Freezing - Tips and Quick Questions thread

Pink.

Hi louiejesse,

I freeze chorizo all the time....just think of the frozen pizzas that are sold topped with it. I'll add your thread to the quick questions on freezing thread later as your query may help others.

Pink

JulieGeorgiana

yes, i defrosted and used some only yesterday...

EstherH

I have always thought that you shouldn't re-freeze any item in it's original state but I am sure I read on one of these threads that you can refreeze bread and veg. Having just had to de frost freezer and not having anywhere to put the bread that was in there I don't want to end up throwing it away if I can just put it back. Can anyone help? Thank you. Esther

rosieben

I've been refreezing bread since the 70's - not the same loaf obviously! - and its fine; There's a link here somewhere to a website on freezing fallacies - I'll be back with a link asap

Here it is Frozen Food Safety - Misconceptions

VJsmum

Thanks, Rosieben that's helpful

i think it was probably me that said about refreezing bread and veg after defrosting. I have done both, but not really anything else. I always believed that meat is a no-no unless you cook it, and seemingly harmless stuff like ice cream is also a no no. I have only ever done it with meat and veg if it has got slightly softened (i.e someone left the freezer door open) rather than it has been defrosted for some time.

rosieben

That link to USDA has some interesting things to say about refreezing and the University of Georgia article (link in post #14 - Charis) says

Refreezing

• If food is thawed in the refrigerator, it is safe to refreeze it without cooking, although there will usually be a noticeable loss of quality due to the moisture lost through defrosting.
• After cooking raw foods that were previously frozen, it is safe to freeze the cooked foods if safe cooking procedures were followed.
• If previously cooked foods are thawed in the refrigerator, you may refreeze the unused portion. Again, there will be some quality loss from the additional freezing and thawing.
• If you purchase previously frozen meat, poultry or fish at a retail store, you can refreeze if it has been handled and transported properly, observing time limits for the Temperature Danger Zone. (Do not keep perishable foods between 40 and 140 degrees F for more than 2 hours; limit time to 1 hour in very warm temperatures. Any times in the TDZ are combined to determine this limit.)
• Foods thawed in the microwave or by the running cold water method should be cooked before refreezing.

interesting stuff!

EstherH

Thanks Rosieben and VJsmum. I put the muffins back in and left out a loaf and a half of normal bread. We usually put bread straight in the freezer and take out what we need at the time so that it doesn't go stale. We'll see if the muffins are okay when they are defrosted again.

gizmo111

I have literally spent all weekend cooking for the freezer in a major effort to stop wasting money - I seem to have got very lazy lately and it is costing me a fortune in food.

Anyhow I digress I am making some individual pies and am wondering if they are best frozen raw (inside is cooked) or cooked then reheated. Either way they will go in the oven when we come to use them - what do people find works best?

zippychick

I would probably freeze them raw as if you cook them now, then reheat, then if you have leftovers you reheat - that's an awful lot of reheating, especially if meat is involved!

This plate pies thread may be of interest

ill pop this into freezing quick questions later

Zip:)

CH27

If they are individual pies I would cook them before freezing.

For larger pies I would freeze them raw to take into account leftovers as Zippy said.