A freezer is probably not missing in any household, whether it is a small space in an ordinary refrigerator or a huge cupboard in one’s own room, which can fit meat from the slaughterhouse and summer fruits from the garden for the whole winter. Although freezing preservation is usually the best option, there are rules that must not be neglected.
Using the freezer is an ideal way to how to save money and minimize food waste. We often perceive it as a kind of time machine that can stop the aging of food for an unlimited period of time. Unfortunately, that’s it big mistakeand if we fall for it, we can bring ourselves big and long-term problems.
You can also put herbs in the freezer, which we also see in the Youtube video on the Cooking with Dáňa channel:
Do not exceed reasonable limits
Although freezing can of course keep food safe for consumption for a very long time, it doesn’t mean it lasts forever. AND food changes in the freezer and there are limits beyond which their quality and with it i the safety of stored raw materials changes for the worse. We should therefore never cross this imaginary red line in our own interest. How is it actually possible that, for example, such meat can last a really long time in edible quality in the freezer?
Why do frozen things spoil very slowly?
The basic principle of freezing is slowing down the movement of molecules in matter. Microorganisms such as bacteria, mold and yeast go into “hibernation” and stop multiplying – but only until the frozen food thaws again. They will not be destroyed, but only activity stop. What does this mean? Once taken out of the freezer, said microorganisms will come back to life and multiply and spread just as quickly as before. That’s why it is absolutely essential , not at room temperature, when the surface of the food heats up faster than the center.
It depends on the type of food
So how long can we leave individual types of food in the freezer? For example a whole chicken can survive in the cold for up to a whole year without damagebut its parts only 9 months. We can keep beef in the ice drawer for a whole year, while pork only for six months and no longer than a quarter of a year. Sausages lose their quality after only two months. It is clearly true for meat that the smaller its pieces, the more susceptible it is to degradation even in the freezer. If we want to freeze vegetables, we should consume them no later than 8-12 monthslean fish will retain their quality for approximately half a year, but you fatty ones, such as mackerel, should arrive on the plate within three months at most. The basic requirement in all cases is the necessity of uninterrupted frost. As soon as the electricity goes out for the day and the food starts to melt, there is nothing left but to process it as much as possible.
Beware of frostbite
You may have heard the term before frostbite. These are grayish to whitish spots on the meat that we take out of the freezer. The problem arises when the food comes in direct contact with airwhich “pulls” the moisture out of it. Although such places are not harmful to health, they will not be tasty and will acquire a stiff consistency.
Try a simple trick
We prevent frostbite by using packaging designed directly for freezing food and squeezing as much air as possible out of the bag. If you don’t have a vacuum cleaner, a good option is a pot full of water, in which you soak the bag with the prepared ingredients for freezing (of course, so that the water does not penetrate the bag). The water pressure pushes out the air and as soon as the bag is closed just above the surface, only a minimum of unwanted air remains in it.
Large ice crystals as a warning signal
Have you ever found a bag inside? larger ice crystals? This happens, for example, with frozen vegetables, when it seems that the pieces are literally attached to each other and it is clear evidence that the vegetables were slightly thawed and then refrozen. Such a process not only irreversibly destroys the texture of the food, but also suggests that the temperature in the freezer fluctuatedor you have left the bag outside of sub-zero temperatures for a long time, for example when carrying shopping from a store. If you are sure that it is not your fault, check the other foods in the freezer for signs of damage. A stable temperature below the freezing point is essential for preserving their quality.
