Freezing Guidelines
Think back to the last food you took out of the freezer – was it covered with white spots or ice crystals – or did it taste as delicious as if it was fresh? The advantages of freezing are obvious – using leftovers efficiently, being able to buy economical (large) portions, presenting a home cooked meal fast, preserving seasonal produce – but freezing procedures for a myriad of individual food types are hard to remember. Freezing is not an art – it is rather a simple procedure - and by condensing all those individual guidelines to a few general rules and minimal specifics, you can freeze most food very successfully.
There are two facts in freezing that need to be remembered. The first is that you need to minimize the size and number of ice crystals that form in and on the surface of food. Ice crystals will burst a food item’s cell walls, and the food will dry out as water can evaporate even when it is in an ice state. When food dries out, you have freezer burn, as shown by a dry surface with white or gray spots. The second fact to remember is that while freezing retards enzymatic action, it does not prevent it. Therefore, rancidity and spoilage will occur in frozen food.
To combat these processes, remember three guidelines:
1) Freeze as fast as possible, thereby minimizing ice crystal size. To freeze fast, do not put hot foods in the freezer – allow them to reach room temperature first. Second, do not put too many unfrozen dishes in the freezer at the same time. Third, do not overload the freezer in general, as cold air must circulate around an item to freeze it efficiently. Finally, put new additions against the wall of the freezer or on the freezer floor, where the temperature is the coldest.
2) Maintain a freezer temperature as close as possible to 0 degree Fahrenheit.
3) Use a wrapping or container specifically labeled as suitable for the freezer. For example, use heavy plastic wrap, not the plastic wrap on the food brought from the grocery store. Also, it is preferable not to use aluminum foil, as aluminum retards heat transfer, and the food will not freeze as fast. Wrap the food tightly, or if putting into a container, leave some small headroom for expansion. By effective wrapping, you will minimize moisture loss, retard spoilage, and prevent the food from acquiring bad odors. Label the outside of the package with both the contents and the date frozen.
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