Tuesday’s Tips - Freezing

There are 2 very important things to remember when freezing food.

1. Make sure it’s wrapped VERY well and/or put into a seal tight container.
2. Dates–Always date your freezer products to avoid freezer burn.

Freezer burn is dehydration of the food caused by improper packing, and wastes food.  If you don’t wrap your food well and/or leave it in your freezer for a century, then this will most likely happen to your food.

BASIC FREEZING TIPS:

• Your Freezer temperature should be below 0 degrees Fahrenheit. Use a thermometer to check the temperature.
• Freeze in smaller portions so the food cools faster and thaws faster for best quality.
• You can freeze ingredients for a casserole in individual packets (chicken, vegetables, cheese), then place the smaller packets into one large bag. Label well, including thawing and baking instructions, then freeze.
• Line casserole dishes with heavy duty foil before assembling. Fill casserole, freeze, then remove foil wrapped food and seal in ziplock heavy duty freezer bag. Place in original container to thaw and bake.

FOODS THAT DON’T FREEZE WELL:

• Cream or custard fillings, milk sauces, sour cream
• Cooked egg whites, icings made from egg whites
• Fried foods
• Irish potatoes, baked or boiled
• Cabbage*, celery, cress, cucumbers*, endives, lettuce, parsley, radishes (If the cabbage and cucumbers are pickled, then they should do alright.)

PACKAGING:

• Flexible Bags or Wrappings: Bags and sheets of moisture- and vapor-resistant materials, heavy-duty aluminum foil, and laminated papers are suitable for dry-packed vegetables and fruits, meats, fish, or poultry. Bags can also be used for liquid packs. Laminated papers are sometimes used as protective overwraps. Protective cardboard cartons may be used to protect bags and sheets against tearing and to make stacking easier. Lightweight (household) aluminum foil, wax paper and bread wrappers are not sufficiently moisture- and vapor-resistant to be suitable for long-term freezer storage.
• Regular glass jars break easily at freezer temperatures. If using glass jars, choose wide-mouth dual-purpose jars made for freezing and canning. These jars have been tempered to withstand extremes in temperature. The wide mouth allows easy removal of partially thawed foods. If standard canning jars with narrow mouths are used for freezing, leave extra headspace to allow for expansion of foods during freezing. Expansion of the liquid could cause the jars to break at the neck. Some foods will need to be thawed completely before removal from the jar.

COMMON QUESTIONS:

• How Long Will Food Remain Frozen if the Power Goes Off? Foods stay frozen longer if the freezer remains unopened, is full, is in a cool place and is well-insulated. Usually food in a loaded freezer will stay frozen for two to four days, depending on the size of the freezer. A half-filled freezer will keep food frozen only about 24 hours. Cover the freezer with blankets, keeping them away from the compressor, to help hold the cold.
• Can Food Be Refrozen if It Has Thawed? Foods that have only partially thawed and still have ice crystals in the package can be safely refrozen, though quality will be poorer. Meat, fish, poultry, prepared foods, vegetables and fruits can be refrozen if they have been kept at a temperature of 40 °F or below and if their color and odor are good. However, quality will be lower. If ice cream is partially thawed, throw it out. Its texture will not be acceptable and if its temperature reaches above 40 °F, it could be unsafe.

Now I’m a huge fan of the Foodsaver! If you freeze a lot of foods, I HIGHLY recommend you invest in one of these. This is especially handy if you buy your beef in bulk. You can break it up and vacuum seal several packages. Definitely a kitchen must!