The rules of freezing

I’m often asked about the rules of freezing so I thought it was high time I posted a summary of the tips and tricks I’ve picked up over many years cooking and eating.

Why freeze?

• Freezing will preserve flavour, colour, texture and nutritional value as long as foods are frozen frozen fresh and in good condition
• Great way to store leftovers and avoid waste
• Out-of-season produce is available all year
• Food bacteria stops growing (note: freezing won’t kill bacteria but does stop it growing)
• Partial freezing of meat or fish makes it easier to slice, eg. carpaccio

Why not?

• Organisation is required for defrosting; frozen food normally stored in the fridge should be defrosted in the fridge
• Some foods will spoil, eg. food with high salt like ham or high sugar like jam can be watery when defrosted

What should I freeze?

• Liquid based dishes – such as stock, soup, sauces and casseroles
• Berries – such as strawberries (place in a single layer on a baking tray to open freeze, when frozen transfer to container and return to freezer)
•  Muffins, cakes and slices – double wrap (plastic and foil) and store in a plastic bag
• Egg whites – try individually in an ice-cube tray
• Meat – remove from butcher’s packing and wrap portions separately in plastic wrap
• Mince – in a plastic bag and flattened to allow for even defrosting
• Nuts – stops them becoming rancid
• Ice-cream – cover surface with plastic wrap to prevent freezer burn
• Pastry – make sure it is well wrapped

What shouldn’t I freeze?

• Vegetables with high water, eg. asparagus and most salad vegetables
• Jam could go runny due to high sugar
• Dairy products may curdle
• Egg-based sauces such as bearnaise will separate
• Egg yolks will be dry
• Stuffed foods as raw meat juice will be absorbed by the stuffing and could cause bacteria to grow

What about packing?

• Label and date food
• Remove all air from wrapping material
• Leave between 2cm and 5cm at the top of the container when freezing liquid foods as they will expand
• Pack food loosely or open freeze first and then package for easy defrosting, eg cooked meatballs
• Pack food into quantities that suit your lifestyle, eg don’t freeze stock in 2L containers when cooking for one or two
• Cool all cooked food before packing for the freezer

How long can I freeze food?

Raw meat
Beef mince – 3 months
Beef steaks & roasts – 6 months
Veal mince – 3 months
Lamb mince – 3-6 months
Lamb cutlets, chops & roasts
Pork mince – 2 months
Pork chops & roasts – 3-6 months
Bacon & prosciutto – 1 month
Meat sausages – 3 months

Raw poultry
Mince – 3 months
Chicken pieces – 6 months
Whole chicken – 12 months
Duck – 3 months

Raw seafood
White fish fillets – 6 months
Oily fish (salmon / trout) – 2 months
Shellfish – 2 months