Have you ever thawed three kilos of beef mince, only to realise you only need 500g? Don’t throw out that meat just yet!
According to the United States Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service, it’s safe to refreeze food as long as you let it thaw out in a cold fridge (for a maximum of two days).
Thawing at room temperature, under the tap or in the microwave, however, is how bacteria grows and that’s not safe to put back in the freezer.
Fascinated? Here are some more handy facts that will help you get the most out of your freezer.
1. Freeze quickly, thaw slowly.
As soon as you get home, whack those frozen foods in the freezer. Not only will this prevent bacteria growth, but rapid freezing prevents large ice crystals which alter the taste and texture of the food.
On the other hand, it’s best to thaw your food slowly (over a couple of days) in the fridge. Unlike microwaving, it ensures the food won’t dry out.
2. Freezing doesn’t kill bacteria.
Contrary to what you might have heard, freezing doesn’t kill bacteria or reset the food’s use-by date. Bacterias, yeasts and moulds simply become dormant at freezing temperature, and reactivate when thawed. Sorry, if that food is already going off, freezing ain’t gonna save it!
3. A full freezer is an economical freezer.
Feeling a little sheepish looking at your fully stacked (literally can’t squeeze one ice cube in there) freezer? Don’t be. The fuller your freezer, the less energy it needs to keep cold. As Sarah explains, “It’s more energy efficient than an empty one as solids freeze at a lower temperature than air.”
4. Freezing doesn’t kill nutrients.
Or, at least, there is extremely minimal nutrient loss in frozen foods. Frozen foods can be more nutritious than their farm-to-table counterparts, too (and not just because farmers spray less shelf-life-increasing pesticides).
“Freezing stops the starch in peas and corn from breaking down into sugars, helping them to retain vitamins, fibre and minerals, and making the frozen versions ‘fresher’ than the, um, fresh ones,” says Sarah.
5. Colour changes are safe, but they can affect taste.
Ever found weird grey-brown spots on your frozen meat? Egads! Not to worry, this is a condition commonly known as freezer burn, and while it might dry out your meat, it’s perfectly harmless.
You can prevent both meat and veggies from “burning” by using air-tight packaging or covering food with a layer of oil, wine or stock. (We like the last idea – extra flavour and it’s ready to go straight in the pot).
What freezer hacks do you have to share?
0 comments :
Post a Comment