken).

New to freeze-drying? See all our posts here.

We run a Harvest Right Large-size freeze-dryer on our homestead. There is another company out there now, Blue Alpine, that makes the equivalent of a Medium freeze-dryer.

Beef Pasta Sauce

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 large sweet onion, finely chopped
2 Tbsp garlic, minced (or freeze-dried)
1 Tbsp dried parsley
1 tsp dried basil
½ tsp ground black pepper
¼ balsamic vinegar
3 28-ounce cans of whole peeled tomatoes
1 6-ounce can of tomato paste with Italian herbs
2 12-ounce cans of roast beef, drained

Directions:

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium, add onion, and saute till tender.

Meanwhile, open the tomato cans and squish each whole tomato to break up.

Add in the herbs, pepper, vinegar, tomatoes with juices, and tomato paste. Bring to a simmer, lower heat to medium-low. Let simmer gently for 30 minutes, stirring often.

Drain and break up the roast beef with a fork. Add to the sauce and heat through.

Taste for salt and your personal taste if sugar is needed (I did not add any).

It makes enough to cover 2 pounds of pasta. Made 11 cups of sauce.

Option:

Prep 2 pounds of favorite pasta, and cook till al dente. Drain well.

Toss with the sauce and proceed.

If using a long pasta such as spaghetti or angel hair, break it into thirds for easy drying.

To Freeze-Dry:

Line 2 freeze-dryer trays with parchment paper.

Divide the sauce evenly between the 2 trays. (We put 5½ cups sauce on each tray.)

Let cool down, then cover with lids and place in freezer, ensuring the trays are flat.

Freeze fully.

Place trays in freeze-dryer and do setting as usual (Harvest Right machines do auto sensing). When done, test the middle of the powder to ensure it is fully dry. If not, add another 6-8 hours.

Place each tray of dry powder into a mason jar or a mylar bag.

Add in the desiccant packet and oxygen absorber packet, and seal.

Mark on bags when produced.

Option:

Mixing with pasta will take 3 to 4 trays on a Large-size freeze-dryer.

It is best to divide it into 8 servings and measure it beforehand.

That way, you can pack it into the “MRE” style mylar bags for ready-to-go meals.

~Sarah

Preserving · Recipes

2 Bags of Cranberries: Canned Cranberry Sauce For The Year

November 16, 2023 Sarah

Chances are you might be planning on making cranberry sauce from scratch this fall, for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners. If you have a few more minutes, can a big batch of it instead. Then you have plenty to have on hand, but in small enough portions it won’t spoil in the fridge. And you’ll have plenty to use on turkey sammies this winter into spring.

And compared to commercial canned cranberry sauce, this is so much better. While fresh cranberries are not as cheap as in past years, you can find bags for $2.50 to 3.50 for each 12-ounce package. I spent $5.00 for 24 ounces, to make the batch. A commercial can is usually 14 ounces and retails for $1.50 to 4.00 a can, spending on brand (name or store brand) and if on sale.

So for my time I got 3.5 cans worth canned up. Where I shop the cans average $3 each, unless on sale as it is this week, for $1.99. So maybe I didn’t save a ton, but it was still cheaper.

And let’s be reeeeaaaaal honest here: Mine had less sugar, and there is ZERO corn syrup in mine. It is priceless to have food made with real ingredients.

“Cranberries, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Water, Corn Syrup.”

And while not calling out any specific company, due to the newer USDA guidelines on bioengineered ingredients, most cranberry sauce contains GMO’s, or as it’s known now “BE” (bioengineered) ingredients.

Now then……

This company doesn’t reveal it on their cans, if it contains bioengineered ingredients. It doesn’t have a QR code for Smart Label. Just a phone number.

And yes, I CALLED that hotline. And I hate making phone calls. I asked and was told that the HFCS makes it bioengineered by the company. I am not saying their name, as they have mean lawyers. But I did my work and got an answer.

The only one this store had that was corn syrup free was the private label “Wild Harvest” organic sauce, which uses sugar. The private label “Food Club” is corn and HFCS, and while they have Smart Labels, the labels are not complete when you click on the link.

I’d say right there that making your own cranberry sauce is priceless. Because if you want to avoid HFCS, and GMO’s, you need to make it yourself, and use only cane sugar. C&H carries the 3rd party Non-GMO Verified. 99% of all beet sugar is a GMO crop. So yes, buy brand name with sugar or use organic.

This recipe follows current canning methods and is not rebel canning. Cranberry sauce is nothing more than jam and is an easy intro into water bath canning.

Canned Cranberry Sauce

Ingredients:

2 12-ounce bags fresh cranberries
1½ cups water
4 4″ cinnamon sticks
½ tsp ground allspice
¼ tsp ground cloves
4½ cups granulated sugar

Directions:

Thoroughly wash the cranberries and drain well.

Place 7 8-ounce canning jars into a canning pot rack, place in the canning pot. Fill the jars with water, and fill with water to the top of the jars. Bring to a boil covered over high heat.

Place the lids and rings in a small pot, cover with water and bring to a simmer. Turn off the heat.

In a stockpot (stainless steel or non-stick) add the cranberries, water, cinnamon sticks and spices.

Bring the berries to boiling over hight heat, periodically mashing the cranberries with a potato masher to help break up.

Once boiling, stir in sugar (be careful as the cranberries are hot).

Bring back to a full rolling boil, that you cannot stir down, and cook for about 5 minutes, until the sauce starts to set (it will be thickened if you spoon up). Stir constantly as it cooks, lowering the heat as needed so it maintains a boil but isn’t spitting on your hand.

Take off the heat, remove and discard the cinnamon sticks.

Drain the jars, place on a clean kitchen towel.

Sterilize a canning funnel and a ladle in the hot water, stir the cranberry sauce again and ladle hot sauce into the jars, leaving a ¼” headspace. Use a bubble popper or a chopstick to stir each jar gently, to pop any bubbles. Wipe the jar rims with a new paper towel, dampened with hot water.

Place a new canning lid on each jar, screw on bands until finger tip tight.

Place jars into canning rack, lower into the water, place cover on. Bring back to a boil, process for 10 minutes, starting timing once water boils.

Turn off heat, take off lid, and let rest for 5 minutes.

Remove jars, place on a cooling rack covered with a kitchen towel. Let cool, listening for the pings of the lids. Once cool, check the lids by pressing gently in the middle. If any spring back, put in refrigerator and use within a week.

Made 7 8-ounce jars.

Store in a cool, dry area for up to a year. And enjoy knowing what you are eating. Truly.

~Sarah

Homesteading · Prepping · Preserving

Check Out Our YouTube Channel

October 8, 2023 Sarah

I’ve been adding a lot more content to my YouTube channel. Orginally, long ago, it was only for backpacking and trailcooking videos, but then I got busy in life and left it behind. I came back this past year and started making reels on Facebook about gardening, homesteading and prepping. Out of that I started adding some of those to YouTube, and that encouraged me to add more content this past summer.

For each playlist (section) I have picked a video to check out.

Homesteading & Farming:

Freeze-Drying:

Homesteading Projects & DIY:

I am working on new videos for this section currently!

Essential Oils:

Prepping:

I hope you enjoy them. I love to hear your comments. It is very appreciated.

~Sarah

Preserving · Recipes

Slow Cooked Pumpkin Pecan Butter

October 6, 2023 Sarah

There is a lot to be said about pumpkin butter and canning it. That part I will leave up to the reader, if they feel safe with canning it. The USDA and the many college extensions will say to not do it.

Why? Because pumpkin is a low acid food. This makes water bath canning dangerous due to the risk of botulism. Now then, this recipe does contain both sugar and acid (and plenty of that) bringing the ph levels up. Canning plain pumpkin is a no-go unless you do pressure canning – and it should be cubes, not mashed. Now then, I myself did feel OK with water-bath canning this pumpkin butter. But to be on the safe side, I then chilled it, and then froze it. While I feel it is safe enough to consume as is, I would not recommend you can it. (But I’ll leave it at this: small jars and 10 minutes, then 5 minutes in the canner to rest.)

But you can happily make this spread and keep it on hand by freezing it (no need to can even). Use it liberally on bread, pancakes and such. Or serve with chicken instead of apple butter! It’s so very delicious.

Does it need the pecans? Honestly you could leave them out, but it does add a real depth to the flavor. A little crunch. so very fall the flavor.

Slow Cooked Pumpkin Pecan Butter

Ingredients:

29-ounce can pumpkin puree (or 2 15-ounce cans)
½ cup water
2 cups brown sugar, packed
3 Tbsp orange juice
3 Tbsp lemon juice
1½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp fine sea salt
¼ tsp ground allspice
¼ tsp ground ginger
Pinch ground cloves
1/3 cup pecans, finely chopped

Directions:

Add all ingredients into a slow cooker (or use the slow cooker setting on medium on your InstaPot, with the slow cooker lid on), and let cook for 8 hours. Stir every hour or so, scraping the sides.

Let cool down and pack up, then chill or freeze, for longer term storage. See notes on water bath canning above.

Makes about 5 6-ounce jars plus a smidge more.

~Sarah