Helpful Lesson 6: Use the Freezer!

Marian Bull of Bon Appetit says that the easiest—and most direct—way to preserve your fresh food is through your freezer. While the whole freezing process is, in general, quite straightforward, the particulars are a little trickier. She spoke to Jenny McCoy, cookbook author and Pastry and Arts Chef-Instructor at the Institute of Culinary Education in New York, about the do’s and don’ts of freezing every kind of food.

Here are a few ground rules:

1. Never freeze in glass jars unless you know they’re explicitly freezer-safe. Glass that hasn’t been tempered risks shattering — particularly if you’re freezing a liquid that could expand as it freezes. So don't use canning jars and use Tupperware or freezer bags instead.

2. Never use hot water to defrost something, whether it’s tomato sauce or raw steak or chicken soup or parsley. You risk cooking the frozen food, and changing its texture and flavor in ways you can’t control.

3. Consider your temperatures. Food safety rules dictate that you want food to drop to between 120° and 70°F within two hours; within four hours, it needs to get between 70°F and 45°F. So don't frozen food overnight to cool—even if it’s meatless.

FRUIT

Storage:

If you care about the shape of your fruit (e.g., you want to use strawberries in a cake, not just a smoothie), you can individually quick-freeze (a.k.a. IQF) them. To do this, spread your berries (or other fruit cubes or slices) on a baking sheet, freeze for a few hours, then toss in a freezer bag. This way, they won’t freeze into an enormous block of fruit you need an ice pick to break apart.

Bananas are different. You can freeze them in their skins, without wrapping them in any way. Just break them up if they’re in a bunch. Bananas get super mushy after they defrost, so be warned. And if you want slices, go with the IQF method.

How long will it last?

Two to three months.

How to defrost:

In the fridge or on the counter. Because of their high sugar content, berries and sliced fruit will only take 30 minutes or so to defrost at room temperature. You can also just toss them into doughs if you’re incorporating them into a loaf or cake or muffin.

VEGETABLES AND HERBS

Storage:

Wash your vegetables and herbs, and chop them to the size you’re mostly likely to cook them in. Blanch anything you want to retain some snap, like broccoli or green beans. Leafy greens and vegetables that get soft when you cook them anyways (like squash, zucchini, eggplant, or tomatoes) are fine to just pop in a freezer bag raw. As always, remove as much air as you can.

As far as herbs go, the same cleaning and chopping suggestions apply; you can also try to preserve them by freezing them in ice cube trays with enough water to cover them, then storing those herby cubes in a freezer bag.

How long will it last?

Two to three months for vegetables, one to two months for herbs.

How to defrost:

In the pan! Or in the fridge. But be sure to cook them, whatever you do, within a few days.

Keep in mind:

Save your scraps. Kale stems, onion skins, and the like make for great stock. Add them to your designated Future Stock freezer bag. Also, don’t try to use defrosted herbs as a garnish on pastas or salads.

SOUPS, STEWS, AND STOCKS

Storage:

McCoy says that freezer bags are always your best option. They are thicker than standard zip-top bags, which means they keep freezer odors out, and they’re more space-efficient.

Think ahead before you freeze everything in one container: Are you really going to need that entire gallon of chicken stock all at once? If not, break up your batches into smaller batches so you can grab the stock you need for one soup recipe without defrosting an entire ice block. McCoy suggests snack-sized bags for handy portioning.

How long will it last?

You can find recommended freezer lifespans on the FDA website, but McCoy warns that these are usually a little long. The FDA might tell you that soups and stocks can keep safely for up to six months in the freezer, but the flavors really start to fade and start to risk that freezer burn flavor at around two months. Since stock is usually the building block of a recipe, you can freeze it for a little longer than a finished soup.

How to defrost:

You can always defrost in the refrigerator. Slow is best, because it allows for more even defrosting, and ensures that your food stays at a safe temperature. If you’re in a hurry, put your freezer bag in a bowl and run cool water over it.

Keep in mind:

Do not put a blazing hot container of soup or stew or stock directly in the freezer. It risks heating up the rest of your frozen food. Let it cool on the counter for up to two hours; if it’s still warm, stick it in the fridge. Once it’s cooled to room temperature, then you can freeze it.

MEAT, POULTRY, AND FISH

Storage:

Ideally, you want to freeze meat in a vacuum-sealed bag — the less air in there, the less moisture you’ll lose when you defrost it, and the lower the risk of freezer burn taste. If you don’t have a vacuum sealer, simply try to remove as much air as possible from your freezer bag.

How long will it last?

Meat and fish will keep for three to four months, and chicken for six.

How to defrost:

The refrigerator is ideal. You’ll want to get it in there a day before you plan on cooking it, or longer if you have something like a whole bird. If you don’t have that much time, run the bag under cool water.

Keep in mind:

Never put one of those styrofoam-and-cling wrap packages from the grocery store straight into the freezer! The air between the meat and the packaging will lead to freezer burn.

CONDIMENTS AND SAUCES

Storage:

McCoy freezes her condiments and sauces in little snack-sized freezer bags, so she can access small amounts at a time.

How long will it last?

Three to four months.

How to defrost:

The nice thing about sauces and condiments is that if you’re using just a little bit, you can throw it into whatever you’re making without worrying about defrosting. Particularly if you’re freezing it in a small freezer bag, you can just snap a bit off and throw it into your soup or braise while it's cooking. If something like pesto is frozen in a thin enough layer, you can just snap it off and fold it into your bowl of pasta.

Keep in mind:

Emulsified oil-based condiments — like mayonnaise, aioli, even vinaigrette — will break in the freezer and the result will not at all resemble what you first intended to freeze. Just don’t do it.

DOUGHS AND BAKED GOODS

Storage:

If you have small baked goods like cookies or scones, you can just freeze them in a bag after removing as much air as possible. Baked goods dry out fast, so whole loaves should be wrapped tightly in plastic, then again in foil or a freezer bag.

One of the best things you can use your freezer for is storing already-shaped balls of cookie dough for a last-minute cookie snack. Shape them, freeze them on a tray, then store them in a bag. (If a cookie tray won't fit in your freezer, try a few strategically placed plates, or whatever small flat surface you can find.) And you can bake them right from frozen.

How long will it last?

One to two months for smaller items like cookies and bread slices; two to three months for loaves, cakes, and unyeasted doughs.

How to defrost:

On the countertop or in the fridge, but baking it from frozen is your easiest (and best) bet. Depending on the recipe, you may need to add a minute or two to your baking time.

Keep in mind:

Yeasted doughs can be tricky! While freezing your pizza dough isn't a death sentence for your future pizzas, a freezer can damage yeast, and will likely keep your breads and doughs from rising to their fullest potential. This means denser results. If you do freeze, do it for two months or shorter. If you have the option to bake then freeze a yeasted dough (like a dinner roll), do it.

Also, airy breads like sourdough can usually use a little reheating in the oven, or even toasting, to make them taste their best after freezing.

CASSEROLES, BAKED PASTAS, AND OTHER WHOLE DISHES

Storage:

Use an aluminum pan. Even if you’re working with tempered glass, quickly moving it from freezer to oven could be enough to break your precious casserole dish. Once your dish is baked and cooled, wrap it in foil, then tightly again with plastic wrap. McCoy says she's also seen people line a baking dish with foil, bake and freeze it, then lift the frozen casserole out of the dish whole, wrap it up tightly, and store it in a freezer bag.

How long will it last?

Two to three months.

How to defrost:

In the fridge. A 13x9-inch casserole will take two days to defrost fully; something smaller will take just a day.

Keep in mind:

McCoy also recommends freezing bigger dishes like baked pastas or casseroles in smaller portions so they’re easier to heat up; an entire pan of frozen lasagna will take a long time to reheat all the way through, and risks its edges drying out while the center heats. Try covering it with foil for the first chunk of reheating (at 350° F), and then removing the foil and sprinkling on some cheese near the end for a fresh finish.

Also, dishes that freeze the best are those with a high moisture content, like bread pudding or lasagna. Potatoes and other high-starch foods can get a bit mealy after freezing and reheating.