There are several advantages to using your freezer well, many of which are described in the article Making the Most of Your Freezer. There are pitfalls such as freezer burned food however, and some foods are better for freezing than others. In this article you will find out which foods freeze best, how to prepare foods for freezing, how long they should stay frozen, and the best methods for thawing them.
Why Freeze?
* Save time. You can cook food ahead of time and pull it out of the freezer when you need a fast dinner.
* Save seasonal foods. If its harvest season and you have more fresh fruits and veggies than you can eat, throw some in the freezer and enjoy them later!
* Preserve foods until you are ready to cook them. The freezer will keep your groceries from spoiling.
Before you Freeze
* Freeze food in small amounts. This way it is easy to thaw just the amount you want.
* Use containers that are air tight and especially designed for the freezer to keep your food tasting fresh.
* Label your packages clearly with the name of the food and the date it was frozen to help you keep track later when it is frosty and hard to see.
* Use a First-In-First-Out method by always rotating newer items to the back of your freezer. This way you will use up the oldest items first.
* Keep your freezer temperature set to 0 degrees F (-18 degrees C) or below. At this temperature most bacteria will not grow so your food is safe from spoiling.
Thawing Frozen Foods
* If food is shrivled or freezer burned then just throw it out.
* Don't wait until the last minute to start thawing. Transfer the frozen item to your refrigerator the day before you need it so it can be thawing over time.
* If you need to thaw more rapidly place the item in a leakproof container and place it in cold water. Change the water periodically until the item is thawed.
* If you must defrost using a microwave then make sure the packaging is microwave safe and stir food halfway through to make sure it warms evenly. Food thawed in this way should be eaten immediately.
* NEVER thaw food by leaving it at room temperature.
What To Freeze and For How Long
Many items can be frozen, and most foods frozen at the proper temperature will never spoil. However after certain amounts of time the food may become damaged and lose its flavor or quality. Here are examples of some common items and how long they should be frozen:
Fish: Up to three months. Wrap in foil and place in a freezer safe zipper bag with the excess air removed. Lean fish can be frozen for up to twice as long if they are frozen soon after they are caught.
Steaks: Up to eight months. Steaks should always be frozen raw and should be individually wrapped and then placed in an air tight container (such as a freezer bag) before freezing.
Soups and Stews: Up to three months. When freezing soup the most important tip is to freeze it in individual servings so you do not have to thaw it all and refreeze it every time you want a portion of the soup. Divide the soup into individual portions in freezer bags and then place the freezer bags on a cookie tray to freeze. Once they are frozen you can remove them from the tray and stack them in your fridge normally.
Conclusion
Freezing food is an important tool in the toolbox of any home chef. By using your freezer effectively you can save yourself time and money. For more in-depth tips on using your freezer and for a full chart of common items and how long they can be frozen, view: Making the Most of Your Freezer at http://www.homerunmeals.com/
Visit Home Run Meals for recipes, cooking guides, and more.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Daniel_Gleason
Showing posts with label Freeze Food. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Freeze Food. Show all posts
Monday, 2 May 2011
Sunday, 1 May 2011
7 Secrets to Successfully Freeze Food
If you know the secrets to successfully freezing food it is quite clear-cut when you sidestep the causes of freezer burn and loss of food. How many times have you taken an expensive roast out of your freezer to discover it is freezer burned beyond eating? Or unwrapped vegetables from your garden to discover them parched and white streaked? With the right food storage containers and some expertise, you can successfully freeze food you purchase in advance and it will cook up beautifully and hold on to its nutrients. This article reveals to you 7 secrets you need to know to successfully freeze food.
We all love to finding those bargains and stocking our freezers. And when the growing season is full on, or is coming to an end, you want to save some of those beautiful vegetables so abundant during the summer. You can care for your investment, your family's nutrition, and enjoyment of meals with the skills of properly freezing food.
Freezer Burn Prevention
What is freezer burn? Freezer burn appears as ice crystals on the food, with the food being discolored and dry. When food freezes, millions of water molecules within the food form ice crystals. These crystals will migrate through evaporation, which can mean out of the food and toward the walls of your freezer. This loss of water drys out the food. Oxygen enters the damaged food cells as water escapes, causing loss of color, nutrients and taste. And if temperatures are uneven the escaping water will thaw and refreeze, forming the crystals of ice you see. Freezer burned food is harmless to eat, but can be flavorless and the texture is unappetizing. So, what can you do to prevent freezer burn?
7 Secrets to Successfully Freeze Food
1. Keep your freezer below 0 degrees F and don't open it without a reason.
2. Never put hot food in the freezer. It causes dramatic warming and freezer burn on what is in there.
3. Freeze small amounts, not more than a pound per portion, and use food labels with the contents and the date!
4. Wrap meat tightly with heavy plastic, then aluminum foil, then pack in airtight containers.
5. Blanch and thoroughly drain vegetables, then pack tightly in plastic containers, "burping" out the air. Be sure to leave enough space for expansion during freezing, and seal the top with heavy plastic wrap before you snap on the lid.
6. With soups, leave expansion room at the top, and thoroughly cool. Seal the surface with plastic wrap before covering and freezing.
7. If your freezer is half full, fill containers with water, leaving expansion room, and freeze. This stabilizes freezer temperature.
To Recap: Use the proper supplies and methods and the food you freeze will remain flavorful until you are ready to cook it. Food storage containers tailored for freezing are available now that are FDA approved. These plastics contain no BPA or risky chemicals and are often manufactured to be safe to go from freezer to microwave. Divide out the food you are preparing to freeze in no more than one pound amounts. Fill the containers close to the top, leaving expansion room. Seal the surface of the food with freezer rated plastic wrap and mark them with dates and contents. If you acquire a diverse size set of food storage containers, you will be able to properly load your freezer. Freezers do their work best when packed full.
With these 7 secrets to successfully freeze food you won't ever again have to see a carefully planned meal undone because your ingredients are destroyed by freezer burn. And now it's simple to acquire just the right things you need to preserve your food at its peak.
Save yourself money and frustration by using these secrets to successfully freeze food and employ the best quality procedures and food storage methods. And did you know you can stock your freezer and economically buy groceries online now to be delivered to your front door? Click here because Life IS getting easier!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Carolyn_Elizabeth_Blake
We all love to finding those bargains and stocking our freezers. And when the growing season is full on, or is coming to an end, you want to save some of those beautiful vegetables so abundant during the summer. You can care for your investment, your family's nutrition, and enjoyment of meals with the skills of properly freezing food.
Freezer Burn Prevention
What is freezer burn? Freezer burn appears as ice crystals on the food, with the food being discolored and dry. When food freezes, millions of water molecules within the food form ice crystals. These crystals will migrate through evaporation, which can mean out of the food and toward the walls of your freezer. This loss of water drys out the food. Oxygen enters the damaged food cells as water escapes, causing loss of color, nutrients and taste. And if temperatures are uneven the escaping water will thaw and refreeze, forming the crystals of ice you see. Freezer burned food is harmless to eat, but can be flavorless and the texture is unappetizing. So, what can you do to prevent freezer burn?
7 Secrets to Successfully Freeze Food
1. Keep your freezer below 0 degrees F and don't open it without a reason.
2. Never put hot food in the freezer. It causes dramatic warming and freezer burn on what is in there.
3. Freeze small amounts, not more than a pound per portion, and use food labels with the contents and the date!
4. Wrap meat tightly with heavy plastic, then aluminum foil, then pack in airtight containers.
5. Blanch and thoroughly drain vegetables, then pack tightly in plastic containers, "burping" out the air. Be sure to leave enough space for expansion during freezing, and seal the top with heavy plastic wrap before you snap on the lid.
6. With soups, leave expansion room at the top, and thoroughly cool. Seal the surface with plastic wrap before covering and freezing.
7. If your freezer is half full, fill containers with water, leaving expansion room, and freeze. This stabilizes freezer temperature.
To Recap: Use the proper supplies and methods and the food you freeze will remain flavorful until you are ready to cook it. Food storage containers tailored for freezing are available now that are FDA approved. These plastics contain no BPA or risky chemicals and are often manufactured to be safe to go from freezer to microwave. Divide out the food you are preparing to freeze in no more than one pound amounts. Fill the containers close to the top, leaving expansion room. Seal the surface of the food with freezer rated plastic wrap and mark them with dates and contents. If you acquire a diverse size set of food storage containers, you will be able to properly load your freezer. Freezers do their work best when packed full.
With these 7 secrets to successfully freeze food you won't ever again have to see a carefully planned meal undone because your ingredients are destroyed by freezer burn. And now it's simple to acquire just the right things you need to preserve your food at its peak.
Save yourself money and frustration by using these secrets to successfully freeze food and employ the best quality procedures and food storage methods. And did you know you can stock your freezer and economically buy groceries online now to be delivered to your front door? Click here because Life IS getting easier!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Carolyn_Elizabeth_Blake
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