Freezer Tips

Olive8585

I was wondering if anyone had any freezer tips. I've never really had a freezer before (crappy rented accommodation...) and now I have one, so want to get more into making big batches of food and freezing it as 'ready meals'. Can I just put regular tupperware in the freezer? Does it matter about the type of lid, etc?

When it comes to freezing bits of meat (leftover rashers, sausages etc), is it OK to just bung them into a freezer bag, tie it at the top with a metal tie and stick it in the freezer? Is there anything I need to know? I know you should try and get as much air out of the bag as possible to prevent freezer burn. Is there a technique to this?

Finally, what meals lend themselves to freezing? I know bolognese sauce is good, as as chilli...what other stuff is good?

I know I sound like a moron, but I've made do without a freezer for years and never learned all this obvious stuff!

The Hill Billy

Split from the Chat thread. Worthy of a thread of its own.

tHB

dee_mc

You don't sound like a moron One tip I would have is for soups, sauces and stews, the freezer bags specifically designed for soups are great. They often have them in aldi. The bags are made from strong plastic, they're reusable, have a measurement guide on them and a good airtight seal. I think they are great, and they take up less space than Tupperware in the freezer.
Yes you can freeze meat etc just as you describe, remember to only freeze really fresh food, for best results on defrosting.
I find it handy to keep root ginger in the freezer, I tend to peel it and pop it in a freezer bag, then just grate as much as I need while it's still frozen.
Bread also freezes perfectly, I always bake 2 loaves at a time and freeze one. Not sure if it's a myth but we learned in school that it's good to keep the freezer as full as possible because it's more economical?! Mine's always full anyway!

twerg_85

Always label everything including date of freezing. I've lost count of the amount of times I've thrown something in saying ah sure I'll remember what that was, only to end up tossing it out many months later without a clue what or when it was frozen.

Ziplock freezer bags are handy too.

F.

MagicMarker

Jesus how have you gone so long without a freezer?

What about ice-cream?!

MagicMarker

twerg_85 wrote: »

Always label everything including date of freezing. I've lost count of the amount of times I've thrown something in saying ah sure I'll remember what that was, only to end up tossing it out many months later without a clue what or when it was frozen.

Ziplock freezer bags are handy too.

F.

I took out some sausages the other day dated the 30th March, trouble is I wasn't sure which year it referred to! I took the risk and am thankfully still alive.

MissFlitworth

I buy a lot of Cully & Sully soups during the winter and find the tubs they come in (which I cannot bring myself to throw away) an excellent size to freeze a large single portion or moderate 2 person portion of soup/chili/ragu/anything sauce-y. I either freeze with the lids on or wrap with cling film. The only downside is that while the tubs freeze well if you drop them on the ground while full & frozen they shatter.

So I guess my tip is reuse plastic tubs as freezer tupperware Saves you buying any and means you throw less stuff away

Olive8585

MagicMarker wrote: »

Jesus how have you gone so long without a freezer?

What about ice-cream?!

Haven't really had a choice. Not fussed about ice-cream, to be honest! If I really wanted some, I'd get it in a restaurant, but it hurts my teeth!

Thanks for the tips everyone - first batch of bolognese sauce portioned and frozen!

Jawgap

I make up stock, reduce it, then freeze it in ice- cube trays or ice-cube bags for later use.

Don't 'cram' the freezer and jam everything in - air needs to circulate for it to work efficiently. Fill it, to get the most from it.

If you're freezing veg, chop it first, then bag an freeze it. In fact if you're freezing anything, esp meat, make sure it's bagged or wrapped to prevent freezer burn.

You can use your freezer to make ice-cream. I'll dig out the recipe / method tomorrow..........and sorbets.

Gloomtastic!

Any leftover herbs I stick in the freezer. Put them in a plastic bag and cut the label of the herb box and stick it in the bag as well. Then stick the herb bag in a ziIplock box.

Dizzyblonde

When you're cooking a roast or ham, buy a bigger one and slice and freeze the leftovers. Then you can have roast with no hassle the next time. I think larger joints cook better than small ones, and you can have a great supply of of ham in the freezer for sandwiches etc.
I make bigger casseroles and stews too so I can freeze portions for lazy days. The foil takeaway cartons are great, you can get them in most supermarkets and €2 shops.

tomdempsey200

how do you thaw soup veg meat?

do you just leave it on the worktop?

dee_mc

tomdempsey200 wrote: »

how do you thaw soup veg meat?

do you just leave it on the worktop?

Fridge overnight

Ann Landers

Have a marker in the kitchen to write the contents and date on the various bags and containers.

MissFlitworth

tomdempsey200 wrote: »

how do you thaw soup veg meat?

I don't thaw soup, vegetables or anything in a sauce. I go straight from freezer to eating temp.

Stheno

OP I freeze all of the following:

Soup
Stew
Shepherds pie
Lasagne
Chilli
Bolognese (not the pasta)
Any raw meat I've bought but don't have time to cook immediately

For thawing, I put the stuff in the fridge

I travel a lot with work, and there have been weeks when my OH has literally eaten out of the freezer and eaten well, as I'd do a bulk cook, seperate the stuff into portions, and freeze it.

I also mark what each frozen item is.

I find the cartons from our local Chinese (the plastic ones, not the foil/paper ones) great for using as freezing containers.

Jawgap

tomdempsey200 wrote: »

how do you thaw soup veg meat?

do you just leave it on the worktop?

Fridge overnight or if it's relatively small I'll use the microwave.

<snip>

Larger items ( turkeys etc) may take a few days to thaw out thoroughly in the fridge.

Glebee

Can meat go off in the freezer???

Jawgap

Glebee wrote: »

Can meat go off in the freezer???

No, but it can 'dry out' if it's exposed while being frozen down in a domestic freezer.

Glebee

Jawgap wrote: »

No, but it can 'dry out' if it's exposed while being frozen down in a domestic freezer.

Cheers for that. And by exposed you mean not covered up I take it?

the beer revolu

Glebee wrote: »

Can meat go off in the freezer???

It won't go off as such but the flavour, texture and appearance can deteriorate.

Jawgap

Glebee wrote: »

Cheers for that. And by exposed you mean not covered up I take it?

Yes.

Olive8585

I am concerned about the safety aspect, which is why I never really got into reheating leftovers. If I freeze a portion of bolognese in tupperware, what's the best way to defrost it? What about rashers or sausages in a freezer bag?

the beer revolu

Olive8585 wrote: »

I am concerned about the safety aspect, which is why I never really got into reheating leftovers. If I freeze a portion of bolognese in tupperware, what's the best way to defrost it? What about rashers or sausages in a freezer bag?

Food safety advice is not allowed here but I'll give you some general tips and let the mods decide what to do.
The best and safest way to defrost anything is in the fridge - overnight for smaller things, big joints can take days to defrost.

You can also defrost in the microwave. Something liquidy like bolognese or soup is fine to defrost in the microwave but pieces of meat aren't great in the microwave as parts start to cook while others remain frozen. I often defrost and heat stews in the microwave without problems.

I find rashers and sausages freeze very well, but like anything in the freezer, the better wrapped they are the better they will fare - I use cling film for rashers and sausages. Again these are best left to defrost overnight in the fridge but if you take it slow in the microwave (lowest power setting and some patience) they come out ok too.

For some reason, I find that chicken casseroles do not fare well in the freezer - just not very nice.
I find that raw, very fresh fish freezes extremely well.

Jawgap

I presume signposting to f/s advice is ok?

Some more info is available here......

http://www.safefood.eu/Food-Safety/Cooking.aspx

Olive8585

Would rashers/sausages left in the fridge have defrosted enough to be used the next day? How long do things normally take to defrost in the fridge? Would the fridge thing also apply to stuff like shepherds pie or chili frozen in tupperware? Can you not cook it directly from frozen like you would with a ready meal?

the beer revolu

Olive8585 wrote: »

Would rashers/sausages left in the fridge have defrosted enough to be used the next day? How long do things normally take to defrost in the fridge? Would the fridge thing also apply to stuff like shepherds pie or chili frozen in tupperware? Can you not cook it directly from frozen like you would with a ready meal?

Read my post above.
I've answered all these questions.
How long something will take to defrost depends on it's mass, density and shape and the temp of your fridge. No one can give you an exact answer.

Jawgap

Ice cream recipe / technique (no machine needed)

Another tip for the freezer - take heavy shot glasses, dip the them in water water, remove them from the water and place open side down on a tray, place the tray in the freezer and enjoy your favourite spirit in them after a few hours.....

Jellybaby1

I freeze mainly fresh meat, also sausages and home made chicken stock. If I have leftover shepherds pie or bolognese I freeze it in the plastic takeaway boxes. We don't buy much in the way of takeaways but I bought the boxes in the Asian supermarket. If you have fresh lemons/limes you can either squeeze the juice into ice cube trays and freeze them and you can defrost the juice if you need just a little for drinks or for baking. I know someone who just freezes slices of lemons/limes for popping into drinks. I also freeze sliced bread though I know purists would say it affects the taste, but its very handy. I sometimes freeze chopped parsley with a little water in the ice cube trays as well. At the moment my son has his Easter egg in the freezer!!

livinsane

If you want to freeze small portions of stuff, use silicon muffin cases. Once frozen, pop the frozen food from the case, and put in a freezer bag.

Minder

When freezing sauces like spag bol or chilli, flatten the contents of the bag and spread the food out rather than having a big lump in the bottom of the freezer bag. It makes defrosting much quicker.

If you have a vacuum sealer, use it to store foods for freezing. It prolongs the life of freezer food and prevents freezer burn and frost.

IvyTheTerrible

MissFlitworth wrote: »

I buy a lot of Cully & Sully soups during the winter and find the tubs they come in (which I cannot bring myself to throw away) an excellent size to freeze a large single portion or moderate 2 person portion of soup/chili/ragu/anything sauce-y. I either freeze with the lids on or wrap with cling film. The only downside is that while the tubs freeze well if you drop them on the ground while full & frozen they shatter.

So I guess my tip is reuse plastic tubs as freezer tupperware Saves you buying any and means you throw less stuff away

I find Carte D'or icecream tubs are great for freezing larger batches of stuff. They don't shatter if you drop them either!

I freeze left over wine in icecube bags to be used later in sauces.

I've started growing herbs and when some of the leaves start getting droopy, I freeze them as well (I like this idea for basil in particular seeing as it doesn't survive winter!).

Olive8585

IvyTheTerrible wrote: »

I find Carte D'or icecream tubs are great for freezing larger batches of stuff. They don't shatter if you drop them either!

I freeze left over wine in icecube bags to be used later in sauces.

I've started growing herbs and when some of the leaves start getting droopy, I freeze them as well (I like this idea for basil in particular seeing as it doesn't survive winter!).

If you freeze wine, how do you defrost it again? Do you just put it directly into the sauce (say, ragu), or?

IvyTheTerrible

Olive8585 wrote: »

If you freeze wine, how do you defrost it again? Do you just put it directly into the sauce (say, ragu), or?

I put it directly in the sauce (don't know if that's the correct way but it works for me!)

Dizzyblonde

I put it directly into whatever I'm cooking too. I find it easiest to freeze it in a tub, then scoop out as many tablespoonfuls as I need. It doesn't freeze solid.

I once froze red wine in an ice cube bag, and when I lifted it out of the freezer to use some, it leaked and went everywhere.

Ann Landers

Dizzyblonde wrote: »

I put it directly into whatever I'm cooking too. I find it easiest to freeze it in a tub, then scoop out as many tablespoonfuls as I need. It doesn't freeze solid.

Ooh, good to know!

pwurple

Jawgap wrote: »

Don't 'cram' the freezer and jam everything in - air needs to circulate for it to work efficiently.

This isn't right is it? I'm sure i've even seen people stuff spare spaces in their freezers with newspapers, to reduce the air in there.

Everytime you open it, the cold air is replaced by warm air, which has to be cooled all over again. Less air = more efficient?

Anyway, my things which are great in the freezer are ginger and garlic. Freeze them as soon as you get them and they defrost really well into cooking. You can chop chillis straight from frozen, ginger needs a few seconds in the microwave first so you don't blunt you knife.

I also freeze fresh soft herbs like basil into icecubes trays with either oil or butter. Stick in ziplock bags as soon as frozen.

Egg whites are another good freezer staple. If I make a hollandaise or lemon curd, bag the leftover egg whites and freeze. Defrost when you want to use them at a later date.

Merkin

IvyTheTerrible wrote: »

I freeze left over wine

Leftover wine you say???! I didn't know such a thing existed!

My freezer tip is it's wonderful for time consuming dishes like lasagne. I make it from scratch and I normally make two or three big ones at once and freeze.

Homemade fish and chicken stock also freeze very well.

the beer revolu

I freeze bones - mostly chicken bones from all the thighs we eat but any bones really. When I have enough, I make stock, reduce it, freeze it in ice cube trays, then bag it.
Great for adding to sauces and reductions.

Jawgap

pwurple wrote: »

This isn't right is it? I'm sure i've even seen people stuff spare spaces in their freezers with newspapers, to reduce the air in there.

Everytime you open it, the cold air is replaced by warm air, which has to be cooled all over again. Less air = more efficient?

......

Generally, yes it would be true. Warm air 'costs' more to cool down than cold air, but newspapers or anything solid costs more again - if you are constantly in and out of your freezer then filling the voids makes sense.

However, if you are constantly removing and adding stuff then filling the voids makes less sense because you are cooling things (newspapers) then discarding them to put food items in - you're 'throwing away' cold!

If you cram the freezer full (as in fill it so there is very little space for air to circulate) stuff will take longer to chill down.

So maybe some space to allow air to circulate along with voids that are likely to be empty for longer periods filled with newspapers is the way to go?

rubadub

the beer revolu wrote: »

I freeze bones - mostly chicken bones from all the thighs we eat but any bones really.

I freeze all my leftover wings that I get in the chinese takeaway, I only eat the soup myself so have no issue me having eaten right off the bones beforehand. Sure any germs would be killed in the cooking but it might still turn people off.

Dizzyblonde wrote: »

I once froze red wine in an ice cube bag, and when I lifted it out of the freezer to use some, it leaked and went everywhere.

If you place a lukewarm bag in the freezer it can defrost the frosted surface in there, this liquid can make its way into any folds or crevices in your bag, now the bag is anchored in place with newly formed ice. Now when you lift it off again the bag can rip.

I have a dedicated ice cube tray for sauces & natural yogurt & stuff, you freeze and pop them into another bag. Sauces could impart flavour into your drinks if you used your standard tray.

Jawgap wrote: »

So maybe some space to allow air to circulate along with voids that are likely to be empty for longer periods filled with newspapers is the way to go?

That is it, I have an open area to freeze food quickly, once frozen I can move that food to a packed up area.

Air does not take as much energy to cool down water per litre. The newspapers are put in the bags to stop the collapsing, it should not be stacked flat newspapers, it should be crumpled up ones, or maybe that really light packing stuff you get. If you put a kids balloon in the freezer I think it would collapse as the air cooled. The paper idea is to create a large volume like a balloon with minimal heat capacity. I get reusable takeaway trays, like lunchboxes. I use these to fill voids, also when I need to freeze food I have them prechilled and use one.

Maphisto

In the past I have frozen a ripe Brie that we were not going to eat for a good while - turned out fine when it thawed.

Fresh Oysters - again turned out fine.

We regularly freeze milk as we live out in the Ouloo (Nearest shop 5.2 miles) - we only use low fat and it always tastes fine when its defrosted.

Has anyone ever frozen Bread Dough?

Jawgap

I've often done pastry, I've never done bread dough.

I think you'll find the oyster were dead!! How's they taste?

Gloomtastic!

Maphisto wrote: »

Has anyone ever frozen Bread Dough?

I freeze pizza and indian flatbread dough all the time with no problem. I'm sure normal bread dough would be the same.

Maphisto

Jawgap wrote: »

I think you'll find the oyster were dead!! How's they taste?

Tasted fine. I think I shared about 18 with my Dad (about 12 yrs ago)

Maphisto

Gloomtastic! wrote: »

I freeze pizza and indian flatbread dough all the time with no problem. I'm sure normal bread dough would be the same.

So you'd freeze it after its risen just before baking?

Gloomtastic!

Maphisto wrote: »

So you'd freeze it after its risen just before baking?

Doesn't really matter. I freeze it after it's risen once or twice, I've refrozen it if I haven't used it all, it's pretty much bullet proof.

tomdempsey200

carrot-parsnip tray.. can that go straight into a freezer?
https://www.aldi.ie/en/product-range/super-6/super-6-fruit-veg/super6-product-detail/ps/p/carrotparsnip-tray-1/

dee_mc

tomdempsey200 wrote: »

carrot-parsnip tray.. can that go straight into a freezer?
https://www.aldi.ie/en/product-range/super-6/super-6-fruit-veg/super6-product-detail/ps/p/carrotparsnip-tray-1/

Nope, you need to peel, chop, blanch and freeze.

Edit: Googley-woogley, apparently freezing whole and unblanched has worked for people, but even without blanching I'd peel and chop first because I wouldn't fancy peeling them frozen, and any veg I know of is better cooked from frozen rather than from thawed

Dizzyblonde

Plus, you'd need to open freeze them (flat on a tray) before bagging them so they wouldn't stick together. I often chop and cook them then mash them before freezing.

tomdempsey200

I prob won't bother

I'll just eat em fresh