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[Clansgian AT wmconnect.com]

>Time in the steamer?


With the steamer going full till and the broccoli at room temp (just 
harvested usually),  put the basket in the steamer and then abut 20 to 30 
seconds.  
Usually it is then put into ice water to stop the cooking and hence to the 
freezer for the first freeze.

> 
> >What purpose is the salt performing?

Inhibit the bacteria on the surface of the broccoli.  It also makes the ice 
shell just ever so slightly at a higher melting temp than the broccoli itself 
which helps prevent the cells rupturing as it thaws or cooks and so the 
broccoli is less limp or mushy.



> 
> >About how many 'dips' does it take?

Three usually.

> 
> >Any particular reason not to use smaller bags with a few less 'dips'? 
> I'm not feeding hungry teenagers as you are<g>.
> 

I do forget that with an inordinate number of teens and pre-teens in the 
house we often say "How many 5 gallon bags of broccoli do we bring from the 
freezer for tonight's supper?"  

Smaller bags perhaps but not less glazing.  The glaze keeps oxygen out and 
that would be the same problem in a pint bag or 5 gallon bag.  What we have 
done 
in the past is to put broccoli in the small bags and fill them with the very 
dilute salt water and freeze the whole thing.  The condition of the broccoli 
remains excellent but it takes much longer to thaw out and is not nearly so 
convenient.

This method or a variation of it is used for a lot of  things:  cauliflower 
and sprouts to be sure, but also peach, pear, and apple slices.  They are 
frozen hard then sprayed or sprinkled with the salt water then refrozen and 
packed 
loose into large bags.  Mostly they are dehydrated, but some frozen ones are 
good as a hot fruit side to a meal.  Peas are fozen loose like this with only 
the water that clings to them when they are rinsed and some shell beans 
likewise.

We dehydrate green beans, can some, and salt some.  But a few are cooked 
until done and then frozen like this.  Snow pes for stir fries are froze in 
blocks 
of ice.  

Fish is glazed this way too.  Other meats are coated with olive oil for the 
same purpose.  This is especially effective for goat and rabbit.

James