HOW TO FREEZE ANYTHING! food storing. Leave a comment

Use freezer bags, not glass, which can crack when subjected to rapid changes in temperature. And know that freezer bags and sandwich bags are not the same thing. Freezer bags are made of thicker plastic and the plastic itself contains an additive that prevents it from becoming brittle in the freezer, which ordinary sandwich or storage bags do not. You can also use a vacuum sealer which comes with freezer-safe bags.
Split your leftovers or produce, stews into smaller portions which will speed up defrosting and minimize food waste.

When freezing bananas, berries or beans spread them into a small sheet pan freeze then transfer into plastic freezer bags so they won’t stick together.

Removing every bit of air from zip plastic bags when freezing food is nearly impossible but if you favor freezing getting a vacuum sealer is the best option.

Cool cooked foods before freezing. Adding hot foods to the freezer cause a food-safety hazard, cause of extra time needed to freeze hot food which applies food to dangerous temperature zone but putting something hot into the freezer warms up the other foods that are in there, which can cause them to become unsafe as well.

Sometimes using food straight away from freezer, for making smoothies or frozen tomatoes paste for making stews is fine, but cooking frozen chicken, fish straight away from the freezer is not a preferred technique.

In other cases, you’ll need to thaw (defrost) food before cooking or using it, especially foods high in protein like fish, chicken, meats. so, you’ll need to transfer to fridge overnight to defrost.
but adding warm water trying to speed defrosting may cause food poisoning.

Freezing fresh Meat or fish.

If your plan is to freeze your meat, it’s important to do so directly when you get them from the supermarket. you cannot keep them in the fridge for 2-3 days then transfer to freezer.
Remove meat, from Styrofoam tray, divide meat into portions if it’s a big portion. double wrap by a plastic wrap then put in a zip lock plastic bag, this way will maximize shelf-life and decrease food burns when freezing.

The best way to freezing Fresh vegetables is to blanch them first (which means it has to be prepared the way it would be eaten in before freezing).
Example: cutting broccoli into florets, peeling and slicing carrots, seeding and slicing peppers, trimming stems of green bean and so on.)
Next boil veggies for 2-3 minutes then transfer to iced water to stop cooking process drain and dry well, spread veggies on small sheet pan and freeze before transferring to plastic bags (cause wet veggies will develop frost if added to plastic bags directly).

freezing fruits are similar to veggies, but you skip the blanching step. both vegetables and fruits can last up 2-3 months.

storing leaves such as lettuce and herbs doesn’t usually freeze well, because they are watery by nature, when having the need to freeze them chop mix with water or olive oil, add this mixture in ice cube trays when frozen transfer the mixture to zip lock freezing bags.

whole milk can be frozen; however, it will separate, which will affect the quality when thawed (defrosted), you can still cook and bake with it. but only when drinking it that you’d notice the difference.

Heavy cream freezes well but half-and-half (which are half milk half cream ratio 1:1). Dollops of whipped cream freeze nicely on a parchment-lined sheet pan then transfer to freezer bags.

Cheese can be frozen when cut into pieces and double wrapped.
Cottage cheese and sour cream will turn grainy, sticks of butter freeze extremely well cut is sticks if you buy butter in bulks, but whipped butter doesn’t.

Freezing Stews and Soups.

When freezing soups and stews, make sure to chill them overnight in the refrigerator completely overnight, because usually such foods contain fat when chilled fat rises and hardens scrape this layer off and discard, then transfer the soup to resealable containers or freezing bags.

Freezing Casseroles.

Transfer an uncooked prepped casserole to freezer by wrapping it tightly with foil, then takeout and defrost overnight, add in cold oven and let it bake as instructed in your recipe but ensure to give it extra time because it started baking in a cold oven.
You can also partially cook it before freezing (half-time) let it cool very well before tightly wrapping and transferring to freezer.

Baked bread, brownies and cakes can be frozen up 2-3 months by double wrapping items.
Cookies can also be frozen resealable container or bags, as you can also freeze the dough slice and bake or prepared balls, then thaw and bake.