Foods that do not freeze well

February 21, 2012 – Some foods cannot be successfully frozen because their texture can be spoiled by freezing. Foods with a very high fat content go rancid after several months in the freezer, cream and egg custard will separate if frozen unless it has been slightly whipped first and foods with a high water content such as melon has too high a water content for successful freezing. However, in some cases they may be used in soups, purées or jams.

Eggs cannot be frozen in the shell, but egg whites freeze very well. They will keep for up to 6 months in the freezer. Lightly whisked whole egg also freezes well while egg yolks are not so successful. Hard-boiled eggs become tough and the white turns grey.

Hard cheese or blue-veined cheese freeze well, either grated or in a piece. Cottage and cream cheese are not very satisfactory frozen. Camembert or Brie can be frozen but they should be ripened first.

Roux-based sauces freeze fairly well. Whisk slightly during reheating if possible. It’s also a good idea to err on the side of having the sauce a little too thin rather than too thick, then a little extra roux can be whisked in during reheating. On the other side, Mayonnaise, Hollandaise, Béarnaise Sauce for your salmon recipes dish do not freeze well; like egg custard, they tend to separate when thawed.

Gelatine-based desserts e.g. mousses, souffles and cheesecakes may be frozen but become slightly rubbery. They should be used within a month. Jellies, both sweet and savoury, lose their texture when frozen.

Strawberries keep their colour and flavour well, but collapse when thawed. However, if you have a glut, the good varieties are still worth freezing to make jams, sorbets and fruit coulis.

Tomatoes may be frozen whole but, like strawberries, lose their structure when thawed. However, they are very useful for soups and stews and have the great advantage that they peel easily if dropped in cold or hot water for a few seconds. We freeze large quantities of tomato puree and find it invaluable.

Mashed potato may be piped around pre-prepared meat and fish dishes and frozen quite successfully. Potatoes cooked whole go leathery.

 

 

Privacy Policy