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42
STORING FOOD IN YOUR FREEZER
Meat, poultry and game
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Do not try to freeze more than 2.2lb (1kg) of meat per 25qt (25L) of freezer storage
volume at any one time. Meat must be frozen quickly in order to maintain its texture.
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Do not stuff poultry before freezing.
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Red meat can be cooked from frozen, or from the partly or completely thawed states.
Remember to allow extra cooking time if cooking from frozen.
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Always thaw poultry completely before cooking.
Fish
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Fish is best frozen commercially. If, however, you do want to freeze fish at home, make
sure the fish is very fresh and of high quality.
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Clean, scale and preferably leave whole. All fish should be wrapped in two layers of
packaging as depending on the type of fish, odors and flavors can be readily transferred
either to or from it. Seal well.
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For best results, cook from either the frozen or partly thawed state.
Fruit
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Choose high quality, mature, and ready to eat fruit. Preferably select varieties
recommended for freezing.
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Avoid unripe and over-ripe fruit.
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The way fruit is packed depends on how it is to be used. Fruits packed in syrup are ideal
for desserts, whereas fruits packed without sugar are better used for cooking. Most
fruits can be stored for 8–12months.
Vegetables
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Most vegetables freeze well, although ‘salad’ vegetables lose their crispness. Other
vegetables, eg celery, onion and tomatoes, should only be used in cooked dishes as they
soften on freezing.
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Freeze only high quality, mature, ready-to-eat vegetables.
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Sort and discard any vegetables that are damaged.
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It is necessary to blanch most raw vegetables prior to freezing.
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Blanching involves a short cooking period during which vegetable enzymes are
destroyed. If these enzymes are not destroyed they cause undesirable physical and
chemical changes during freezer storage.
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Vegetables can be blanched in boiling water, steam or microwave oven. If using boiling
water, boil vegetables for 2–4minutes and cool quickly.
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In general, frozen vegetables are best cooked from their frozen state.
Prepared and cooked foods
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Most cooked foods can be frozen but it is not recommended to freeze the following:
Cooked egg white, custards, cream fillings and milk puddings, gelatine or jelly-like
dishes, mayonnaise and similar salad dressings, meringue toppings. These tend to
separate on thawing.
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