Can I Freeze These?

Freezing foods really help us a lot not only in saving time but also in preserving food quality beyond its normal shelf life. Having a spacious chest freezer makes us feel that we can stock up on anything that’s on sale in the supermarket and use them later when we need it. However, we must remember that unfortunately, not all foods can be frozen successfully. There are certain types of foods that undergo changes in texture when frozen. It is true that most foods can be frozen but not all foods have the same freezer life and some dishes will not freeze well as the others.

THE FOLLOWING SHOULD STAY OUT OF THE FREEZER:

1. Eggs in their shell. Eggs may not be able to withstand the temperature of the freezer and may cause its water content to expand. This will lead to cracking of it shell that may cause any type of bacteria to come in. Eggs can pose a serious health threat if frozen.
2. Certain vegetables. Celery, lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, marrows, radishes, watercress, etc -- or basically fresh and water-rich vegetables. These vegetables are water-based and they freeze easily. However, they form ice crystals that melt during thawing. After thawing, these vegetables become soggy and limp; the crispness will not be present in them anymore. However, if you really need to freeze these vegetables, it is advised to blanche the vegetables first. Unblanched veggies that are stored directly in the freezer will lose their crispness and fresh flavour. Veggies that lost their crispness can still be cooked for soups.
3. Cheese. Soft kinds of cheese such as cottage cheese, ricotta cheese and cream cheese will lose their fluffy texture when the water in them returns to room temperature. On the other hand, hard types of cheese will turn crumbly. Crumbly cheese is okay for grating, though. But not for slicing.
4. Food emulsions. Food emulsions are usually a mixture of two or more type of liquids. The best examples of this are mayonnaise and cream. Emulsified foods may develop large ice crystals that puncture the cell walls when frozen.
5. Egg-based sauces. Egg itself cannot be frozen so it’s very logical that egg-based sauces cannot be frozen as well. Mayonnaise and hollandaise tend to separate during the freezing and thawing processes. The separation results to a product that looks a little weird for cooking.
6. Fillings. The best examples of fillings are cream and custards. Leftover fillings don’t freeze well. The fillings tend to look watery and weepy when thawed which can ruin the looks and consistency of a perfectly good recipe.
7. Potatoes. Potatoes when frozen look mushy. This is good though, but what’s not good is that the appearance of the potato changes. Potatoes darken when frozen. Furthermore, mashed and boiled potatoes seem to turn runny after being thawed while cubed potatoes become grainy in texture.

Freezing works because it slows down the presence of enzymes and other microorganisms that causes the foods to decay. However, we should always remember that not all foods can be frozen. The goal to make preparation easier while keeping goods safe should always be in the top of our priority list.

Tips on How To Maintain Your Freezer

Freezers are probably the most effective appliances for us to preserve our foods. In order to retain the flavours of our food, we freeze them. Stocking and freezing of foods has become a regular way for us to save time for food preparation. However, we may not know a few facts to keep our freezers in its best condition. To help you know the proper ways on how to maintain your freezer, here are a few tips to consider:

1. Make sure that the freezer is properly sealed. Dysfunctional freezers, most especially those upright ones, may cause you to pay extra for your next month’s electricity bill. When an upright freezer is opened, the air falls out of the freezer and the energy is expended to return the temperature back to freezing. It’s good to take note of that.
2. Keep the temperature constant. The main point of purchasing a freezer is to preserve the quality of the products that will be stored inside it. Keeping the temperature of the freezer constant will help in the preservation of the quality of the things kept inside it.
3. Allot space for your freezer. Freezers usually emit hot air on the side where its compressor is located. Make sure that you are allowing the hot air to freely move by allotting enough space for your freezer. It will be best if you will not let your freezer touch your walls.
4. Defrost once in a while. Upright freezers are defrosting automatically by itself while chest freezers require manual defrosting.
5. Clean the outside of your freezer. Freezers do rust when not given proper cleaning. Make sure that you dust off the dirt from the exterior of your freezer to keep the appliances well maintained and fully operational.

Freezers may be one of the appliances that don’t need to be replaced for a long time. However, it will also be a good move for us to know the best ways on how to maintain it. Chestfreezers, UK’s only website dedicated to chest freezers, offers a wide range of good quality chest freezers that you can avail and use for different purposes. Take note of the tips written above to make sure that the freezer of your choice is properly maintained and will last for a long time.