>The Artist Formerly Known as Kap'n Salty wrote:
snip
> Water isn't actually an oxygen barrier. ...
>I know that water isn't an oxygen barrier, but I don't know about _ice_
>which stricks me as _probably_ a better oxygen barrier than water, even
>if it isn't perfect. And my primary purpose with that approach wasn't
>to keep oxygen from passing through the plastic bags and the ice to
>reach the hops; it was to replace the air in the bag, which definitely
>contains oxygen in immediate contact with the hops, with oxygen-free
>water (the oxygen having been driven off during boiling) --
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This thread has promted me to finally post after, just reading, for over a year.
Bill, you seem to be a pretty knowledgable guy, but I could not help but wonder what you're thinking here.
"Oxygen-free water"
If my memory serves me correctly, water is 2 parts hydrogen and 1 part oxygen. So, in the case of "the oxygen having been driven off during boiling" this would leave only the hydrogen. Right?
Water, weather frozen or not, would NEVER make a good oxygen barrier because it is 1/3 oxygen.
Also, if you freeze them in water, you better take precautions to seal them well or the ice will absorb off flavors from foods. Example, freeze a bag of onions in your ice compartment then try a glass of ice water.
If you don't have a vacuum sealer, I'd suggest multiple bags with air squeezed out and stored in rubbermaid or tupperware container in freezer.
No offense, just my suggestion.
Beefjerky