Master Freezing & Defrosting Thread

[Leia]

I live in NYC, and last week, as I was in the suburbs with a car, I went a little nuts and bought all sorts of nice veggies. Unfortunately, I am now sick and am in no mood to eat my nice veggies AND I am going away next week. Is there anyway I can freeze them so I can eat them upon my (hopefully) healthy return?

Some of the items I have are mushrooms, peppers, broccoli, zucchini, cauliflower, etc. I also have lettuce/tomato/cucumers but I assume they are a lost cause. The onions I think will keep.

Can anyone help? I am highly challenged in this area. :confused:

[thedoorchick]

Not sure about the mushrooms but I would give it a try - they may be OK. Squash, zucchini, peppers, broccoli, cauliflower should freeze just fine. Stores sell those veggies already frozen all the time.

Lettuce and tomatoes, unfortunately, are a lost cause.

Onions should keep awhile, regardless. Especially if they're not cut open yet. I've never frozen one, but I guess that's because I never really needed ti.

[Leia]

Oh thanks so much for the reply! Do I need to cook them or anything? Do I cut them up or just stick them in a ziplock whole and put them in the freezer?

Seriously, I know nothing about this.

[thedoorchick]

No, I would freeze them raw. I'd probably chop them up first (or whatever you plan to do to cook them), and put in a baggie.

[Hello Kitty]

You can freeze tomatoes, you just need to blanche them first. I'm not sure about freezing those other items raw, though - I would think they would just dry out and not freeze very well. You might want to blanche those as well.

I freeze onions too - just dice them and pop them into a baggie, then into the freezer.

ETA, found an answer for you:
Freezing is the best way to preserve broccoli. Broccoli, as well as all other broccoli vegetables, must be blanched (scalded) in boiling water before freezing. Unblanched vegetables contain an active enzyme which causes toughening and severe flavor and nutrient loss during freezing. Blanching retards the enzyme activity.
http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/veggies/broccoli1.html#8

[fuzzy]

I blanche my zuchinni too, before I freeze it. It turns out fine.

Our onions are coming in now and I diced them (usually with peppers) and freeze them in baggies.

[maple]

This website has just about everything you'd ever need to know about freezing food:

http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/how/freeze.html

[Leia]

Thanks all. I am reading through the link Maple posted. Does blanch basically mean boil? The site says to use a blancher, and somone above said scald, but I'm a little lost. :rolleyes:

[Hello Kitty]

Yeah, it means to boil them for a few minutes (depending on the veg), and then immediately transfer tehm to an ice bath to stop the cooking process. If you go here, they list it out pretty explicitly: http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/veggies/broccoli1.html#11

[nuhmah]

I went blueberry picking the other day, and I realized that I have NO CLUE how to store these things for the winter. Anyone have a suggestion or trick?

The last time I tried to do this, I put them in a vacuum bag, and it squashed them flat, and all the juice ran out. Mmmm. :rolleyes:

[emmjay]

I've been freezing berries all weekend! It's my first time - I am putting them in the freezer in a single layer on a cookie sheet lined w/ saran wrap. Then after a couple of hours when they are frozen solid, I transfer them to a heavy-duty zip lock freezer bag. This way they are freezing individually instead of mashing together inside the freezer bag.

I can't say whether this works or not yet, but I did read about this method in a cookbook dedicated to preserving and canning berries so I assume it is the way to go. Good luck! :)

[shellbell516]

We've done similar to emmjay with laying them in a single layer first to freeze, then transferred to an empty plastic jug for freezer storage.

[vmw774180]

I normally just place them in a quart size freezer bag as is (don't wash until using) and make sure they are in the freezer flat so as not to be crushed. They hold up well and I haven't really had any trouble with them sticking together. It saves the step of laying them flat.

[katmg]

We just packed them into ziplock freezer bags and stuck them in the freezer. I haven't had a problem with them sticking together.

We didn't wash ours prior to packaging. Makes it a little less convenient when I'm using the berries, but at least they're not all stuck together.

[elladee]

The grocery store had "buy one get one free" on packages of preshreaded cheddar cheese. There is no way I'll use up both packages before they go bad. Can I throw one in the freezer?

[Cilantro]

Yes, of course you can throw it in the freezer! Or, you could always make something with the extra cheese (lasagne, etc) and freeze that for a later day.

[bookworm]

The cheese lady at my farmers' market says you can freeze fresh/young cheese, but any aged cheese should not be frozen.

I don't know where the pre-shredded stuff fits in to the fresh/aged equation :).

[SingleWhiteFemale]

Here, we buy the huge shredded cheddar cheese (somewhere around 3 pounds) at Costco, then SuperSeal and freeze. No problem whatsoever, we just toss it in the fridge a few days before we need it to let it thaw. It looks as if it frezes in a giant lump, but after thawing it's back to it's prefrozen self pretty much.

Word of caution though, if you decide to freeze cheese blocks/bricks--after thawing, they won't slice nicely. In fact, they crumble/break into many peices. Complete pain in the rear. With the jalepeno pepper jack, freezing definately alters the taste.

[elladee]

Thanks guys! I love that you can get so much random information at this place. I am going to throw the extra bag in the freezer.

[southerner]

what is the safest and quickest way to defrost meat?

We mostly eat ground turkey and chicken. I've heard that leaving the meat at room temp. isn't good for it, but I don't know if this is true or why it's bad (bacteria growth?) It would be nice to leave meat out when I go to work and have it thawed and ready to cook when I get home. It takes two to two and half days for it to thaw in my fridge.

What do you do?

[kristin9903]

The reason you aren't supposed to thaw at room temp is because the meat's temp will rise over the course of the day. The outer portion of the meat (the part that thaws first) will enter the "thermal danger zone" where bacteria multiply very rapidly.

From a food safety standpoint, the only truly recommended ways to thaw meat are in your refrigerator and in the microwave. The microwave will tend to cook the meat a little, which inevitably makes it drier, and just nasty if you ask me.

I thaw my meat in a sink full of water. Most food scientists recommend cold water for a slow, controlled thaw. But, I use warm water. My meat is usually thawed in about 30 minutes or so, which is well below the doubling times for most major pathogens. Just be sure to fill the sink before you place the frozen meat in the water bath. If the water from the tap splashes the frozen meat package, you can contaminate your kitchen surfaces with bacteria. It's also a good idea to immediately clean your counters and sink after thawing the meat.

Hope it helps!

Kristin

[laura]

I try to remember to thaw my meat on the counter overnight and put it in the fridge in the morning before work. I know about all the dangers, but my parents thawed meat on the counter my entire childhood and I am still alive. I thaw it at night b/c a) it is out for less time and b) the temperature in the house is more regulated. If I forget, we generally thaw it on the counter during the day, or we switch our menu and have something meatless that day and toss the meat in the fridge to thaw. It would be great if I could remember to put it in the fridge to thaw, but like you, mine takes 2 days to thaw that way. If it's something I'm sauteeing anyway, like cubed chicken for a casserole or something, sometimes I will thaw it in the microwave.

[BethIrish]

We usually do 'quick defrost' in the microwave. If we just skipped meat every time I forgot to throw it in the fridge we'd be vegetarians!

[Jenean]

Meat should not be left out at room temperature for longer than 2 hours (on average, for chicken and beef). I've read this on several health-related websites. My DH and I had a huge argument about it after he wanted to cook some meat he had left out thawing all day and I refused and threw it out. I just *had* to be right, so I looked online and, sure enough, found enough info to show him! :p

When I want to thaw meat quickly, I either use the microwave (good for ground turkey/beef/chicken that is broken up as it cooks anyway, or I trim away the defrosted parts one bit at a time, which is good when I'm making a stir fry or some other recipe that calls for cubes of meat), or a cold water bath. Typically I will take a package of frozen meat out at night or in the morning before work and leave it in a bowl of cold water in the refrigerator. It's almost always defrosted by the time I get home.

FDA info (http://www.foodsafety.gov/~fsg/f01chill.html)

Tyson Foods recommendations (http://www.tyson.com/Learning/ThawingMeat.aspx)

Purdue Univ. recommendations (http://ag.ansc.purdue.edu/meat_quality/thawing.html)

[Secret_Squirrel]

I thaw a variety of ways - mostly using the micro as a shortcut because I don't plan far ahead (if you only thaw it partially it doesn't overcook).

I rarely leave meat on the counter to thaw, but my mom used to all the time and we never got sick. If you cook the meat to a proper internal temperature (like you're supposed to) it will kill the multiplying pathological bacteria, anyway.

Cooking Meat safely fact sheet: http://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheets/HGIC3580.htm

[Hello Kitty]

parents thawed meat on the counter my entire childhood
Mine too, and I personally have no problem doing that. I usually don't though, mainly b/c I don't know what to thaw until 1/2 hour before cooking it. ;)

Our microwave defrosts meat really well - there are settings for meat, fish, and poultry. It determines the time by the weight you input so we use a little bit lower of a weight than the actual weight. We rarely have cooked edges this way.

[KarenS]

If you cook the meat to a proper internal temperature (like you're supposed to) it will kill the multiplying pathological bacteria, anyway. Yep. And yep to the part about having done it all my life and all my childhood and never gotten sick. I suppose if you're fixing steak tartare or very rare meat, then you should take more precautions. But in general, I don't see any reason not to thaw meat at room temp.

Karen

[steviem]

I also defrost my meat at room-temp. I take it out of the freezer before I leave for work and put it in our kitchen sink.

When I get home (10 hrs later), the meat is usually defrosted and still very cold.

As the others have said, I grew up with my mom doing this and I've never been sick :)

[WestieMomma]

I usually defrost mine in the fridge for a night or two. I hate defrosting in the microwave because it grosses me out.

What about defrosting meat in the fridge and then deciding you are not going to cook that or whatever and putting the meat back in the freezer?? I do this quite frequently and it hasn't killed us yet!

[southerner]

thanks for the responses ladies. It looks likes there's mixed reviews out there about the room temp. thing :confused:

[Hello Kitty]

WestieMomma, from what I've read you can re-freeze meat without a problem. You may experience a change in texture, but if you're thawing in the fridge and right back into the freezer, it's not unsafe to eat.

southerner, I think the consensus among professionals, etc... is to defrost in the fridge for the best practice and that meat thawed at room temperature is unsafe. But, :p as many of us have written, we do the counter-thawing method and no one has experienced any ill effects.

[KarenS]

The thing is, when you look on an offical government site like the FDA, they *have* to err on the side of caution. They're a government agency and liable for the advice they give. If they were really to say "hey thawing meat on the counter is most likely ok and you're really not likely to get sick from it" and then soemone did and got sick - the FDA would be liable and would lose their credibility. So they say "this is the absolute *right* way to thaw meat". But you know what ... there are shades of gray that work and are not "wrong" ... they're just not the official line.

For example, I took my car to the shop today to be looked over before I took it to Houston to see my family. The mechanic told me I had a small radiator leak and that I should have my radiator replaced before I made the trip. He said it would take 3-5 days and cost $700. Aside from the fact that I don't have $700 right now, I also can't wait 3-5 days to visit my dad in the hospital. So I told him that. He told me - on the side - it should be fine. Watch the fluid levels, watch the temperature gauge, and just be careful. But on the official paperwork he said "recommend replacement ASAP; do not drive on long trips".

Now, obviously I'm going to take my car. I'm comfortable with what he told me and I know that *officially* the position of the Saturn dealership is that they told me my car was not drivable to Houston. So if anything happens I can't come back and say "they told me it was ok".

FWIW. I and everyone I know thaws meat on the counter during the day. As long as I cook it thoroughly, I don't worry. I've never had a problem and I've never made anyone sick. :)

Karen

[southerner]

okay, I get it. I think I'll be okay leaving meat on the counter.

karens hope your Dad is okay :(

[kristin9903]

The thing is, when you look on an offical government site like the FDA, they *have* to err on the side of caution. They're a government agency and liable for the advice they give. If they were really to say "hey thawing meat on the counter is most likely ok and you're really not likely to get sick from it" and then soemone did and got sick - the FDA would be liable and would lose their credibility. So they say "this is the absolute *right* way to thaw meat". But you know what ... there are shades of gray that work and are not "wrong" ... they're just not the official line.


I'll respectfully disagree with you on that. Is some of it liability? Sure. But, when making blanket statements about the preparation of food, you really have to tow the line. You leaving meat on the counter may be just fine for you, but it could be a very poor decision for someone who is dealing with chemo or AIDS. The advice they give is not only to prevent a lawsuit or loss of credibility, but to protect citizens that need the utmost in safety considerations. Just something to think about. :)

[KarenS]

he advice they give is not only to prevent a lawsuit or loss of credibility, but to protect citizens that need the utmost in safety considerations

Oh absolutely. I guess that's something that I was trying to touch on in my response and wasn't able to express it well. The FDA and other organizations are under an obligation to not just toe the line, but make sure they're well on the safe side of it. For all kinds of reasons ... safety of even the most vulnerable being among them. But by the same token, some of the things that are the documented "right" way to do something are just a little bit of overkill - erring on the side of safety in the extreme. And I still maintain that a significant reason behind that is because of liability issues.

Again, there are a lot of things where the "official line" is more extreme that most (and I say most, given that there are obviously certain situations that are exceptions and in which people should take greater precautions). I think as an example of baby bottles and pacifiers. Every "official" resource I've ever read says that if your baby's pacifier hits the ground you have to immediately replace it with a fresh one and sterilize the one that was dropped. But I don't know a parent alive with a healthy child and who has moved past the unsure stage with their child, who has not picked up that pacifier, wiped it off, possibly used their own mouth to "clean it" and stuck it back in the mouth of the baby. Is it the recommended, "official", and "safe" way to do it? No. But people do it and live. :)

(Btw, one of my smaller pet peeves - it's "toe" as it "step up to but not cross" rather than "tow" as in "pull", when you toe the line. :) )

.

[kristin9903]

Your pet peeve is noted. Learn something new every day! :)

I get what you're saying...I've just read too much research on the matter. That, and I hate the concept of "CYA" in general. I realize it's necessary, but I just want everything to be for the greater good of mankind.

[Tanya]

I have one of those defrosting boards that they used to sell on the infomercials (stole it from Mom!), and it works great! You heat it up with hot water, put the meat on it, heat it up again, flip the meat, and it's defrosted in less than 30 min. It's just highly-conductive metal.

I've found when I try to defrost meat in the microwave (using the defrosting settting), I inevitably cook part of the meat (chicken, usually). I never put it in for the full recommended time, either. *shrug*

[bellezzadolce]

I either defrost overnight in the refridgerator or let it thaw in a sink full of water.

[southerner]

I must report back to say I have found a new way to defrost meat thanks to this thread. I had no idea it would thaw so fast by just running hot water over the package. Then, I let it soak for a few minutes too. Thanks a lot ladies, once again coming through for me ;)

[babylove]

I just bought dill, parsley and thyme for a soup recipe but I have so much left over. I don't want to throw it away, but I don't think I will need it in the next week or so. Can I freeze these herbs and if so for how long? TIA!

[EmilyBronte]

According to about.com you can! Here's a link with instructions:

http://gardening.about.com/od/vegetablepatch/a/FreezeHerbs.htm

[looch]

I actually process my parsley and freeze it all the time. I just take all the leaves off the stems, and pulse in the food processor. Then i scoop it into a plastic baggie and freeze. When i need it, i just break off a piece. This only works in situations where you are adding the parsley to something. It turns dark if you thaw it out.

[babylove]

Thanks!

[beachlvr]

I have a recipe for cranberry bread with a cream cheese filling. Do you think it would freeze OK or would the filling have a weird taste/texture when it thawed?

The filling is cream cheese, sugar, and egg, if it makes any difference.

[Hello Kitty]

I have frozen plain cream cheese (by accident) and it was terrible. It completely crumbled, but it tasted the same, at least.

That said, cheese, sugar & egg, when cooked can be a cheesecake. Since you can freeze cooked cheesecake, I would think that you could freeze your bread, but it might suffer in texture.

[KarenS]

I think it would freeze fine, just be aware that when you thaw it and/or reheat it, the cream cheese would be a little crumblier and not as smooth and creamy. But it shouldn't affect the flavor at all.

Karen

[chefker]

It depends on how well you wrap it--even in a freezer, other food flavors/smells can leech into stuff. Sadly, this happened with a part of our wedding cake that we had frozen--it just picked up this funky 'taste'. I guess I didn't wrap it as well as I could have!

To echo what everyone else has said--texture will be affected. The cheese will definitely lose moisture, which will cause the texture to be a little 'off' once you thaw it out. I've frozen home-made cheesecakes before, and I have to wrap them in MANY layers of freezer wrap (I use the Glad press & seal stuff usually).

[Reenie]

I know that some cookies are better than others for freezing. Do chewy cookies get chewy again or do they become hardened?

Also, if you were making cookies today and the earliest you were going to give them out would be Friday (and the latest Sunday), would you freeze them? I thought, too, about putting them into big ziplocks, suctioning all of the air out of them, and then putting into Tupperware.

What do you think?

[KarenS]

I would not freeze them for a Friday delivery. I'd put them in ziplock bags and suck as much air out of them as you could. They'll be fine.

Most cookies, IMO lose crispness when frozen. Cookies that are already soft are mostly fine, but crisp cookies don't do well. Also be sure that you thaw them outside of the bag or the moisture condenses and they get soggy.

Karen

[Reenie]

Okay, thanks! The tip about taking the cookies out of the bag (I made some last week and they are in the freezer) is priceless because I know I certainly wouldn't have thought about taking them out and they would have gotten soggy, as you said.

Thanks again!

[Natrat80]

When I make my mom's (famous) chocolate chip cookies I always freeze them! They taste better to me! I usually get one out at a time and let it sit for a minute or two before eating it. They are chewy but kind of crispy and they are great after frozen. I guess it would depend on the recipe, but if I was making cookies today for a delivery that was longer than 2 days away I'd freeze them. Oh, and I've never had any cookies get soggy after defrosting them-I usually leave them on the paper plate inside the ziploc and they do fine--this may depend on the type of cookie you make though. ;)

[Hula1974]

What kind of containers are best? I'm making some sauces, soups, etc for a friend who just had a baby and I want it to last.

[IrisHope]

I just freeze in tupperware.

[Ohana]

I put sauces and other liquid-y items in a Freezer bag, so that it can be frozen flat. This helps take up less space in the freezer. You can double bag if you're worried about freezer burn.

For casseroles and such, I usually use the Gladware containers, because they're OK to freeze and put in the oven, and you don't tie up all of your containers.

[lawyerlee]

I agree that Gladware containers and plastic Ziplock-style bags work very well. They would be ideal for your situation because then the new parents wouldn't need to worry about returning anything to you.

It is also helpful to put a layer of plastic wrap and foil right against the food, as this helps prevent premature freezer burn.

[maplekitty]

I use ziploc feezer bags too.
I don't particularly like the double-guard ones, because I like to reuse Ziplocs at least once or twice and the double-gard ones get water inbetween the two layers that never dries and gets moldy! yuck!

[mgrace]

I agree that Gladware containers and plastic Ziplock-style bags work very well.
Ditto.

[KarenS]

I always freeze in Ziplock freezer bags. Fill with whatever volume and then lay flat in the freezer until it's frozen. They stack better that way. Once whatever is frozen, I double bag because I've found that even the freezer bags can get holes in them.

Karen

[vee05]

I agree with KarenS i use ziplock bags for everything and they are super cool.

[twainny]

Can banana be frozen? I believe it can be, but I don't know if I should. My DS eats a TON of bananas, but I can't buy enough at once to get him through two weeks (much less one week) I was wondering if I could peel them and freeze them. And if I did that, if they taste the same? Or should I just make multiple trips to the store every week?

TIA!

[Katy]

you can freeze them. They change color and texture, so if that's important to you then I wouldn't do it. I will freeze mine once they get super ripe, and then later use them in recipes that call for mashed bananas (like banana bread).

[j*east]

Ditto what Katy said. Your DS might like the frozen bananas. Some people dip them in chocolate and eat them like ice cream, so it's worth a try. If your DS won't eat the thawed bananas, could you freeze only the bananas that have gotten overripe and use them in smoothies, bread, etc.?

DH and I eat bananas daily--it's basically the only fruit I like, and the potassium helps me avoid muscle soreness from working out. I hate overripe bananas, and underripe ones, so I actually buy a few yellow and a few green each week. I eat the yellow ones early, and then the green ones turn yellow by the end of the week. Any that get too ripe, DH eats. Any that get too too ripe, DH makes into smoothies or bread.

You can see I am a freak about bananas. Hope that helps!

[keska]

I like them frozen but they do turn kind of yucky brown if they stay in the freezer very long. I only do a few at a time because of this.

[maplekitty]

I only like under ripe bananas, still slightly green - I know, weird!

So once they get spotty and brown, I throw them int eh freezer to use for banana bread or banana pancakes.

[steph111397]

So I went out to the garage this morning and noticed a stream of water leading from our big freezer along the floor - I went to open the freezer and low behold it wasn't all the way shut!

We just packed it full of meat a couple of weeks ago (we bought half of a cow) - now everything in there is thawed out - it's still somewhat cold though...

Can I shut the freezer door and re-freeze all of that meat??? I've never had to re-freeze anything....I'm SOOOO upset right now! It's $850 worth of meat!!!! HELP!

[nic]

I think it would be okay as long as the meat is still partially frozen, although I'm sure other posters will disagree.

[Missy2U]

I agree with nic - if the stuff is still cold (like it's been refrigerated) and doesn't have juices dripping into it, it should be ok. That's what the USDA says, anyway (http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/Focus_On_Freezing/index.asp#14).

[ignutzz]

Here's a longer explanation on why you can do it, but how it will effect quality:
http://www.exploratorium.edu/cooking/icooks/02-19-04.html

[Aug2002Bride]

Does anyone know if I can freeze cooked pork tenderloin? I made wayyyy too much and we will just waste it if I cant freeze it. DH has already informed me he doesnt want it again tomorrow and I still have probably 1lb left thats cooked.

Thanks!

[looch]

I don't see why not. I would slice it into medallions and freeze it in a ziploc bag. To reheat it, I would make mushrooms and broth, and add the defrosted pork at the end to heat it through.

[DiscoDiva]

If I buy the cheese cubes and only use half the bag, can I wrap up the rest (really well) and thaw them out a month or so later and use them again? These thawed portion will be used for a house warming party, and will be served with crackers (so, not being melted or anything). Is that okay?

[maxandmolly]

You could tell the cheese to freeze, but there's no guarentee it'll listen.

[beachlvr]

I find that it tends to get rubbery when it thaws. It's OK to freeze it if you're going to use it in a casserole or something where it will be melted, but you probably won't want to serve it with crackers.

[KrissyCat7]

I agree with beachlvr. I wouldnt freeze it unless you are going to melt it in something.

[vwinkel]

I agree that it might be rubbery. I freeze the shredded kind all of the time, but end up melting it.

[KarenS]

I wouldn't freeze cheese that you're not going to cook or melt. Once it's frozen it'll either get rubbery or it'll get grainy and crumbly and weird.

Karen

[DiscoDiva]

Well... bummer. Thanks everyone! You saved me from serving rubbery cheese cubes! :p

[dandelionbeautiful]

Can you freeze cookie dough to bake later? If so, what do you freeze it in? Do you make the dough scoops and then freeze or do you freeze it in one big chunk and scoop it before you bake? And do you thaw it before using or can you bake frozen dough?

[Katy]

if it's slice and bake kind of cookie, I freeze the log. If it's a drop kind of cookie, like oatmeal or choco chip, I freeze the balls - I don't worry about if the stick to each other, I just throw them in a baggie or a container. The difficult thing about the balls is trying NOT to eat them frozen :o

[kindermom]

I find it is easier to bake the frozen preformed balls rather than deforsting the dough (which gets gooey). By freezing a big chunk of dough, you have to either defrost it all or break of chunks. I found it was much easier to freeze the balls my forming and placing on a cookie sheet in the freezer (one full sheet will hold 48-60 balls). Then I put in 2 layers of freezer bags.

For baking, you can use parchment paper lined cookie sheets and there is literally no clean up.

Freezing cookie dough is an awesome way to have fresh baked cookies with minimal fuss.

[PG-rated]

Oh God - I just got the worst cookie dough craving!

[KarenS]

Oh God - I just got the worst cookie dough craving!Me too!!!

Argh.

Karen

[Squee]

I didnt think to ask this question and froze half a cheese block. One it was thaweed all it was good for was melting because it just crumbled!

[pixielou]

a lot would depend on how you plan on using the dough in the future.

when i'm making all my cookie dough for christmas cookies (usually about 15 batches of dough), i usually freeze the dough in individual batches. then i put the dough in the refrigerator the night before i plan to bake - which i usually do over the course of 4 or 5 nights.

if i'm just freezing dough to have on hand whenever i want to whip up a quick batch of cookies - like when last minute company is coming - then i freeze the dough in individual cookie sizes - like kindermom. then i can just remove as many dough balls as cookies i want and bake. (i'm known to just cook 2 cookies in the toaster oven on nights dh works late. . .)

~pixie

[Katy]

(i'm known to just cook 2 cookies in the toaster oven on nights dh works late. . .)Pixie don't act like you don't just eat them raw right out of the freezer! We know your tricks! :D

[DiscoDiva]

How long will cheese keep in the fridge, provided it is wrapped up extremely well?

[looch]

Depends on what kind of cheese it is! This is all from my own personal experience.
If it's a hard cheese, it will last longer. I have a hunk of parmesan that's been in my fridge for months. I wrap it in a paper towel, and then put it in a baggie. I just grate it as needed.
Cheddar type cheeses will last longer if they are in a wax coating. I usually put the whole thing in a tight sealing plastic container, and it lasts 3 or so weeks before we gobble it down.
I have kept opened goat cheese about a week, in a baggie.

[DiscoDiva]

I'm talking about already cubed cheese in a bag (approx. 1x1 cubes), like cheddar, monterey jack, etc. How long do you think those would last when wrapped up well?

[nicole]

I found this online

Hard or semi-hard cheese can be frozen if cut in one half to one pound blocks. Wrap in plastic wrap and then put in freezer bags. After freezing, cheese may become crumbly and mealy, but, it will retain its flavor. It works best for cooking.

Plan to use frozen cheese within 4 to 6 months. Thaw cheese in the refrigerator. Use soon after thawing.

The cheeses that freeze best are: Brick
Camembert
Cheddar
Edam
Mozzarella
Muenster
Parmesan
Provolone
Romano
Swiss

Blue cheeses are more prone to becoming crumbly but they'll still taste good. Cream cheese and cottage cheese do not freeze well.


I have frozen cheddar and it did get crumbly. Like others have said, you probably couldn't slice it.

[emmasart]

I just wanted to add that a great/decadent way to deal with left over frozen cookie dough balls is to take 2 freshly baked cookies and then sandwich one of the frozen globs between them... Yum!

[katmg]

I'm another one with logs of cookie dough. I've even done oatmeal chocolate chip cookies that way - although I have to admit, most of that got eaten frozen. :o

[KarenS]

(i'm known to just cook 2 cookies in the toaster oven on nights dh works late. . .)
Oh we do this *all* the time. First of all it saves heating up the whole kitchen with the oven - especially in the summer. But it also means we can make 4 or 6 cookies for dessert after dinner and not be tempted to eat an entire plate of them. I love my toaster oven. But I guess that's another thread! :)

K.

[KarenS]

I'm talking about already cubed cheese in a bag (approx. 1x1 cubes), like cheddar, monterey jack, etc. How long do you think those would last when wrapped up well?They wouldn't. Seriously. It's not about taste. The TEXTURE of cheese changes when it's been frozen. It doesn't matter how much you wrap it up or whatever. It gets weird textured.

The only cheeses I freeze are extremely hard cheeses like parmagiano/reggiano or already shredded cheddar that I know I"m going to cook or melt.

I'd suggest that you try it yourself and see if you find the texture acceptable. Take a few cubes, freeze them for a couple of days (well wrapped) and then take them out, thaw them, and taste them. I think you'll find that they are either rubbery or that they're dry and crumbly and either way, not good eating.

Karen

[beachlvr]

Are you talking about those Kraft cheese cube type things? I usually use them within a week or else they start to get a little dry and sometimes moldy. I have better luck with the blocks of cheese in the fridge, but I still try to use it in a week or 10 days after I open it.

Do you have a vacuum sealer? That dramatically extends the fridge life of cheese.

[DiscoDiva]

So, the pre-cubed 1x1 cheeses found in bags in the grocery store won't freeze well, and won't last more than a week or so in the fridge. Oh well... it was a thought. I guess I'll just buy blocks in smaller quantities as needed. Thanks ladies!

[kari]

Gosh, I have frozen blocks of cheese and they were fine when de-frosted - not crumbly at all!

I ALWAYS freeze shredded cheese. I buy the huge bag of mixed Mexican cheese and divy it up in smaller baggies and freeze them and keep one in the fridge at all times. And I always freeze the shredded parmesan cheese from Costco because it gets moldy.

[jarm]

I am having a dem party next week and I won't have much time between now and then to really get ready. I want to make the following, so I was wondering if I could make any of these early, freeze them and then just heat them.

mini hot dogs wrapped in crescent rolls
sweet and sour meatballs (in the crockpot)

Or is there anything else you can think of? TIA

[Ohana]

You can make the meatballs in advance and freeze them. Then on the day of your party, just toss them in the crockpot with the sauce. Or you can really make things easy and just buy a bag of frozen meatballs at Costco.

[Katy]

well, the meatballs are pretty easy to make anyway since you just toss them in the crock and let them go, but I'd guess you could freeze them too. And the hotdog things get frozen all the time for grocery stores, right? I wouldn't bake them first though. I'd just prepare them and freeze them.

[Medako]

salsa?

I got a recipe for salsa and I want to make up a big batch at once. If I don't have to can it, I don't want to... but I don't know if it would freeze or not. Has anyone ever tried it?

[mom_to_zoe]

Freezing certain fresh and uncooked vegetables, like tomatoes, is pretty iffy. The problem is that they are made up of such a high concentration of water, when you freeze and then thaw, it really changes the composition of the vegetables. They will be very watery upon thawing. You are frankly much better off canning. Sorry!

[Medako]

That's kinda what I figured.

Of course, I make it out like it's a major undertaking to can some salsa....it really won't be too hard once it's made up. :)

Thanks!

[LRL]

Does anyone want to extend a reccomendation for their deep freezer model?

I am looking for a small deep freezer and have not found many reviews or small models. We do not have a garage to put it in, so it needs to have a small footprint. I want to start freezing meals because we are eating out way too much or it's taking way too long to cook, and I feel like I can save time during the week by cooking on the weekends and freezing.

[Janey]

LRL, I've been looking into this as well. I want to freeze some casseroles, etc. before the baby gets here... and my folks keep giving us meat/fish (which we are greatful for, of course) and our fridge's freezer is always so darn full it's hard to find anything. I'd also like the option of freezing breastmilk if I need to.

We don't have a garage either; this freezer will need to go in our basement. I haven't read any reviews on this, but I think it's the one we're going to be getting, as it's the one that will fit through our narrow doorway:

GE® 16.7 Cu. Ft. Frost-Free Upright Freezer (http://products.geappliances.com/ApplProducts/Dispatcher?REQUEST=SPECPAGE&SKU=FUF17DPRWH&SITEID=GEA)

As far as I'm concerned, a freezer's a freezer, as long as it's frost-free. :)

[lovebugs2003]

I can't recommend a certain type, but i would say get an upright. So much easier to find things and organize it. I wish we had got an upright.

[Hello Kitty]

See, I didn't want a frost free freezer :) mainly because the cycles of thawing on and off can change the texture of your food (we store a lot of meat in ours). Also, I've had experiences with frost free ones where my items were partially thawed. We put a lot of money and time in the items we keep in our freezer and I don't want some automatic cycle messing with that.

We have had a small chest freezer by Haier for a year and a half, and so far, just a little bit of frost build-up. When the contents get a little lower, I'll transfer them to the house freezer, and unplug and dethaw it. For me, I'd rather deal with the small inconvenience of that than to have our food damaged.

I'm not sure on the volume it holds - it's probably one of the smallest models, but it holds quite a bit, and we've been really happy with it.

[Janey]

Seb's Kitty - That's a good point. Is your freezer in your garage or in your basement? I don't know where I'd drain all the water to, in our basement.

[Hello Kitty]

Ours is in our garage, my parents keep theirs in their basement - we both have drains near-ish to them, so it's not a big deal. I haven't actually defrosted mine yet, but I'll probably roll it outside because our garage is a living-type space.

Some of them also have hoses that you can attach (or maybe you can buy a hose seperately???) to make it less of a problem - you could drain to a sink or something.

ETA - I wouldn't really care about the thawing cycles if we didn't keep food in there for up to a year and we had higher turnover on our food. Our fridge's freezer is auto (I think all of them are) and I don't have any problem with that stuff that is only in for a couple of months.

[LRL]

Seb's Kitty- Good to know that you are happy with your Haier model. I am looking at a 3.7 c/f model. We seriously have limited space, and this is the smallest one I can find. I am not sure if it is frost free or not- that is a good point. It is this one:

http://www.haieramerica.com/product/lw110w.jpg

Mrs. Hill- Um, yes. You should see my freezer. The baby has taken over with his stash. Seriously, we only have about a foot of space in our freezer. I made DH finish the ice cream we had to make more room in there. He was happy to oblige and said that our freezer storage space issue makes him chuckle everytime he thinks about it. At least it's an amusing dilemna!

[sinderstorm]

LRL- we have a Kenmore in that design with the 2 compartment and we LOVE it. I love that I'm not having to go waist deep in it to dig up what's at the bottom of the freezer. While its in our garage right now, we'll be moving into an apartment in about 4 months and its small enough that I should be able to find a corner to store it in, so we'll still be able to use it!

By far one of the best appliance splurges we've made. I love that I can stock up when meat, veggies, etc is on sale, mass cook to have meals already put together, etc and have lots of room.

[Anna Low]

We have a Frigidaire (don't know the exact size) that is upright and frost-free. While we like to freeze things, we tend to run through it pretty quickly. Definitely one of the best purchases we have made in a long time!

[jerickson100]

I am freezing a bunch of food for after my baby is born, but I cannot figure out what type of container to store it in. I bought some disposable-type aluminum pans from the grocery store, but they are kind of expensive to dispose after one use (about $1.50 each). Is there a better option, or can I wash the aluminum ones?

Thanks!

[Hello Kitty]

You can wash and reuse the aluminum ones.

I usually line my baking dish fully with aluminum foil, then assemble the lasagna or casserole. I wait until it's frozen solid, then I pop it out of the pan, peel off the foil, and store it in a freezer safe bag. When it's time to cook, I put it frozen in the pan, and then thaw/cook as I normally would.

[Emilie]

When I used to do once a month cooking, I used a lot of different things:

Ziploc bags are great for soups and chili and pre-browned/seasoned ground beef - push all the air out and stack in the freezer, they freeze flat and then you can stand them up or keep them stacked. I did the soup and chili in single serving sizes - it was so handy for a quick meal!

For casseroles and lasagna, I used the plastic baking dishes. I cannot remember the brand (might be Gladware?) but they are black bottoms with plastic lids. I would top the food with a layer of plastic wrap pressed down tight to the food, then another layer and the lid. Never had freezer burn, could take off the plastic lid, put tin foil on it and pop it straight in the oven - I always had 2 or more lasagnas in the freezer, so handy! They are a little expensive but I used each one mulitple times and still have and use them to this day sop pretty cost effective in the long run.

I also have a Foodsaver vacuum sealer that I used for pretty much everything else. Hope this helps!

[j*east]

This is a pretty funny thread with everyone's freezing issues in one spot. Here's my question:

I know you can freeze cheesecake, but what does it do to the crust? And should I care?

I'm bringing pumpkin cheesecake to my brother's on TG. I can make it today and freeze it, or make it Wednesday after work when I'm really tired. The recipe (from Cook's Illustrated) says you can make it up to three days ahead, but the crust only stays crisp for a day. Do you think this is true if I freeze it? And do you think it will matter that much, or will I be the only one to notice? It is an incredible cheesecake, that's for sure.

Thanks!