VIVA – There are various ways to make food more durable and can be consumed at a later date. One way is to freeze food and store it inside freezer.
By freezing food, it will certainly extend its shelf life. This is because freezing food can reduce the growth rate of bacteria in food which can cause food to spoil quickly.
Freezing food itself is not a difficult job, but it needs precision so that the food is not spoiled. Therefore, there are a few things you need to know before freezing food.
Here are some tips and tricks for freezing food as quoted from the website Reader Digest.
1. Use a thermometer to monitor freezer You. For optimal quality, the frezzer should be at -17 degrees Celsius.
2. Cool food quickly and evenly before freezing.
3. If you’re not sure something will freeze well, try small amounts first. After defrosting and reheating, decide if the quality is up to your standards.
4. Season lightly your food before freezing and add more later if necessary. Spices change taste during storage freezer.
5. Fill two-thirds of the refrigerator with food for energy efficiency.
6. Leave space around each frozen food so that air can circulate.
7. Manage quantities so that whatever is placed in freezer will freeze within 24 hours. Adding lots of food at once can increase the freezing time of food.
8. Keep nuts, flour, and juice at the door because they are opened frequently. Save section freezer cooler for other foods.
9. Freeze fruits and vegetables.
Also, make sure that you defrost your food safely. If you’re gonna put something out of the way freezer? There are three safe methods for thawing frozen food.
1. Refrigerator
Removing frozen food from the refrigerator is the safest and least complicated method, but it’s also the slowest, so plan ahead. Small items like a pound defrost beef last night. Most items take a day or two.
For small beef and roast pork, leave for 3 to 5 hours per pound of meat; for larger cuts, wait 5 to 7 hours. A whole turkey will take 24 hours for every 4 to 5 pounds.
2. Cold water
This type of defrosting takes less time than a refrigerator but is more of a concern. Place food in watertight plastic storage bags; Place the plastic in cold water. Change the water every 30 minutes until the food is thawed.
3. Microwave
Deep defrosting microwave perfect for defrosting last minute small items. Unwrap the food and place it on a safe plate microwave. Cook food immediately after thawing.
Here is the time to store food in the refrigerator or freezer:
– Soup & Decoction 2-3 months
– 1 month raw bacon
– Raw steaks 6-12 months
– Ground Beef 4 months
– Chicken pieces that have been cooked for 4 months
– 9 months raw chicken pieces
– 12 months whole chicken
– Cooked fish for 4-6 months
– Shrimp that have been cooked for 3 months
– Ice cream for 2 months
– Hard or soft cheese 6 months
– Butter 6-9 months
– 8 months Frozen Vegetables
– Cheese cake 2-3 months
– Toast 2-3 months
– Yeast Bread or Bread 3-6 months
– Bake Cookies 8-12 months
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