I've been doing this for years, absolutely love it - but I do one thing differently. After I chop my onions for the freezer I spread them out on cookie sheets and "flash freeze" them before putting them in ziploc bags. The onions never stick together that way and I can use bigger bags to freeze them in. Same deal for peppers - I cut them in strips or dices or nice big chunks and flash freeze them. Sometimes I even mix onions and peppers together since I use them together so often. It makes all the difference when you can just reach in and grab a handful or so out. :)

@DV-ol7vt

Жыл бұрын

I don’t use the cookie sheet. I just fill up a 1 gallon freezer bag and freeze. The next day I pull the bag out and tap the bag on counter top and then everything is loose as if I froze it individually. I do the same with peppers.

@dagneytaggart7707

Жыл бұрын

I do this with blue berries and whole strawberries

@BIGALTX

Жыл бұрын

I flash freeze blackberries. Works out great!

@BIGALTX

Жыл бұрын

Just like a bag of ice... nice!!

love love love that chop wizard!!!!!

@BIGALTX

9 ай бұрын

Amen… That thing is so cool. And fast! 😊

I've been doing this for years. It's such a time saver and easy to do.

@BIGALTX

Жыл бұрын

👍😎

I do this and freeze them in measured portions into snack-size bags. I then put them into gallon-size freezer bags. So if I just need enough for a medium onion, that equals about a cup of diced onion. It is premeasured and so easy!

@BIGALTX

Жыл бұрын

That's a great idea too... double bagging should help with the odor too

Yep, done this for years with my onions. I also do green peppers that I am going to cook with. Both work out great, Saves so much time with prep.

@BIGALTX

Жыл бұрын

Yes it does... thanks for the comment!

I have the Sharper Image version of the same chopper. Bought it a number of years ago. Take your process 1 step further and dehydrate some of those onions. Less dependence on a freezer, if/when the grid goes down. Usually, there's more storage room in a pantry than in a freezer. Nor concerns about the ice cream smelling like onion. And.... there's one more! Dehydrated onion can be quickly turned into onion granules and onion powder using a blender or coffee grinder set aside for this purpose. As you said, it's always good to have fresh onion on hand. And multiple backup ways to prolong the life of the harvest. Thanks for sharing. God Bless.

@BIGALTX

Жыл бұрын

I dehydrated some a few years ago, and thought about doing it with some of these too. Just might...

For sure Alan saving time and prep easiest way. Thanks for the ideas.

@BIGALTX

Жыл бұрын

You bet

I am a fairly new subscriber. Have learned so much from you. Watching your older videos. Thank you

@BIGALTX

Жыл бұрын

Well, thanks for subbing and thanks for watching! Good to have you Lynn 👍😎

I have done this for years using the Chop Wizard. Only problem is that it’s hard to keep the freezer from smelling like onions in just the freezer bags. I generally put the bags into a large glass jar with a lid to cut down on odors. Alternatively you can use a large bag to hold several small bags. The double bagging helps, but glass works best.

@BIGALTX

Жыл бұрын

Thanks, Linda. I might double bag mine too ... or try the jars!!

Love that gadget! Double bag freezer onions.

@BIGALTX

Жыл бұрын

Yes.. that's what someone else said..."double bag"

Here's an amazing way to store onions. One of my viewers (commenting on another video) and told me about this, and I can't believe I never heard of it before. This is absolutely the BEST way to store onions long term. We already ran through one batch the we stored, and it was such a time saver! You've GOT to try this. Here's the link to the Vidalia Chop Wizard: amzn.to/3JeQDYG Here's the link to my video on how to dry onions for storage: kzread.info/dash/bejne/n6qms5qMot3bZpM.html alan Check out my Website. I've written dozens of articles pertaining to all areas of homesteading and self sufficiency. Here's the link: homesteadadvisor.com/ homesteadadvisor.com/

Yes, I froze alot of mine also and Peppers ,so nice to have already cut for cooking , But what you have reviewed here , is a must on my list now , Thank you Allen. Mrs Josette- Texas

@BIGALTX

Жыл бұрын

Good to hear from you Josette. Thanks for watching!

We love the vacuum seal method but we vacuum seal about everything and it makes everything taste as fresh as when you first sealed it

@BIGALTX

Жыл бұрын

I probably should vac these, but I don't think they will last long anyway 😎

I've had one of those little chopper gadgets for years, but instead of freezing them, I pressure can them in pint jars. Some I use chicken broth from bouillon cube and others I do beef broth from bouillon cube. If I want to fry them, I just put them in at seive and rinse them out and fry them in bacon grease, as a rule. They are already cooked, of course, but they still import a good flavor to scrambled eggs and stuff. Pressure canning them allows me to keep them for pretty much ever without refrigeration, which in my case is no big deal, unless the grid fails and we all know it can. It did a couple years ago; remember snowmageddon?

@BIGALTX

Жыл бұрын

Interesting... thanks for the tips!

Thx for this GREAT video! My method of food preservation is freezing so I really appreciate this process. Thx for sharing!❤

@BIGALTX

18 күн бұрын

You are so welcome!

Lol have exact same chopper and do exactly the same thing. And with bell peppers. I also buy regular spinach, throw it in a zippy bag, flat, and into the freezer...when we want spinach we just break some off. Much easier than waiting in frozen spinach to thaw and drain. It's also a money saver. Sometimes you just need a little spinach, not a whole bag or box.

@BIGALTX

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for the tips!

@countrydarlin8212

Жыл бұрын

Lol, well thanks for all your tips! And the Bible verses!!

Thanks TP

@BIGALTX

Жыл бұрын

You bet!

Great idea! 👍

@BIGALTX

Жыл бұрын

Thanks!

You can dehydrate them as well for long term storage! Tfs! Please stay safe and sending hugs to you both 💜🙏😎

@BIGALTX

Жыл бұрын

Thanks Vikki... ! 😎

GOOD VIDEO MAN!!!

@BIGALTX

Жыл бұрын

Thanks, Emory!

I just used my chopper and put 2 gallons of onions in the freezer, I do a lot of my peppers the same way. The other peppers I freeze whole. Froze whole jalapeños make great jalapeño poppers because the peppers cook faster because freezing helps break down the peppers cell wall.

@BIGALTX

Жыл бұрын

Great tips, thanks!

Been doing frozen chopped onions for years. Works really well.

@BIGALTX

Жыл бұрын

Great. Thanks, Charlene!

I have three of these choppers that I have bought at garage sales. Every year a local masonic lodge sells bags of the Vidalia onions as a fundraiser. We always buy three bags and chop them up and put them in our freezer to use during the year. They never last a whole year.

@BIGALTX

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for the confirmation!

We have one of those. Great for mass quantities. The pampered chef makes a good one for small jobs that requires more slamming.

@BIGALTX

Жыл бұрын

Nice... thanks! :)

First time I saw the chop wizard used was by Donald the Cajun Gardner (RIP). It's a great product, and especially for those that may have some physical limitations with hands. As always great info.

@BIGALTX

Жыл бұрын

Yep.. I miss Ol' Donald... always had good videos

Hi from Arizona zone 9b. Thanks for the tips. We are starting our fall seeds this week! Can't to plant everything in the fall.

@BIGALTX

Жыл бұрын

Everything is burning up here... I don't see how y'all raise *_anything_* in the desert 9b

@AmzBackyardOrchardandVineyard

Жыл бұрын

@@BIGALTX its a great challenge. we mostly plant in the fall just so the trees and plants can build a root structure 10 months ahead of time! BUT sometimes that's not even good enough... it has taken a life time of trial and error... lol

Saw old Donald the Bayou Gardener do that several years ago with onions as well as bell peppers. I went right out andbought one. Sadly he is decased now.

@DV-ol7vt

Жыл бұрын

That old Cajun is the reason I bought my onion chopper. He is definitely missed. I still watch his shows

@BIGALTX

Жыл бұрын

Yep, the Cajun Gardener is missed by many. I really enjoy his videos

hey tp i have a question...first year growing onions and they never got skinny necks. I let em go till almost july and i pressed the tops down, i let em dry but the bottoms are already starting to go brown. any idea what i did wrong?

@BIGALTX

Жыл бұрын

Not sure... might be a variety of onion that I'm not familiar with

genius ty

@BIGALTX

Жыл бұрын

You bet! Try it

Same except I vacuum seal mine.

@BIGALTX

Жыл бұрын

I might vac the next batch. Thanks!

I've been doing this for years, however I was taught to blanch them before freezing. I also like to freeze onion, bell pepper, and tomatoes together. So many recipes require all these together.

@BIGALTX

Жыл бұрын

Lots of folks commenting here about freezing. No one else said anything about blanching. Try some without blanching.. no sense wasting time and energy if it's not necessary

@conniedavidson1807

Жыл бұрын

@@BIGALTX That's how I was taught. I've also learned I can freeze patio tomatoes without blanching. Will be trying freezing your way.

My frozen onions were vacuumed sealed and I find them wet and soggy - only good for cooking- am I doing something wrong?

@DV-ol7vt

Жыл бұрын

Freezing makes them soft and not very good for fresh eating but great and easy for cooking

@Texxy-tw6ye

Жыл бұрын

@@DV-ol7vt got it thank you so much

@BIGALTX

Жыл бұрын

Yep... they won't keep their consistency for fresh eating, but do great in cooking

Who says nothing’s impossible in this world ? I've been doing nothing for years...😂

@BIGALTX

Жыл бұрын

Hahaha... so true! 😎

Newbies: It's really important to cut the onions TOP to BOTTOM, and, to clean out any gunk between chops. I didn't. I broke my unit on the first day. : (

@BIGALTX

Жыл бұрын

Good tips, thanks!

@lauradavis4610

Жыл бұрын

@@BIGALTX I think I've fixed it. One of the blades was knocked out of position, and I tapped it back. I'll be more careful in future!