_Freezing_
combination main dishes
Home and Garden Bulletin No. 40
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Freezing
combination main dishes
Vacant space in your freezer? Put some of it to use by freezing main
dishes—prepared, ready to be heated or cooked and served. Days or weeks
later you, your family, guests perhaps, can enjoy the results of your
foresight.
Included in this publication are general directions for successful
freezing of such main dishes as the stews, meat loaves, and casserole
combinations made from recipes given on pages 6 to 19.
For tiptop quality and economical use of freezer space, plan your
freezing and use of precooked main dishes so that they will be in the
freezer no longer than 2 or 3 months. However, most of these foods if
properly packaged and stored will not suffer serious quality loss if
kept up to 6 months. After 6 months’ storage, quality often declines
rapidly, but the food is still safe to eat.
Preparing the food
In general, prepare the food as you would if it were to be served right
away. Do not overcook. Some ingredients in main dishes that must be
reheated for serving are better if slightly underdone for freezing. If
cooked well-done before freezing, foods such as vegetables and macaroni
are likely to be too soft when reheated. They also may have a
warmed-over taste.
Soups and sauces thickened with ordinary wheat flour may tend to
separate or curdle on thawing. Frozen gravies, sauces, and soups may be
somewhat thicker after thawing than when freshly prepared, but suitable
liquid can be added to give the desired consistency. Commercially frozen
soups, sauces, and gravies are often made with waxy rice flour, which
results in a smoother product. If waxy rice flour is available, it is a
good idea to use it. However, soups, sauces, and gravies made with
ordinary flour can be satisfactory if they are quick-frozen and stored
at 0° F. for only 2 to 3 months. Stirring during reheating helps to
overcome separation, too.
Crumb or cheese toppings are best added when the food is reheated for
serving.
Pastry crusts frozen unbaked are more tender and flaky and have a
fresher flavor than those baked and then frozen.