There’s nothing quite like leftover Chrissy ham…
But, if you’ve always wondered about the right way to store your extra food over Christmas (or any other day!), you’re not alone. Here are our top storage tips so you can safely dig in over the next few days…
Timing is everything.
One of the great leftover debates is whether you should let your food cool completely before popping it in the fridge. Turns out, the safest way is get it in the fridge as soon as it’s warm.
Bacteria thrive at temperatures between 60ºC and 5ºC (140ºF–41ºF), and around room temperature is the most dangerous! So put simply, letting your food completely cool on the bench before you refrigerate it means that bacteria are getting up to no good. Yuck!
On the other hand, refrigerating piping hot food can also raise the temperature of your fridge and affect everything else that’s in there. Your best bet is to wait until your food is warm, then pop that food into containers and into the fridge within the first two hours after cooking.
Invest in airtight containers.
Speaking of containers… it pays to get your hands on some good quality airtight containers to keep your food from drying out and spoiling. We love glass containers because they’re more durable than those flimsy plastic ones, plus, they’re safe to be used in the fridge, freezer, microwave and dishwasher – what more could you want?!
For your ham, get your hands on a ham bag…
Cured ham will last in your fridge for about two weeks, but only if you look after it properly. What’s the best way to do that? Get yourself a ham bag (or even use a clean pillowcase). Soaking your ham bag in vinegar or water before you wrap it up will keep it moist and delish, ready for all those ham sandwiches!
If in doubt, freeze it.
Poultry on the other hand, will only last in the fridge for three to four days. So if you can’t gobble down all those leftovers by then, into the freezer it goes. Meat that’s already been cooked and then frozen will only last in the freezer for two to six months (depending on the cut), but make sure it’s thawed completely and reheated to at least 74ºC (165ºF) before you can get noshing.
0 comments :
Post a Comment