Every housewife is faced with a phenomenon such as a catastrophic lack of time. And of course, first of all, the question arises about the proper nutrition of households in the current conditions. Semi-finished products, modern kitchen devices (crock-pots, grills) come to the rescue. Home freezing is very good at saving time. In the freezer, you can put grated vegetables, cheese, fried mushrooms. At the right time, all this instantly turns into a frying pan for soup, gravy or filling for a pie. Is it possible to freeze boiled meat?
Myths and Facts
Some housewives believe that freezing is just a lifesaver. Others, on the contrary, are convinced that finished products need to be either eaten or thrown away. And no exceptions. Who is right, let's figure it out together. So, the six most common myths:
- You can freeze any food. There are many nuances here. Young housewives do not see the difference between storing in the cell cherries or strawberries, fresh herbs or mushrooms. But she is. Cherry will retain its shape and taste, ripe strawberries will turn into porridge when defrosting. Fresh greens can not tolerate low temperatures, if you want to keep it for the winter, then dry or salt. Cream sauces do not tolerate such a temperature difference, they usually fold. Do not freeze eggs in shells or canned food. This does not answer the question of whether it is possible to freeze cooked meat, but we will approach this soon.
- In the cell, time stops. Products may lie here indefinitely. This is correct, but only in part. The temperature in the freezer plays a role: the lower it is, the longer the shelf life. But if you want to get not just food, but a tasty and healthy dish after defrosting, then you should not keep it there for too long. Soups, stews and casseroles should be consumed within 2 months. Speaking about whether it is worth freezing boiled meat, it is possible to recommend such experiments with full confidence, but it should be consumed within 3 months. Raw meat preparations may be edible for 12 months. Cooked poultry up to 4 months.
Safety and taste
- Freezing kills bacteria. This is not true. If products containing traces of pollution were sent to freezing, then the pathogenic microflora will stop its growth, but will begin to develop again after thawing. The only way to get rid of it is to conduct high-quality heat treatment.
- After defrosting, foods must not be frozen again. This is one of the most discussed recommendations. And everyone interprets it in their own way. In particular, disputes over whether it is possible to freeze cooked meat also grow out of it. In fact, you can re-place raw foods in the freezer if they lie in the heat for no more than an hour. For finished meat, there are even less restrictions. But you need to understand that ice crystals violate the structure of meat, and the more repeated procedures are carried out, the worse the quality of the finished dish. It will not work out, but the taste will be completely different.
- Frozen foods have fewer nutrients than fresh foods. Here, the bottom line is what quality the product was placed in the freezer. If it is a summer berry in all the juice, then it will be much more beneficial in winter than fresh, but grown in the winter in a greenhouse. But if the meat began to deteriorate and it was saved by putting it in the freezer, then you should not hope that it will restore its qualities, taste and smell.
Practical recommendations
Raw meat in the freezer does not surprise anyone. This is the basis of daily meals. But it happens, circumstances require a review of the menu. This is usually due to saving time or money. And sometimes both. For a reasonable approach to home economics, you should find out whether it is possible to freeze cooked chicken meat.
For example, the chicken was boiled whole. Of course, such an abundance of meat food will not please the body. It's okay, you can cook a lot of delicious dishes from it. It is practical and useful. When part of the boiled bird is separated for a dinner dish, the rest should not be put in the refrigerator. Even if she does not lie more than 2-3 days, it is still better to freeze.
Preparation stages
There is also an element of planning. Immediately think about how you will use this carcass. If you need it all at once, then you can pack it in one package. Otherwise, divide it into pieces. The second way is better, because if necessary you can get a few bags or even all at once. But to divide the frozen carcass to complete thawing is much more difficult. Most of the discussions on whether it is possible to freeze boiled chicken meat, just concern this point. Well then, just follow the plan:
- Each piece must be packed in a tight bag and signed.
- Boiled poultry should be stored at a temperature of -18 degrees, not longer than 6 days.
- After defrosting, meat should be used immediately. Repeated prolonged heat treatment or placing it back in the freezer leads to the destruction of the tissue structure, a sharp loss of protein and trace elements.
Children's menu
Feeding for a baby begins to give at about 6 months. After the mashed potatoes, it's time to try the meat. And every mom faces one problem. It’s very inconvenient to cook a little piece every day, it takes a lot of time. Is it possible to freeze boiled meat for a child?
Yes, many mothers use this method. Someone freezes small meatballs from raw minced meat, then to stew them with vegetables for lunch. Others boil the chicken, immediately divide it into 3-4 servings and put it in the freezer. After this, it remains only to fold the contents of the bag into the pan, add the vegetables, and after 15 minutes the soup is ready.
Smoked meats for hodgepodge
Since freezing can significantly extend the life of products, you can take advantage of this and make a preparation for the first dishes. Pea soup, hodgepodge, fragrant borsch in Kiev - all these dishes can not do without meat with a “smoke”. Is it possible to freeze cooked smoked meat? Yes, it perfectly retains its properties. The only negative - after defrosting, it loses its juiciness.
- We cut into portioned pieces.
- Only need to be packaged in freeze bags. After that, remove all of them in another bag. The aroma of smoked meats is able to penetrate other products.
- It is very convenient to have such a bag in the freezer in case you want to make a salad. Add the egg, mayonnaise, crackers or cucumber and get a great snack.
Beef or pork storage
Poultry meat is good at cooking quickly. But often there is an allergic reaction to it, especially in children. In this case, you have to abandon it and switch to young beef. Is it possible to freeze cooked meat in this case? It is more rigid and fibrous, so every day for a long time to cook pieces weighing 60 g is even more difficult.
Beef is no different from chicken. Cut well-cooked meat into portions and freeze. Separately, you can stock up on the broth. In this case, there will always be a convenience item on hand for quick lunch.