Freezing stuff in the snow?

lil_me

Ok, basically I am thinking if I can freeze stuff in the garden (in a box/bag first) I have some extra bread I might use first (bought for someone then they had too much) Anyone tried this/any tips. I think there is about 9+ inches of settled snow in the back garden. We're forecast for more over the weekend/beginning of next week. Freezer is full, I have a bag full for the birds already.

Would it be best to freeze it first? Or is this just a crazy idea .... one of many I get at 2am. I wasn't thinking of using it for meat products etc.

jexygirl

hey lil,
well...
I have an outside metal shed that i keep veg in, and my potatoes onions etc are frozen... I also have an old freezer that I put hot water into 2 days ago to soak my fryer filters in degreaser, which is still warm...
We (unlike the rest of the country) dont have snow atm despite being in Scotland, but it is -15 at night.
A freezer should run at -18 to -22 I think, so I see no reason to not use nature to do a job that it can do!
Our beer cellar cooling has been off for 2 months and the beer is fine, the outside veg shed is probably more efficient than my freezer atm, and the pork i took out for sunday is still frozen in my kitchen! (we are closed atm, so nothing on in the kitchen apart from when we cook)
I say go for it!
Jex

chirpchirp

I think it should last in the garden with temperatures as they are. However, there will be lots of animals scavenging such as rats who will easily break through any plastic coverings. You will need to put the bread in some sort of tin to keep it secure.

ubamother

Do keep warm trying - Allegedly Sir Francis Bacon died of pneumonia after spending too long outside experimenting with freezing food using snow. Mind you it was in the 1600's.
Be very interesting to hear if this works - I don't think I'd risk anything expensive though!
Good luck

lil_me

One loaf of cheapy bread going outside (not frozen first) one will go after I freeze it, will let you know. It's not below -10 even here but snows deep.

debbym

Here in Germany we have about 8 inches of snow and it is -10 atm. Our freezer broke about a month ago and we have been storing oven chips in a storage box in the garden for most part of the last week with no detremental effects so far... not sure if I would trust it with meat though...

clutterydrawer

We took the opportunity to defrost our freezer without accidentally thawing any food out, by chucking it all in the garden while it defrosted....worked a treat

ceridwen

Well - put it this way - I'm not nearly so bothered about putting "fridge" items in the fridge at the moment - having discovered that in this cold weather that the milk in my fridge (correct - fridge NOT freezer) has sometimes got a coating of ice on the top of it that I have to "blend in". This happened again even after I'd adjusted my fridge/freezer to the lowest possible setting.

So - I would be quite unconcerned at leaving anything frozen out in the snow for the time being (apart possibly from meat - which I dont eat anyway).

lil_me

Well I've found 3 bottles of milk which ended up burried in snow, I wish the milkman would leave them in one place! They are all frozen solid. So I suppose freezing liquids in snow/cold temperatures works well :rotfl: I've left them where I know where they are packed in snow until I need them or can fit them in the freezer.

I've put the frozen bread in the snow but the bread which was not frozen, isn't freezing quickly so pulled that out. I think I need to freeze them first, it isn't that cold but can use the snow to insulate it, so doing a bit at a time.

I am using the freezer space for meats/veg but going to freeze some rolls/a loaf at a time then put them in the plastic box the other pack is in.

Valli

Just out of interest Lil_me, my TD is in my shed and I have to walk up the garden to get to it, so I am wearing wellies. When I get into the shed the snow drops off.
It has stayed frozen IN THE SHED, not melted a bit, so clearly it IS cold enough to freeze stuff and keep it frozen...
In fact, I could defrost my freezer ... and pop the contents outside in the shed for a couple of hours - they'd stay frozen I am sure!
(Suitably bagged of course!)

lil_me

Yes, which means the TD also might not be as effective. My TD broke down when it was in the garage last year due to cold something to do with the thermostat went ping.

The bread is at -10C still, just checked with a temp probe (forgot we had them) it was put in there at about -12C (freezer is -18C) so not bad. I don't think it's cold enough to freeze it really fast but might help keep these few extra bits instead of them being flung. I'm just using the space I do have in the freezer to freeze one at a time before it goes in the box.