Freezing/storing, berries/flour
Having to buy in bulk means I have a lot more flour around than usual and I also got myself a hand mill so bought some berries.
I am planning on freezing the berries for 2 weeks to kill anything in them. I have normal freezer bags with wire ties. Would one be OK, or should I double-wrap them? After that, I plan to bring them to room temp and then transfer to a lock and lock plastic sealed food container (yet to buy, hopefully will arrive in time!). Any thing wrong there?
Re the flour, I'm worrying about bugs there too as I'm storing it for longer than normal. Is the ideal to just keep it in the freezer until I'm ready to use it? I've read a lot of people here do that. If so, are the freezer bags OK for these too? If I don't have room for it all in the freezer, I'm thinking the best solution is tightly sealed containers. Is that right?
Thanks!
To me. If you don’t have room in the freezer for it all, just do it in portions keeping the treated berries and flour stored separately.
:-)
for the berries, suggest buying 5 gallon food grade pails which have a twist on and off lids (i.e. not the snap on type). keep in cool dark place. Bay leaves keep insects out. Put 6 leaves in a small brown paper lunch bag, fold once near top and staple close. The aroma will permeate the pail and keep the bugs out. The grains will last several years as long as dark, cool and dry. Remember the pyramids? They found grain that was 2000 years old which sprouted when tested. Cool, dark and dry with bay leaves. I have been doing this for 20 years and hundreds of lbs of grain with no problem, Both wheat and rye in my case as I buy 25 and 50# bags.
Re the flour, I grind enough for the next 2 months or so and freeze in an airtight plastic container and take out what I need as I bake. I prefer this as fresh ground and immediate use tastes a bit grassy to me. I think the freezing sort of ages the flour in a beneficial way (similar to the slight oxidizing that commercial flour has). To me, the bread taste better and you absolutely have no idea the flour was frozen.
Once you grind, the flour can go rancid rather quickly so doing enough for the short term and freezing will work just fine. Try it, good luck!!
Thanks. I'll get some bay leaves! Why do you suggest a screw lid not a snap on?
Hi Alison. the screw on lid has a gasket around the edge which seals nice to keep out bug, no gap. far easier to open and close as you use the grains. the snap on are so tight you need a special tool to open them and get the lid off, than far harder to snap back on and get a good seal. I started with snap on lids way back and quickly decided the screw on is easier. As a 250 lb guy, it took some umpf to open and reclose the snap on type that i initially had before converting to screw on.
The screw top rim snaps on permanently to the bucket, and into that the threaded lid screws goes. And easily tightened and opened by hand due to the gasket on the lid.
The screw top is by far easier in my opinion with the extra cost offset by convenience and better seal. If you go with the snap on, make sure you get the tool that allows you to open them.
Happy baking!
Agree with Nick, screw in is the way to go. They have them at my local Home Depot near the 5 gallon buckets and paint supplies. It says it is food safe https://www.homedepot.com/p/Bucket-Companion-5-gal-and-3-gal-Screw-Top-Bucket-Lid-in-Black-LD5GRLBK006/303808738 though it is odd seeing it next to painting supplies.
So at this stage only need 5kg storage x 2. I was going to purchase tupperwares used for food, large ones. They only come with snap on lids. But those lids have double-lock closure.
That is easier for me that searching Italian stores for bucket options. I can't go look at the moment because of lockdown. If I like this grinding option, I might expand in the future!
My grain is in the freezer :-) Thank you.
It's also easy to tear the snap-on lid _of a bucket_ when opening, even when using the tool. (Don't ask how I know that.)
I’ve had whole berries in my freezer for years. Depending on space I use cambro containers or ziplock freezer bags. Mine are in a chest freezer without auto defrost. I’ve never had a quality issue.
Do you defrost without un-air-locking the bags before you grind?
I mill them frozen.
...am a newbie to milling, so wasn't sure. Thanks.
It also keeps them from getting over heated, since they are so cold. You can crack grain from frozen also. I’m not sure about flaking, I do not have a flaker yet.