Seeking Food Storage Advice

[_KimberlyAnn]

I don't store vast amounts of food like I used to, but I just came into a jackpot of Mexican food from one of my favorite restaurants and am looking for the best way to store it for later and was hoping someone on the board could offer advice.

Most of the food was easy to freeze. I am left with a gallon or so of salsa and at least that much pico de gallo. My plan is to add more acid (lime) to the salsa, heat it appropriately and can it. I have everything on hand and don't see why it won't work. Any veteran canning pros care to offer an opinion?

The pico is more perplexing. It's fresh, and I've read online not to freeze it. I have a black bean soup recipe that I'll make this weekend which will use some of it, but a gallon and a half is a lot of pico. I have already given some to my neighbors and mother and would hate to throw away what isn't eaten in the next few days. Any advice on how to preserve it?

Finally, there is the matter of the guacamole. We don't eat a lot of guacamole, but I'd like to keep some of it. Does it store? I am clueless as to what to do with it. It's in a large, sturdy tupperware container now, but it has no preservatives and turns dark at the slightest provocation. I've several pounds of the stuff. Suggestions?

Thanks!

KA

PS. This may be the "Mormony-est" topic on this forum, so hopefully it can stay on this forum until I (hopefully!) get a workable suggestion or two.

[Guest]

I don't store vast amounts of food like I used to, but I just came into a jackpot of Mexican food from one of my favorite restaurants and am looking for the best way to store it for later and was hoping someone on the board could offer advice.

Most of the food was easy to freeze. I am left with a gallon or so of salsa and at least that much pico de gallo. My plan is to add more acid (lime) to the salsa, heat it appropriately and can it. I have everything on hand and don't see why it won't work. Any veteran canning pros care to offer an opinion?

The pico is more perplexing. It's fresh, and I've read online not to freeze it. I have a black bean soup recipe that I'll make this weekend which will use some of it, but a gallon and a half is a lot of pico. I have already given some to my neighbors and mother and would hate to throw away what isn't eaten in the next few days. Any advice on how to preserve it?

Finally, there is the matter of the guacamole. We don't eat a lot of guacamole, but I'd like to keep some of it. Does it store? I am clueless as to what to do with it. It's in a large, sturdy tupperware container now, but it has no preservatives and turns dark at the slightest provocation. I've several pounds of the stuff. Suggestions?

Thanks!

KA

PS. This may be the "Mormony-est" topic on this forum, so hopefully it can stay on this forum until I (hopefully!) get a workable suggestion or two.

Nothing you can do about the guac...Watch a lot of football and eat it this weekend....use the pico as a base for chili (i have a couple of sweet recipes) and freeze whatever you don't eat...Chili seems unfreeze better than most foods and still taste good...

Eat the guac...there is no saving anything with avocados in it....pico in the guac and you are good for a little longer....

[_Jersey Girl]

So I did a little google search on freezing guacamole. Here's what I came up with:

http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20060613053920AAvkGxB

There were other search hits, but this seemed simple and straightforward.

Essentially, stuff it into a ziploc freezer bag and suck the air out of it. I think you probably know how to do that, but in case you don't...just start to zip it, stick a straw into the hole that is left and suck the air out...then zip.

Sorry I can't help with the other stuff, KA, I only can jelly and jams.

:-)

[_Blixa]

So I did a little google search on freezing guacamole. Here's what I came up with:

http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20060613053920AAvkGxB

There were other search hits, but this seemed simple and straightforward.

Essentially, stuff it into a ziploc freezer bag and suck the air out of it. I think you probably know how to do that, but in case you don't...just start to zip it, stick a straw into the hole that is left and suck the air out...then zip.

Sorry I can't help with the other stuff, KA, I only can jelly and jams.

:-)

Sorry, I'm with Screech. Don't even try to preserve guacamole.

[_Jersey Girl]

Waaaayl Haaaayl....some of the websites say it depends on what's in the guacamole.

I don't even eat guacamole.

All I know is that some chick in the uk is freezing it.

:-D

[_harmony]

Pico and salsa both have fresh jalapenos and onions in them, along with who knows what herbs, so if you can it, you'll have to pressure can it. Pico/salsa that is not canned correctly can develop bad bacteria (botulism) that can kill. Check out your state extention service website; they'll have the latest information. Never never never use a water bath method to can any vegetable except tomatoes (and even tomatoes need to have vinegar added to them, because tomatoes nowadays have had the acid bred out of them). The food doesn't get hot enough with just boiling water.

Adding salsa and/or the pico to homemade chili and then freezing it is a great idea, if you have room in your freezer. This winter, you'll have wonderful chili when you don't want to cook. You can also do the same thing with taco meat, casseroles, or spanish rice.

Guacamole won't freeze well, even if you manage to get all the air out of the freezer bag. It gets mushy; the texture gets nasty. However, if you make sure the plastic wrap touches the surface and is sealed around the edges of the bowl, it will keep for quite a while in your fridge. Once you take the plastic wrap off, though, you need to eat it.

[_KimberlyAnn]

Thanks, All!

Making chili and using some of the pico that way is a great idea! Thanks, Schreech!

I figured the guac was a lost cause. We'll tackle what we can this weekend, then toss the rest.

Pressure canning the salsa is not a problem; I can salsa that way nearly every summer. Unfortunately, the 115 degree weather and a busy family of moles rendered my tomato plants useless. They shriveled, no matter what I did to save them, so I don't have any other fresh salsa to can. I'm not sure if pressure canning one gallon of salsa is worth the trouble. We may be able to eat most of that, with the help of the neighbor kids, anyway.

Have a wonderful long weekend, everyone!

Kimberly

[_LDSToronto]

What is the difference between salsa and pico de gallo?

[_cafe crema]

Thanks, All!

Making chili and using some of the pico that way is a great idea! Thanks, Schreech!

I figured the guacamole was a lost cause. We'll tackle what we can this weekend, then toss the rest.

Pressure canning the salsa is not a problem; I can salsa that way nearly every summer. Unfortunately, the 115 degree weather and a busy family of moles rendered my tomato plants useless. They shriveled, no matter what I did to save them, so I don't have any other fresh salsa to can. I'm not sure if pressure canning one gallon of salsa is worth the trouble. We may be able to eat most of that, with the help of the neighbor kids, anyway.

Have a wonderful long weekend, everyone!

Kimberly

My husband makes both salsa and pico and for some reason he is absolutely unable to make a reasonable size batch of either. We end up with at least 2 gallons of either when ever the "bug" hits him. We usually give a lot of it away and we have quite a few friends who ask, "is John gonna make salsa again?" Since he makes so much there is always some left over and I freeze it. I freeze both the salsa and the pico because he always does this in the summer when making fresh produce inspires him and chili is the last thing I want to do. So I freeze whats left not to use as a fresh item but as a chili "starter" in the winter and to use as a marinade. It seems weird but I marinate beef in salsa for Beef Stroganoff, my family loves it. In short you can freeze either if you look for alternative uses for them.

[Guest]

I have a great recipe for thai chicken that uses salsa. Maybe you could make the sauce, freeze and add chicken later, perhaps add fresh ginger when cooking with chicken.

1 cup hot salsa
1/4 cup peanut butter ( I use crunchy)
2 T lime juice
1 T soy sauce
1 tsp fresh ginger

1/2 peanuts chopped..added as a topping after it's cooked..use with rice.

So all it takes is using this sauce, poured over (they suggest) 2 1/2 lbs chicken pieces in a crock pot, (I use chicken filets) and cook on low for 8- 9 hrs or high 3 - 4 hrs on high.

Alternatively what I do is cook up the chicken filets in fry pan..add the sauce, cook a little bit, put into crock pot on "warming" for when we have guests...and I have no work when guests arrive. This meal is so easy and yet is a hit every time.

Edit: It just dawned on me that I always add probably a cup of thai sweet red chile sauce ..which makes a huge difference and is probably why it tastes good.