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Guidelines To Freezing Foods

Linda Giuca The Hartford Courant

There’s often confusion about the guidelines for freezing food. Here are answers to a few commonly asked questions:

Q: Can I refreeze meat?

A: Meat that has completely thawed should be cooked before it is frozen again. If it is still partially frozen (as in the case of a power outage or freezer problem) - still hard or full of ice crystals - it can be refrozen. Remember, however, that refreezing anything will affect the quality or texture.

Q: I’ve had a pork roast in my freezer for a year. Can I still use it?

A: Yes. Freezer storage recommendations relate more to quality than to safety. If a pork roast has been wrapped and frozen properly, it should be safe to eat even after the 4- to 6-month recommended storage time. However, the meat may not taste as fresh or may have a drier texture.

Q: Can I freeze cheese?

A: It depends on what kind it is. Hard cheeses such as Cheddar and softer cheeses such as blue can be frozen up to six months but tend to be crumbly when defrosted. Grated cheese freezes well with no change in texture. Cream cheese will keep in the freezer for about six weeks before it turns yellow and hard.

Q: Do I have to blanch fresh vegetables before freezing them? What about fruit?

A: For the highest quality during the maximum storage time, yes. For short-term storage, you can get by without blanching. For example, corn on the cob frozen in its husk will fare well for a couple of months but won’t taste as fresh if kept longer.

Fruit does not require blanching. Packing fruit in a sugar syrup or tossed with granulated sugar usually helps to maintain the quality.

Q: Is it better to bake a pie before or after freezing?

A: It doesn’t make any difference. You’ll have a soggy crust either way. You might try freezing the unbaked pie crust and the filling separately, then putting them together just before baking.