Freezing Question

[vikkib]

Completely unrelated to the weather outside!

I'm working through the freezer and cupboards at the mo and I'm going to make a keema curry in the slow cooker with some beef mince that I've had in the freezer.

Once I've cooked the curry can I freeze it and then re-heat the portions later?

I do a lot of batch cooking and then freezing it in portions for later but I've not (knowingly*) cooked from frozen then re-frozen.

* I say knowingly as I'm sure some of the things I've cooked with have been frozen before I've bought them!

[veggiechicken]

I'm sure you can do that as you are changing the nature of the frozen meat by cooking it.

[Nicos]

Yes- you can indeed!

Batch cooking is the way to go too

We have some large pieces of meat in the freezer which are far too large for the 2 of us- more like 8 portions now we eat less meat.
When the wood burning stove is on I try to make use of the oven by cooking stews from previously frozen meat and then portioning it up and refreezing in individual portions to save time at the end of a busy day.

Just make sure it's cooked and defrosted thoroughly both times

[vikkib]

I'm sure you can do that as you are changing the nature of the frozen meat by cooking it.

Yes- you can indeed!

Lovely! I was hoping this was the case but thought I'd better check! Else we'd have an awful lot of curry to eat over the next couple of days!

Batch cooking is the way to go too

We have some large pieces of meat in the freezer which are far too large for the 2 of us- more like 8 portions now we eat less meat.
When the wood burning stove is on I try to make use of the oven by cooking stews from previously frozen meat and then portioning it up and refreezing in individual portions to save time at the end of a busy day.

Just make sure it's cooked and defrosted thoroughly both times

OH and I have been really getting into batch cooking over the last couple of years! We check what meat is on special offer then buy a much larger piece than we need and either stick some in the freezer or roast it all then make a soup or stir-fry with some and a batch of curry or a stew with the rest which gets portioned up and goes in the freezer.

This time (as per usual ) I've overestimated the capacity of the slow cooker so whilst the mince and veg fits in there's no room for the lentils I wanted to add so I'll cook those separately when the mince is nearly ready and combine the two in the maslin pan to finish off! HUGE amount of yummy curry to keep us going!

[VirginVegGrower]

Stews taste best when they have been cooked and cooked again Nicos! I could come over and help

[Two_Sheds]

A lot of meats state on the label that you shouldn't refreeze once defrosted. It's up to you whether you believe labels.

It also depends on how cold your fridge/freezer is, how hot you cook the food, and how long it is allowed to remain at a dangerous temperature (dangerous being the optimal temp for bacteria to reproduce)

http://www.food.gov.uk/multimedia/pdfs/csctcooking.pdf

"Do not refreeze any foods left outside the refrigerator longer than 2 hours" Freezing and Food Safety
That's because bacteria will start reproducing at warm temps. You need to chill the food as quickly as possible if you're going to save it: I put the pan out on the step, in this weather it cools super quick.

I got my Food Safety Stiffcat last year.

[binley100]

I was taught you could refreeze as long as you'd altered the state of it ie raw to cooked........
If we get a good deal on a large piece of meat we cut it into smaller sized joints, cube some maybe slice some and rewrap it out of those space wasting containers they use. Then the space wasting containers get washed and used for other things like seed trays or covers.......

[Mizjazzi]

Still alive!

I batch cook all the time,and agree with the advice.

I have used both fresh and frozen meat( when there is a special ),chicken( Even fresh roasted), fish,and even some pre frozen veg(home grown). Still alive and not been poisoned ever.
The advice about cooling down quickly is crucial, as is properly defrosting and reheating.
I did courses with a friend opening a deli,and food safety etc..also.

A suggestion for cooling quickly in warmer weather:
Just split the food into appropriate serving/reheating portions in freezer+microwave safe containers.
It cools much quicker that way, and can then be marked and dated.

I take meals to my outlaws every week ,which they then defrost and heat up.
No ill effects on 2 very ailing people!

Tip for defrosting quickly:
Put container in a large freezer bag and immerse in COLD water from tap, NOT WARM OR HOT!
Happy cooking

[Feral007]

I would have gone with TS's Stiffcat myself

I understood that you shouldn't refreeze meat. I usually try to bring homw enough meat to cook a few meals and divide them up. I need another slow cooker - had two last winter. That way I can usually get 3 or 4 meals done at a time, then into the freezer.

I wouldn't dare put anything out on the step here, I have two kelpie's who just inhale food! Hope they don't work out how to open the new chest freezer, it's out on the deck!

[Darwin.]

I normally cook two days good at a time and either eat it two days running or freeze half of it. I wouldn't have any problem refreezing meat after I cooked it. It's never done me any harm.

[alldigging]

A lot of meats state on the label that you shouldn't refreeze once defrosted. It's up to you whether you believe labels.

That means in the same state - don't freeze, thaw and refreeze meat.. but freeze, thaw, cook and refreeze is fine. You're killing the bacteria by application of heat ...

I wouldn't reheat reheated leftovers though.