Additional cookie batter? Freezer. Left over soup? Freezer. Meat in bulk? Freezer.
Freezers are one of the simplest ways to maintain meals as contemporary as potential over an prolonged time period. However what occurs when sure meals truly aren’t meant to go within the freezer in any respect?
Not each kind of meals is freezer suitable. In response to Jonathan Deutsch, Ph.D., professor at Drexel College and director of the Drexel Meals Lab, all meals can freeze. Nonetheless, some meals will deteriorate under freezing temperatures.
For instance, water expands when frozen, which means sub zeros temps can disrupt the mobile construction in water-based meals. Furthermore, these freezing temperatures will in the end injury cell partitions and alter the feel of many meals as soon as thawed. Deutsch additionally notes some meals may even develop an off style from absorbing different odors throughout the freezer.
So, with regards to meals you shouldn’t freeze, which meals are a giant no-no and why?
Leafy Greens
Keep away from storing cabbage, iceberg lettuce or romaine lettuce within the freezer. Freezing and thawing injury the fragile leaves’ mobile construction, making them much less crisp.
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Nonetheless, it’s nonetheless potential to retailer different greens and fruits within the freezer when correctly ready. Greens like spinach, kale, broccoli, chard and peas may be chopped, blanched, frozen after which transferred to a vacuum-sealed bag for long-term storage within the freezer.
Sauce and Gravy
Sauce or gravy thickened with cornstarch will typically turn out to be watery as soon as thawed. Consequently, the freezing weakens the bond between the starch and moisture it incorporates, leaving it much less clean.
Creamy Soups
In distinction to stock-based soups, cream-based soups are much less suitable with freezing temperatures. As soon as thawed, creamy soups beforehand can turn out to be watery and lumpy. The cream may separate, creating an odd texture.
Cooked Macaroni, Spaghetti Or Rice
It might come as a shock that cooked macaroni, spaghetti and rice will not be the most effective candidates for the freezer when frozen alone. It is because they will have an disagreeable mushy texture and warmed-over style as soon as thawed. Though, when included right into a beforehand ready meal, these substances will do exactly nice within the freezer.
Bitter Cream
In response to the Nationwide Heart for House Meals Preservation (NCHFP), sour cream should not be frozen. The freezing course of causes the bitter cream to separate and turn out to be watery. Consequently, as soon as the bitter cream is thawed, it will not return to its authentic consistency.
Egg Whites
Even although eggs may be frozen, freezing simply its whites yields a mushy, rubbery texture upon thawing. However in accordance to NCHFP, freezing eggs is generally not necessary. They are often stored within the fridge for as much as a month.
Fried Foods
Regardless of effort, deep-fried meals gained’t regain their authentic crispiness after being frozen. Moisture and oil bleed into the meals, making it a soggy mess. So, savor that heavenly crunch whereas it’s contemporary.
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