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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.

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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.

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Cooking Tips

Freeze Rice: This is How It Stays Delicious After Thawing

If you freeze leftover cooked rice, you don’t have to throw anything away. So that it still tastes delicious after surfacing, we explain how to freeze rice properly.

With rice, it can quickly happen that you misjudge the amount and there is a lot left over. You can keep cooked rice in the fridge for a few days for the next meal. Or you can freeze it and thaw it later when needed.

Rice freezes easily. We’ll show you what you should pay attention to so that the grains still taste good after surfacing and don’t become soft and mushy.

Freezing rice: These varieties are suitable

Perfectly cooked rice grains still have a slight bite. When you thaw frozen rice, the texture changes and the grains become a little too soft. Some types of rice are better for freezing than others because they retain their texture better. These varieties include:

jasmine rice
basmati rice
Patnareis
If you want to cook rice ahead of time, you can intentionally undercook it a little. When reheated, it reaches its perfect consistency.

How to properly freeze and thaw rice

Freeze rice properly

Do not cook the rice too soft, but so that it is still al dente.
Let the rice cool down.
When portioning the rice you have two options:
You freeze everything together. If your rice was still grainy enough after cooking, it will create a frozen clump that you can always break off pieces and thaw.
You’re already freezing it in portions equal to one meal. This is useful if your rice is not quite as grainy and would not be as easy to portion when frozen.
Freezer containers made of glass or stainless steel are suitable for freezing.

Properly defrost rice

It is best to let the rice thaw at room temperature.
Then heat it up with steam. If you boiled it again, possibly with additional water, it would quickly become too soft and gooey.
Instead, place it in a fine-mesh strainer that you hang over a saucepan of boiling water. The rice is heated by the rising steam. Stir the rice once during this time so that it warms up evenly.
You can also just add it directly to the sauce you made for your dish to thaw and let it simmer over low heat.

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