To Freeze or Not to Freeze

The Sophie's Choice of Saving Food

I make three trips to Trader Joe’s every week, mostly because I enjoy grocery shopping, but also because I forget something on my grocery list every time. I also have a family of five, so when I’m not stopping at TJ’s for a last-minute item, I’m buying in bulk or making large quantities of food to portion and save for later. That means that some of my favorite culinary projects (meatballs, cookie dough, bone broth, pomegranate seeds) have to end up in the freezer.

When folks bought from me, they were full of anxious questions about freezing meat. And now that I no longer have keys to a butcher shop, I too get a little antsy when I put some New York Strip in the icebox.

So I thought I would share a few suggestions on how to best preserve food items in the freezer. Make sure to offer your suggestions in the comments. This post is free which means everyone can participate!

What can or can’t go in the freezer?

You can pretty much turn everything into an ice cube if you want. The rules of thermodynamics work just fine on all foods. The real question is, do you wanna eat said frozen item after it’s thawed. Some foods simply lose their charm after freezing.

Don’t Freeze

• Anything that has to stay crusty, crunchy, or crisp: think breaded and fried items, watery fruits and vegetables, or leafy greens; they all turn to mush after freezing.

• Coffee: Pulling your ground coffee out of the freezer every morning is simply the worst thing you can do to it. Not only does it pick up off flavors from the icebox, but the rapid changes in temperature cause condensation to build up, which creates moisture and accelerates staleness.

• Soft Herbs like parsley, basil, chives, cilantro, etc.): These guys brown very easily when put in the freezer. If you’ve got more basil or parsley then you can use, turn it into pesto, fold it into oil or butter, or mix in some lemon juice and water and freeze it in ice cube tray.

• Egg-based, whipped or dairy-based sauces: these will simply get chunky or separate.

• Cheese, yogurt, cream cheese, cottage cheese: these just go super watery and rubbery.

• Eggs in their shells: They will crack.

Know Your Enemy

First things first, you need to know what causes that pesky boogie man of the icebox, freezer burn.

Freezer burn occurs when a food’s surface moisture sublimates. Ok, that’s a fancy way of saying when a food’s moisture turns from a solid, (i.e. ice) into a gas (i.e. that cool smoke that comes out of your freezer every time you open the door). As a frozen food item loses its moisture, it can cause discoloration and dryness, as well as microscopic “pockets” that create chalky, hard textures, and off flavors.

Here are five freezer do’s and don’ts to ensure you preserve your foods as best as possible.

#1 Freeze Fresh Eats:

This may seem obvious, but even my mom waited to freeze her ground beef until the day before the label said it was to expire. A freezer is not a time machine. If you freeze something that’s about to go bad, chances are it will be rotten when it’s thawed. For best results, freeze things fresh—like when you buy them—not those about to spoil. The sooner they go into the freezer, the fresher they come out.

#2 Undress that Steak and Towel it Down

We’ve got to make sure our food is dry before it heads into the freezer. The problem is, any moisture-rich food wrapped up in butcher paper or plastic wrap starts to sweat the moment it leaves the store, especially if left unrefrigerated during transport.

Unwrap all meats and freezer-headed items when you get home, and inspect for moisture. Sop up any puddles and pat things dry with a cheesecloth or paper towel. Do this again just before freezing to keep away the “burn.”

#3 Wrap It Up

Now that we’ve got the moisture out, you have to account for air, specifically oxygen. We want as little as possible. Oxygen can cause discoloration and deaden flavors. Large pockets or voids are exactly where the freezer burn boogie man likes to lurk. The key here is to wrap things up in two layers—preferably of different materials—with as little air present as possible. Here are some options:

• Vacuum Sealer: Freezer junkies may want to consider a vacuum sealer or cryovac machine. They work really well, but are expensive--especially the bags—and become yet another appliance sitting on your counter.

• Plastic wrap and “Zip-Top” Freezer Bags: This is my go-to method. Wrap in plastic then plop it into a Zip-Top. It’s cheap, easy to perform, and highly effective, although not the most eco-friendly. Wash and reuse those freezer bags if you want to save a turtle.

  • Tip: When I’m sealing zip-top freezer bags, I suck the air out. You can use a straw if you’re squeamish. Or, you can also slowly immerse the bag in water (a large bucket, sink, or…jacuzzi), leaving just a corner unzipped. The liquid will do the work of pushing out all that air.

• Foil and Butcher Paper: Foil and butcher paper are fine freezer layers, and maybe the cheapest and most eco-friendly, but they’re less airtight, and less durable than plastic. If I’m freezing something for less than a month, I seldom think twice and double foil wrap it. If I have an item with a lot of uneven surface area (like a chicken carcass I’m saving for broth), I’ll wrap it in parchment or butcher paper first, with a second layer of foil. Just make sure to check frequently for tears if you go this route.

#4 Date that Bag and Flip it!

FIFO (first in, first out) is one of the primal laws of butchery. It’s also one of the most forgotten rules when freezing. If your memory is as good bad as mine, you’ve gotta get out that Sharpy and label and date every item you put in your freezer. Trust me! You’re gonna forget, and the reality is, freezer burn will affect even the best wrapped foods after 6-12 months. Stack like items with the oldest up front, and organize them monthly.

#5 Know Your Freezer

For best results, know your equipment. If your freezer isn’t cold enough to start, your food will begin sweating again while waiting to freeze (see step #2). Leave items 2-3 hours in the fridge before freezing to get them as cold as possible, and set your freezer to 0°F (or lower) to minimize any cold sweats. Also, things like expensive steaks away from the freezer door (where it’s warmest), and closer to the blower (normally in the back). Finally, try not to open and close your freezer too often.

The Butcher’s Meat-Specific Frosty Freezer FAQs

• It’s still freezer burned! What should I do? If you do get freezer burned meat, it’s more unpleasant than it is dangerous to eat. Simply remove the affected portions after thawing, or include it with your next braise or stew, and cross your fingers it might re-hydrate.

• How long can I freeze? The short answer is, forever, or at least thousands of years. Just ask these guys who recently thawed a wooly rhino in Russia after 25,000 years! But I wouldn’t eat that meat. Well, maybe I would. Regardless, there are trade offs. The USDA has its own opinions on the subject, and they tend to be most conservative. I say 3-4 months, or assume some freezer burn. Take your pick.

• Are some meats better suited for the cold? For sure!

  • Ground meats are the most robust. They’ve got high moisture, soft texture, and portion with ease.

  • Stew and Braising Cuts (chuck, shank, shoulder, rounds) and other “low and slow” muscles do great in the freezer, but remember to portion these cuts beforehand. You’ll need a hacksaw to cut through a frozen chuck roast until fully thawed.

  • Steaks, Chops and Searing Cuts are the most affected by the freezer. Moisture expands when freezing, rupturing the muscle fibers in the process. This affects texture and causes moisture loss after thawing.

• What’s with all this Liquid? All frozen meats release some moisture in the thawing process, especially ground meats. In the business, we call this “purge.” Use a sheet tray or other container to catch that extra juice when thawing. Also, don’t throw the purge down the drain. If the meat is going into a soup, stew, or sauce, you can always add the moisture back into the pot for more flavor. If you just seared a steak, use the purge to deglaze your pan for a show-stopping jus.

There you have it. Now go and fill those freezers up!