How to Freeze Foods, Eggs, Meat & Poultry
Freezing food does not sterilize food or kill bacteria, but it does slow down the multiplication of bacteria, keeping food edible for longer. Once frozen food thaws, the food-borne pathogens will multiply again, so it is important not to thaw frozen foods at room temperature. You'll get your best results from freezing foods when they are at their peak freshness, because freezing preserves that state if the foods are prepared for freezing properly. Never freeze canned foods or eggs in shells. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
-
-
1
Freeze meat before cooking. Cooked meat will dry out faster than raw meat, because less liquid remains in the meat after cooking. If you wish to store cooked meat, you will have better results if you cover the meat in a gravy or sauce of some kind before freezing, because the sauce will fill in the spaces air would otherwise dry out. This is also true of poultry. Package meat in portioned containers for easy cooking later.
-
2
Package meat properly before freezing. Air is detrimental to frozen food, so make sure all containers you use to freeze foods are airtight. Freezing meat in vacuum-sealed packaging is best, but the airtight packaging most stores sell meat in can be frozen, too; just double-wrap it with freezer-safe plastic wrap or butcher paper to really keep air out.
-
-
3
Freeze only unshelled raw eggs. Egg shells will break when frozen, allowing for potential contamination. Egg whites will also thicken when frozen and lose their desired consistency. Hard-cooked eggs do not freeze well, as they tend to become rubbery. Eggs also have a shelf life of two to three weeks with refrigeration, so freezing tends to be unnecessary. If you wish to freeze eggs, crack them and stir together the whites and yolks. Avoid whipping in air. Add 1/2 tsp. salt per cup of egg mixture, and freeze in airtight containers with a little extra space above the mixture to allow for expansion.
-
4
Freeze poultry in the form you will use it when thawed. Buying whole chickens costs less than buying precut pieces of chicken. If you are freezing chicken, buy whole chickens and half, quarter or cut up pieces as desired for cooking later. Layer freezer paper between cut pieces to keep them from freezing into one solid mass. Freezer bags are handy for freezing poultry due to its unusual shape, but squeeze out all the excess air before sealing.
-
5
Freeze vegetables and bread to keep them at peak freshness. Bread can be frozen in the bag you buy it in and will defrost as good as new. Most fresh produce freezes well and loses no nutrients in the process of freezing and defrosting, so you can eat summer-fresh veggies year round. Fruits and vegetables with high water contents don't freeze well, including cucumbers, lettuce, melon, strawberries and celery. Cream-based products also don't freeze well unless they contain over 40 percent fat content. Starchy vegetables freeze and lose no texture in the process, making them perfect for frozen storage. When freezing any fruits, veggies or bread, get as much air out of the storage container as possible before freezing to prevent freezer burn.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Discoloration from freezing does not indicate that food has gone bad, merely that it may have dried out from poor packaging or being frozen for too long.
Freeze eggs in quantities needed for recipes so you don't have to thaw the whole batch to measure out what you need.
Never stuff poultry before freezing. Bacteria can grow rapidly in the stuffing during the freezing and thawing process.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit chicken meat ragout with paprica image by Maria Brzostowska from Fotolia.com
