Freezing - Tips and Quick Questions thread

lynseydee

I do exactly the same with my pyrex dish when I make either lasagna or shepherds pie. Like billieboy I always defrost it before I reheat it in the oven.

Ems!

Thanks billie and Lynsey. i don't know if it is pyrex , but I shall follow ur advice! I've frozen it and will defrost in the fridge! thanks.

Tashja

Please can someone tell me how I would freeze Cauliflour ???

Do I need to blanch it first or am I ok to break it up, wash it and freeze it in bags ???

TIA

T xx

irishwexford

All our caulies matured together on allotment so I made batches of cauliflower cheese and put in frezer. I did freeze some without sauce but did not blanch it. I dont like frozen caulie as it goes mushy but nice if cheese sauce is added.

Tashja

Thank you

Will use some tomorrow and cheese sauce the rest. I have some cheese here to use up as it happens

T xx

Boomdocker

Although I do cook mostly from scratch now I want to take it up a leval and start to freeze some batch cooking. I am making a fish pie later this week for 2 but know that I will have enough for 4. Question is do I prep and cook it all then freeze or do I freeze after the prep stage? I have those ceramic oven/freeze proof dishes so I can cook/freeze in the same dish after defrosting etc. Am I ok to use those cermaic dishes or is plastic/tupperware better? Whats the best practise as I hope to do this with chili too. Thanks guys.

dixie_dean_2

Not 100% sure with fish pie, although suspect either would be fine. For chillie and spag bol and curries which we do quite a bit of I just use a freezer bag, defrost in the fridge and then microwave.

newlywed

If you are adding cooked, frozen prawns to fish pie, check the packet as most of them say don't re-freeze

CLARABEL

i make and freeze fish pie in the oven dish no probs. x

often a also just do the mix and freeze that without the mash.

xx

Lazy_Ike

Boomdocker wrote: »

Although I do cook mostly from scratch now I want to take it up a leval and start to freeze some batch cooking. I am making a fish pie later this week for 2 but know that I will have enough for 4. Question is do I prep and cook it all then freeze or do I freeze after the prep stage? I have those ceramic oven/freeze proof dishes so I can cook/freeze in the same dish after defrosting etc. Am I ok to use those cermaic dishes or is plastic/tupperware better? Whats the best practise as I hope to do this with chili too. Thanks guys.

I batch cook and freeze all the time. I use ceramic dishes. I prepare the pies (fish, cottage, shepherds etc) through to table-ready complete with potato topping. Then cool, and wrap dishes with cling from a commercial-size roll. Wrap once around, place a label with contents and date, and wrap cling around second time and freeze. I have made a spreadsheet in Excel for the labels, so enter data once, and print off A4 sheet with 6-8 labels, which is my normal batch. I defrost wrapped, then remove wrapper and reheat either in microwave, infra-red oven or standard oven. If I leave it late, than I unwrap and defrost in micro or infra-red.