Breaking
FoodNerdy Recipes Management System
Tag

freezing

Browsing
Cooking Tips

Freezing Meat: You Should Definitely Follow These Tips

Is it easy to freeze meat? In principle yes, but you should follow a few rules so that the meat stays fresh and no germs develop.

Freezing meat: the most important steps

Step 1: Pat the meat dry with some paper towels.
Step 2: Take a suitable freezer bag* and make sure that the pieces of meat are as separate as possible and at the same time as flat and dense as possible. The flatter it is, the faster it can be thawed again later.
Step 3: Then pack your meat as airtight as possible to prevent germs and freezer burns. The easiest way to do this is with a vacuum sealer*
Step 4: The meat should be frozen as soon as possible. If you have it, you can use your freezer’s “super frost” function.
Attention: There is something special about minced meat. It is considered to be particularly susceptible to germs. Therefore, the cold chain must be maintained and the meat should be frozen promptly. Also, it should be packed flat and tightly in small portions.
How long the meat can stay frozen depends on the variety

Defrost meat: how to do it!

There are also a few aspects to consider when defrosting, because bacteria and germs can spoil the meat. Also, slow thawing means less liquid is lost, which helps preserve flavor.
Step 1: Plan your next meal ahead of time as it is advisable to leave the meat in the fridge overnight
But if it has to be done quickly, the packaged meat can be placed in cold water. Alternatively, it can be defrosted in the microwave.
Step 2: Drain off the defrosting liquid and pat the meat dry with paper towels.
Step 2: Process the thawed meat promptly.
It is important: Do not refreeze the thawed, raw meat, otherwise the meat loses quality and you risk the development of harmful germs.
Tip: In addition to raw meat, you can also freeze many other foods such as cheese, rice, pasta or butter!

Keep Reading
By
Food

Freezing Wine: How it Works and Why You Should Try it

Freezing wine: how it works and why you should try it

Freezing wine: how to do it

“In Vino Veritas – The truth lies in the wine.” So wrote the Greek poet Alkaios of Lesbos. The philosopher Plato wrote: “Wine is a gift from the gods, they gave wine to man out of mercy.” Man has been making wine from grapes for centuries. The varieties are almost innumerable, everyone will find their favorite wine. But what do you do if there is still wine left at the end of the evening? Once opened, you can’t keep it for long. The taste wears off pretty quickly. But there is an option: Freeze. However, the wine is then less suitable for drinking.

There are several variants. One of them is to put the wine in an ice cube tray and then freeze it. Then, when you prepare a dish that requires wine, you simply take the appropriate amount of ice cubes and add them. This gives the sauce a light wine note. You can also use it for baking, but here the rule is: thaw beforehand. Alternatively, if a large amount of red wine has accumulated, you can use it for mulled wine or punch. Under no circumstances should you freeze wine in the bottle, it could burst.

No matter which variant you choose: you save money and don’t have to throw away your good wine.

Keep Reading
By
Cooking Tips

Instructions and Tips for Freezing Asparagus

Freezing asparagus tips can be very useful. Because when the asparagus season is over, it will be difficult to get the delicious asparagus. Thus, freezing can be the best option to safely and long-term preserve asparagus.

Do you also love the asparagus season and are very sad when it’s over? We have tips on how to freeze fresh asparagus. So you can enjoy it long after the season is over. But before freezing, there are a few things you should consider to preserve quality.

Can you freeze asparagus?

All asparagus lovers probably ask themselves this question after the season. Because at this time a lot of asparagus is eaten. You also want to keep the fresh asparagus for later. Because canned asparagus doesn’t taste that good. Whether white or green asparagus, you can freeze both varieties. We’ll show you how you can enjoy asparagus long after the season is over. The asparagus should be frozen as fresh as possible so that it remains crisp and aromatic.

1) Step by step instructions

To give you a better overview, we have the following step-by-step instructions for freezing asparagus for you. Because freezing is a lot easier than you think. Most importantly, note that cooking and blanching the asparagus is superfluous. Also, note our instructions for freezing beans.

  1. Washing the asparagus thoroughly is the first step to freezing. It doesn’t matter whether you want to freeze green or white asparagus. Both should be properly washed with water.
  2. Then dry well and cut off the ends. Because you don’t want to eat them. That’s why they don’t need to be frozen.
  3. White asparagus should be peeled first. Since the peel is usually not eaten, it should also be removed before freezing. Because the frozen asparagus is added directly to the boiling water as soon as you want to prepare it. Meanwhile, green asparagus does not need to be peeled.
  4. Do not boil or blanch beforehand. Otherwise, the good taste of the asparagus will be lost.
  5. Then pack the asparagus airtight. This ensures you have a longer shelf life.

2) Freeze white asparagus

If you want to freeze white asparagus, wash it thoroughly beforehand. Then dry it well and cut off the woody ends. Before you freeze the white asparagus, you should peel it. But you should avoid cooking and blanching. Because the delicious aroma of the sticks is lost. Finally, you have to stow the asparagus properly. Use an airtight box or freezer bag for this. If you want to eat the asparagus right away, read our tips for cooking asparagus.

3) Freeze green asparagus

Green asparagus can also be frozen and enjoyed later. To do this, wash it off thoroughly beforehand. After that, you don’t need to peel it. All you have to do is dry it off and cut off the ends. You can then store it in an airtight Tupperware container or in a freezer bag. Again, you should avoid cooking and blanching. Also, note our tips and instructions for freezing food.

How long does asparagus keep in the freezer?

Now the asparagus is ready for the freezer. But how long does asparagus keep in the freezer? Frozen asparagus keeps for a long time. But a maximum storage time of 6 to 8 months is recommended to preserve the taste and quality. You should also note that your freezer has a temperature of minus 18 degrees.

Preparation of the frozen asparagus

Once you’ve properly frozen your asparagus, it’s time to eat them. But how do you properly prepare frozen asparagus? So that it retains its aroma and tastes delicious? We have a simple tip for this. Because you don’t have to let the frozen asparagus thaw before you cook it. You can simply add the asparagus to the boiling water and cook. This way you get the vitamins and the aroma of the asparagus. Also, note our tips for freezing and reheating mushrooms

Keep Reading
By
Cooking Tips

Tips and Instructions for Freezing Food

Useful tips and a guide to freezing food and defrosting food. Freeze food without sacrificing flavor or freshness.

How long will they keep in the freezer at what temperature? Can it be preserved in the freezer without plastic? A clear list.

Groceries are too good to throw away

It still tastes best at home. The problem that can sometimes arise is that there are leftovers. Too bad to throw away, but nobody wants to eat the same thing again tomorrow. In addition, the freezer can be a supplier of quick, pre-cooked dishes. Not all foods are suitable for freezing and some lose their bite or freshness in the freezer. To ensure that the defrosted food tastes as delicious as the first time, there are a few things to consider, such as temperature and packaging. You can do it without plastic. Here is a list of top food freezing tips.

The best tips for freezing food

Properly frozen food will last an average of three months and up to a year. The temperature should always be between minus 18 and minus 20 degrees. If you like it clearly, you should use labels. In addition, the freezer, like the refrigerator, should be kept tidy. Keep foods with the shortest shelf life, like meat, on the bottom. It’s the coolest here. Prepared dishes, like sauces, go up. Surprisingly, a common mistake is not overfilling the freezer, but rather underfilling it.

Freeze food without plastic

The preservation in the freezer can be handled even more economically, environmentally friendly, and health-conscious. Unfortunately, the most common alternative to the freezer bag also comes in a plastic guise. However, reusable containers are a step in the right direction. But if you want to freeze without plastic, you can switch to screw-top jars. It is important here, especially for liquids such as sauces, not to fill the glass completely. One of the advantages of freezing jars is that the jars can be thawed easily and quickly in a water bath and can be filled in an uncomplicated manner.

Guide to Freezing Various Foods

How long frozen food can be preserved depends on the type of food. However, a lot can go wrong here. If, for example, vegetables are stored for too long, they become inedible but largely harmless for consumption. This is different from animal products. Freezing food, when done right, can save time and money and make the stressful everyday life of housewives and househusbands much easier.

Freeze Vegetables

In principle, it is advisable to always pre-cook vegetables in a water bath for 2-4 minutes beforehand. Firm vegetables like potatoes are best sliced ​​thinly and frozen airtight. Herbs or boiled spinach go great in ice cube trays. Seasonal vegetables in particular, such as special types of mushrooms, are ideal for freezing. However, soft vegetables such as mushrooms, zucchini, mushrooms, or eggplant should be frozen fresh. Then simply add the still-frozen food to the dish and the chanterelle sauce is ready in winter! However, if you let them thaw on the counter overnight, you may be in for a nasty surprise in the morning. Especially soft vegetables or fruit lose their cell structure when defrosting and can become mushy. Read our tips for freezing asparagus and the clever instructions for freezing beans.

Freeze dairy products

The most popular in this category is cheese. Especially with him, most people are unsure whether and how he can be frozen. The rule of thumb: raw cheese (cream cheese, goat cheese, or camembert) has high water content. This separates from the milk portion when it freezes. The same goes for yogurt or milk. If it is used for cooking or baking, it doesn’t do anything to it. After defrosting, it will have changed its structure. Cheese such as Gouda or mozzarella for baking is ideal for freezing. The taste is not affected by preserving it in the freezer.

Freeze Meat

Steaks or minced meat have a particularly short shelf life in the refrigerator. However, it is very useful to always have something in stock. So storing it in the freezer is a good idea. Raw meat can only be thawed once again. Therefore, it should be frozen in smaller portions. Ideally, a vacuum pack is used to freeze meat, but conventional freezer bags can also be used. The usual supermarket packaging is not suitable. It usually does not enclose the meat directly.

Consequently, it is advisable to pack it new and airtight. A rule of thumb for durability is the leaner, the more durable. Just seal it as airtight as possible.

Freeze baked goods

Bread and rolls and even dry cakes taste fresh from the baker after they have been baked for a short time. However, these foods should always be packed airtight. Cream cakes should be thawed slowly in the refrigerator and overnight. Slow, gentle thawing without violent temperature fluctuations is a tip that can be applied to all frozen goods. Read the article on freezing bread for more information.

Keep Reading
By
Food

Instructions for Freezing and Thawing Meat

Proper freezing and thawing of meat are important. This prevents harmful germs from forming or the meat from losing its delicious taste. That’s why we’ve created a simple step-by-step guide for you.

Many know the problem, you got hold of cheap meat on sale the last time you went shopping and now you want to freeze a small supply. But the next time you thaw it, you’ll find that the meat just doesn’t taste good anymore, or that it’s got freezer burn again.

Preserve healthy meat

In the past, people dried or salted meat to preserve it. But since the invention of the freezer, every household has found it easy to store leftover or fresh meat longer. So you don’t have to throw away leftover meat and you still have a supply in case of emergencies. But when freezing meat you have to pay attention to a few things so that our step-by-step instructions can help you. In addition, note other tips for storing food properly and preserving it.

In which container do you freeze the meat?

The first question when freezing meat is what container do you keep the meat in? It is best if you pack the meat as airtight as possible. A standard freezer bag is often sufficient for this. But it is important to squeeze excess air out of the bag. If you want to freeze chops or steaks, it’s best to put a piece of cling film between the individual slices so they don’t freeze together. And so they stay juicy when frying. Finally, you can close the freezer bags with a clip or with the freezer bag fasteners. In addition, note our tips for freezing bread.

Store meat in the freezer

When operating a freezer, you should make sure that a constant temperature of minus 18 degrees is maintained. For example, if you want to freeze larger quantities at once, the temperature in the appliance may rise too much. Then the already frozen food can thaw. And you should definitely avoid that. As a result, you have to press the shock freeze button on almost every device before you put the frozen food in the chest. As soon as the meat is frozen, the button can be switched off again. Sometimes leftover meat from lunch. Since you shouldn’t throw anything away, you can easily freeze these leftovers in a suitable and well-closing plastic box.

Shelf life of frozen meats

Since different types of meat have different shelf lives, you should only freeze the same types of meat together. The shelf life also depends on the storage temperature. Consequently, at an optimum storage temperature of minus 18 degrees, pork has a shelf life of around 8 months and beef can be stored for around 12 months. In addition, chicken meat can be stored in the freezer for 8-10 months and veal meat for between 9 and 12 months.

Tips for freezing ground beef

Special care must be taken when freezing minced meat. Because you should press it together as flat as possible. This makes it easier to store in the freezer and defrost faster. You should not store minced meat in the freezer for longer than four months. But that depends on the cooling device, you will find the relevant information in the operating instructions. But a minimum temperature of -18°C is important. Also, note the best vegan minced meat alternatives.

Procedure for processed meat products

If you depend on a supermarket or discounter meat or prefer it, there are a few things to keep in mind here as well. Because many products are offered in plastic bowls. And the meat is almost always packed in a protective gas atmosphere. Because it looks healthy and lasts longer. That’s why you should never put the meat in the freezer with this bowl on. Instead, be sure to unpack the meat, dry it, and place it in a new bag to freeze. So you can be sure that the meat will still taste good after defrosting. Also interesting is our article with delicious menu ideas for grilling.

Proper handling of the freezer

Proper handling of the freezer is essential for freezing meat products. Therefore, here are a few tips for dealing with the deep freeze or the freezer compartment. First of all, you should defrost and thoroughly clean your freezer compartment at least once a year. You should also defrost and clean your refrigerator regularly. This prevents the development of unpleasant smells and tastes. In addition, you can save electricity in the household in the long term. Consequently, you should unplug the chest, remove the food, and then briefly place a bowl of hot water in the compartment. Then close the door, and wait a few minutes. The ice it contains can then be easily removed. Just let the rest thaw and drain. Then simply wash the chest with washing-up liquid and dry it.

Keep Reading
By
Food

Tips for Freezing Bread and Baking Bread

A clever guide to freezing bread and baking bread. We will show you what to look out for when freezing bread and rolls and how to defrost and bake them.

It is very easy to freeze leftover rolls or bread and re-bake them when needed. Bread can be bought in larger quantities and defrosted in portions. The need for pasta can always be well covered. And honestly, what could be better than nice, warm rolls for breakfast or delicious, still warm bread with jam or cheese? By freezing and baking, you bring more flavor into the house.

Freeze rolls and bread

When freezing, it is important to ensure that bread or rolls are packed airtight. This is also good beforehand so that the products stay crispy for longer. That way you might even save yourself the hassle of freezing. If you want to use your bread or rolls a little longer, you have to keep the pasta in the dark. They will definitely stay fresher for longer. Please also note our tips on storing food correctly.

Many people use freezing especially when there is too many rolls leftover from Sunday breakfast. If you don’t want to go to the bakery or supermarket every day and want fresh bread. The good thing is, once the bread is thawed, it tastes really fresh. It is perfect if you freeze the bread in portions, as well as the rolls. This way you can always take the amount you need from the freezer. So you always have a good supply of bread or rolls and can defrost in the evening to have fresh pasta for breakfast. You can simply let the pasta thaw in the sink, you don’t need the fridge for that. Also, note our tips for freezing asparagus and instructions for freezing beans properly.

Bake buns and bread

Bread and rolls can easily be re-baked. For a better taste, however, the pasta should be thawed beforehand. But if you want to bake the baked goods frozen, they usually don’t taste as good as they did before they were thawed. Or try it out and bake your own bread.

Basically, bread becomes tastier again when you bake it. The same goes for buns. The process is basically very simple: simply preheat the oven, brush the loaf of bread or rolls with a little water and then put them in the 200-degree oven for 7-9 minutes. This makes the bread soft on the inside and crispy on the outside. That’s what most people like and with a little effort you can achieve exactly that.

Anyone who knows these tricks will no longer have to throw away bread and rolls. Above all, you can also shop at the bakery if your favorite bread is on sale there at a good price. Some bakers have a special offer on all pieces of bread once a week and if you buy in bulk, you can still enjoy fresh bread when it is baked.

Keep Reading
By
Cooking Tips

Freezing Brussels Sprouts: These Tips Will Keep Them Fresh

Leftover Brussels sprouts can be easily frozen: we will show you how to preserve the green winter vegetables for a long time and what you need to consider when freezing.

Brussels sprouts can be prepared in many ways – the winter vegetable is also very rich in vitamins and nutrients. If you have your own plant in the garden, you will quickly notice how productive it is: A single Brussels sprouts plant can produce up to 40 florets. If you can’t use up the entire harvest at once, it’s worth freezing Brussels sprouts – we’ll explain how to do that here.

Freezing Brussels sprouts: Clean and blanch

Before you freeze the Brussels sprouts, you should prepare them well:
First, the Brussels sprouts must be cleaned thoroughly. To do this, cut off the stalk and remove the withered and outer leaves.
Wash the Brussels sprouts in a large bowl of lukewarm water or rinse them under the faucet.
In the last preparatory step, you blanch the Brussels sprouts: Put them in a pot of boiling salted water for two minutes. Then scare him off with cold water.

Tip: This is how frozen Brussels sprouts don’t stick together

To prevent the florets from freezing together in the freezer, you should snap freeze them. This way you can always take as many florets out of the glass as you need later.

How it works:
Drain the Brussels sprouts or dry them with paper towels.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. If you don’t have a baking sheet at hand, you can also use a board or a large plate.
Arrange the florets on the tray so they don’t touch each other.
Now place the tray in the freezer or freezer for 1.5 to 2 hours. It is best to set your device to a particularly low temperature during this time.
When you take it out again, the Brussels sprouts are flash frozen. You can now freeze it as normal.

Freezing Brussels sprouts: Here’s how

How to freeze Brussels sprouts:
Store the Brussels sprouts in freezer-safe containers. If you haven’t flash frozen it, you should fill the Brussels sprouts in portion sizes – otherwise there will be some left over after defrosting.
Now place the filled containers in your freezer compartment.
The Brussels sprouts can now be kept for at least half a year. Later, thaw it directly in boiling water.

Keep Reading
By
Cooking Tips

Freezing Cherries: This is How They Stay Delicious After Thawing

Freezing cherries is a good solution when you have too many left over to eat them all fresh. We’ll show you what you should consider when freezing the sweet fruits.

Freezing cherries – the preparation

Leftover cherries can be easily frozen and stored for more than ten months. Nothing can go wrong if you follow these five steps:

select cherries
In principle, cherries do not ripen after they have been harvested, so you should not choose cherries that are too light or overripe for freezing.

wash cherries
Wash the cherries in a bucket or sink, then drain and dry well.

remove stems
Once the cherries are dry, the stems should be removed. This step is mandatory, but you have the choice of whether or not you also pit the cherries. The fact that they can then be processed further speaks for freezing without a core. However, less juice is lost if you freeze them with stone. If you let them thaw briefly after you take them out of the freezer, the core can still be removed easily.

Freeze cherries: first of all, shock-freeze

shock freezing
Before you completely freeze the cherries, you should definitely do this intermediate step. The shock freezing ensures that the cherries do not later freeze into a large lump. This keeps them crunchy even after thawing. Shock freezing also preserves more vitamins, since the faster freezing forms smaller ice crystals, which are well distributed in the cherry. How it works:

Add the cherries one by one
Then put them in the freezer or in the freezer compartment of your fridge for two hours at the highest level.
Freeze
The last step follows: the actual freezing.
Now fill your cherries in containers and store them in your freezer.
In order to protect the environment, you should not use plastic utensils, especially not disposable plastic (such as freezer bags). Instead, try mason jars or stainless steel cans, for example. Cotton bags are also ideal.

Keep Reading
By
Cooking Tips

Freezing Bananas: Tips and Recipe Ideas

Are your bananas too brown to eat again? Don’t throw them away, freeze the bananas. This way you avoid food waste and always have bananas ready when you need them.

How to freeze bananas

You don’t need much prior knowledge to freeze bananas. But they should not be unripe, because frozen they can no longer ripen. It’s even a good idea to freeze overripe bananas so you get the best use out of them.

You now have several options for freezing bananas:
slice
puree
freeze whole
Which variant you choose depends on how you want to process it after defrosting.

Step by step to freeze bananas:
peel bananas
Slice or mash bananas
To prevent the banana slices from sticking together, you can first freeze them spread out on a plate and then decant them.
Add a dash of lemon juice to the mashed bananas. then the puree will keep its color.
Pour bananas into a jar and freeze.

Freeze bananas and then?

Frozen bananas are versatile:
Use thawed mashed bananas as an egg substitute for baking
or for a banana bread (but beware: the banana bread will be moister than usual with frozen bananas).
Frozen banana makes itself super fast and super tasty as nice cream. Frozen banana slices are ideal here.
Half-thawed banana slices as a crunchy ingredient in muesli.
Whole bananas, puree or slices work well in smoothies.

Keep Reading
By
health

8 Tips Against Freezing and Cold in Winter

Tips against cold and freezing in winter for protection outside and inside. When it gets really cold, a cold or flu often follows. Housewives know many tips against cold and freezing in winter. Such home remedies warm and strengthen the immune system at the same time.

1) Drinks as a warming home remedy

Healthy tips against cold and freezing in winter include foods that help the body maintain or increase its temperature. Quick home remedies with a high effect are e.g. B. Warming drinks such as fresh ginger tea. And most of the ingredients for hot tea with honey are in the household.

Cocoa or coffee with a “shot” is also an option. When it comes to rum, eggnog, mulled wine, and punch, however, the following applies: You have to pay attention to the amount, as alcohol causes the body to lose temperature over the long term.

2) Strengthen the immune system with honey ginger tea

A tea made from fresh ginger and honey works better against the cold and freezing in winter than alcohol. The tried-and-tested home remedy is quick to prepare and strengthens your own defenses:

  • Put on hot tea water for one cup (approx. 300 ml).
  • Slice a thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger (about 3-5 pieces). Peeling is unnecessary.
  • Add 1 teaspoon of black tea to the ginger if desired.
  • Pour boiling tea water over it and let steep for 5-10 minutes.
  • Strain and sweeten with honey. Alternatively, use sugar or low-calorie stevia.
  • Adding lemon juice to the tea also strengthens, as housewives know. If you lose your temperature quickly, you should also try spices from private households.

3) Spices of warm food

You also have warming spices for the winter in your own household, such as ginger, chili, or pepper. They warm you from the inside and are suitable for both savory and sweet dishes. Try e.g. B. curries or spicy vegetable pans, also with marinated meat or poultry. The spiciness in the dishes heats up the metabolism so that the body releases heat.

Spiced desserts are popular tips for housewives against cold and freezing in winter. Try the following recipes with chocolate and chili:

Season a hot chocolate with chili powder as you like. DIY fans should try homemade dark chocolate with chili flakes. Chocolates and truffles with chili, ginger, or nutmeg offer new flavors.

With game dishes, a simple chocolate and chili sauce serves as an exotic change from the conventional roast sauce. Use dark chocolate if possible. The combinations of slightly tart chocolate and peppery chili are quick to make and taste fantastic. Positive side effects: They not only help against cold and freezing in winter. Due to the cocoa in the chocolate, the body releases more endorphins. It also lifts the spirits.

4) winter clothes

All housewives know that seasonal winter clothing is important. Without a hat and gloves, the body loses heat in these areas first. A hand-sized warming pad for your hands also helps to keep them from freezing when you are out and about. Another tip against rough, chapped winter hands is creamed with urea or panthenol.

5) Kidney Warmers

Kidney warming is actually used on motorcyclists. However, the effect is also possible for any clothing. Such a kidney warmer protects the entire abdomen from the cold. As a result, the whole body cools down less and the middle feels comfortably warm.

Keep Reading
By