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Freezing and storing food
32
Home freezing
Only freeze fresh food which is in a
good condition.
Tips on home freezing
– The following types of food ar
e
suitable for freezing:
Fresh meat, poultry, game, fish,
vegetables, herbs, fresh fruit, dairy
products, pastry, leftovers, egg
yolks, egg whites and a range of pre-
cooked meals.
– The following types of food ar
e not
suitable for freezing:
Grapes, lettuce, radishes, sour
cream, mayonnaise, eggs in their
shells, onions, whole raw apples and
pears.
– To retain colour, taste, aroma and
vitamin C, vegetables should be
blanch
ed after they have been
trimmed and washed. To blanch:
bring a large saucepan of water to
the boil, immerse the vegetables in
the fast boiling water for 2–3 minutes,
depending on variety. Remove, and
plunge into ice-cold water to cool
quickly. Drain and pack ready for
freezing.
– Lean meat freezes better than fatty
meat, and can be st
ored for
considerably longer.
– To prevent chops, steaks, cutlets or
r
olled meat from freezing together in
solid blocks when packed, separate
with a sheet of plastic freezer film.
– Do not season fresh foods or
blanch
ed vegetables before freezing.
Only season cooked food lightly
before freezing, but care should be
tak
en as the taste of some spices
alters when frozen.
– Placing hot foods or drinks in the
fr
eezer causes food that is already
frozen to partially thaw and increases
energy consumption. Allow hot foods
and drinks to cool down before
placing them in the freezer.
Packing
F
reeze food in portions.
Suitable packing material
– Plastic freezer film
– Freezer bags
– Aluminium foil
– Freezer containers
Unsuitable packing material
– Wrapping paper
– Grease-proof paper
– Cellophane
– Bin bags
– Plastic shopping bags
Expel as much air as possible fr
om
bags etc. before sealing them to
prevent freezer burn on food.
Close the packaging tightly with
– rubber bands
– plastic clips
– string or bag ties
– freezer tape
Useful tip: F
reezer bags may also be
sealed using home heat sealing kits.
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