March 17, 2011
Batch Cooking 101 - The Basics of Freezing
Batch Cooking 101 - The Basics of Freezing
(I batch cook so there's more time to spend with these handsome little dudes.)
Welcome back to my series on batch cooking! You can find lesson one here: Batch Cooking 101 - What You'll Need, and lesson two here: Batch Cooking 101 - What's Your Style. Today we're going to cover some basic rules on freezing. My caveat is that I am not an expert, I am self-taught and just passing along the things I've learned through trial and error. Some folks may disagree with me, and that's okay!
1. Turn the refrigerator down to its coldest level about 24 hours before batch cooking. This way the food will cool faster AND it will keep the refrigerator from heating up to unsafe levels and spoiling the food that is already contained. But why do I need my fridge, you ask? Keep on reading and you'll understand soon enough! (You can return the unit to its normal temperature about 24 hours after you've put the batch items into the freezer.)
SO TELL ME! DO YOU USE A CHEST FREEZER OR AN UPRIGHT?
WHAT'S YOUR FREEZER FANCY?
Welcome back to my series on batch cooking! You can find lesson one here: Batch Cooking 101 - What You'll Need, and lesson two here: Batch Cooking 101 - What's Your Style. Today we're going to cover some basic rules on freezing. My caveat is that I am not an expert, I am self-taught and just passing along the things I've learned through trial and error. Some folks may disagree with me, and that's okay!
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5 Simple Steps to Freezing Your Food:
5 Simple Steps to Freezing Your Food:
1. Turn the refrigerator down to its coldest level about 24 hours before batch cooking. This way the food will cool faster AND it will keep the refrigerator from heating up to unsafe levels and spoiling the food that is already contained. But why do I need my fridge, you ask? Keep on reading and you'll understand soon enough! (You can return the unit to its normal temperature about 24 hours after you've put the batch items into the freezer.)
Note: If you have fresh vegetables and fruit in your crisper section, you may want to move them to the main compartment while the fridge is super cold to keep them from freezing!
2. Turn the freezer down to to its coldest level about 24 hours before batch cooking. Same theory here. You want your food to reach a freezing temperature quickly enough that it won't grow bacteria and you want to make sure not to raise the other food above freezing when you add all that batch cooked goodness. You can return the unit to its normal temperature about 24 hours after you've added the new food.
Note: You can stick a thermometer to the inside of your freezer if you're worried that the temperature may go too high when you introduce the new food.
3. Fill your freezer containers with as much food as possible.
The less air, the better. This will keep your food from getting freezer burn and will help it retain moistness. If you're freezing meats, it's best if you can freeze it with a little juice, gravy or broth and then push as much air out of the container as possible.
Note: This is easiest to accomplish in freezer bags or shallow plastic containers, but with a little practice and finesse you can make it happen in nearly any vessel!
4. Allow your food to cool before freezing. First on the counter top, then in the refrigerator, and finally to the freezer. This will help keep your freezer from raising to unsafe temperatures, and it will allow your food to cool and freeze more evenly, which is important for maintaining flavor and texture.
Note: If your food has ice crystals on the top of the container when you take it out to thaw, this means you didn't let it cool long enough before packing!
5. Try freezing in different types of containers to see what fits best (literally and figuratively!) in your life.
We most often use plastic freezer containers because they stack nicely in the deep freeze. But if I'm using the upright freezer, I tend to prefer freezer bags laid flat because they fit nicely (and thaw quickly!).
Note: If you're cooking a large family-style meal or casserole, heavily line your dish with foil before freezing. When the food is completely frozen, use the foil to pop it out of the dish and put it in a freezer bag until you're ready to eat. Then put it back in the original casserole dish to reheat. This will keep you from having to buy dozens of casserole pans that take up oodles of space in the freezer.
WHAT'S YOUR FREEZER FANCY?
