HOW TO VACUUM SEAL BROCCOLI RECIPES

Steps:

• To freeze ground beef. Remove the meat from the store packaging. Divide into 1/2- or 1-pound portions. These are amounts that are standard for most recipes. If you have a vacuum sealer, this is the time to use it. Otherwise, place the portions in separate freezer zip-top bags. Use a quart-size bag for 1/2-pound portions and a gallon-size bag for 1-pound portions. Use a rolling pin to firmly and gently flatten the meat to 1/2-inch thick. You should still be able to see the texture of the ground beef. Press all of the air out of the bags and seal. Use a permanent marker to note the date, cut of ground beef, and weight. Lay the bags flat on a freezer shelf. Once frozen, stack the bags or stand them vertically for long-term storage.
• Three ways to defrost ground beef. Defrost in the refrigerator. Place the zip-top bag with the frozen ground beef on a plate and move to the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. The meat will thaw in 1 to 2 hours. Cook or refreeze within 2 days. Ground beef that has been kept out of the danger zone (40°F to 140°F) during the thawing process can be refrozen safely, although some textural or flavor changes may occur. Defrost in the microwave. Place the zip-top bag with the frozen ground beef on a plate. Use the defrost setting on your microwave to defrost for 3 to 4 minutes, turning halfway through. Microwave wattages differ so use these times as a guideline for your appliance. Cook the meat immediately, as some parts of the meat may have begun cooking during the defrosting process. Do not refreeze raw meat thawed in the microwave. Defrost in cool water. Place the zip-top bag with the frozen ground beef into a large bowl. Cover with cold water and use a heavy weight, such as a can of beans, to submerge the meat. The meat should thaw in 5 to 10 minutes. Cook immediately. Do not refreeze raw meat thawed in cold water.

Steps:

• Combine the sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice in a small saucepan and cook over very low heat for 10 minutes, until the sugar is dissolved. Add the strawberries and continue to cook over very low heat for 20 minutes, until the strawberries release some of their juices and the mixture boils slowly. Cook until a small amount of the juice gels on a very cold plate. (I keep one in the freezer.) Pour carefully into 2 pint canning jars and either seal or keep refrigerated. Use immediately, or follow proper canning guidelines below.
• Sterilizing Tips:
• Jars should be made from glass and free of any chips or cracks. Preserving or canning jars are topped with a glass, plastic, or metal lid, which has a rubber seal. Two piece lids are best for canning, as they vacuum seal when processed.
• To sterilize jars, before filling with jams, pickles, or preserves, wash jars and lids with hot, soapy water. Rinse well and arrange jars and lids open sides up, without touching, on a tray. Leave in a preheated 175 degree F oven for 25 minutes. Or, boil the jars and lids in a large saucepan, covered with water, for 15 minutes.
• Use tongs when handling the hot sterilized jars, to move them from either boiling water or the oven. Be sure the tongs are sterilized too, by dipping the ends in boiling water for a few minutes.
• As a rule, hot preserves go into hot jars and cold preserves go into cold jars. All items used in the process of making jams, jellies, and preserves must be clean. This includes any towels used, and especially your hands.
• After the jars are sterilized, you can preserve the food. It is important to follow any canning and processing instructions included in the recipe and refer to USDA guidelines about the sterilization of canned products.