You can't leave food in the freezer indefinitely. No matter how well you package your foods, it will get freezer burn after extended periods of time in the freezer. The US Department of Health and Human Services offers a chart that can be printed and posted on your freezer door to help you keep track of freezing times. Don't know when you stuck something in the freezer? Next time, write the day's date on the storage bag with a permanent marker. Be respectful, keep it civil and stay on topic.
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Uncontrolled freezer burn is never going to make food taste good. However, when this chemical process is controlled and done in a vacuum it transforms entirely into a space-age marvel: freeze-drying. Sarah Wells. Unlike freezer-burned food, freeze-dried food maintains its flavor and texture once rehydrated. Freezer burn can look slightly different from food group to food group, but some indicators are consistent across the board. Most freezer burned food will develop ice crystals and its coloration may change, giving it an overall dull appearance.
Meats often take on a gray-brown color and may look tough or leathery, while fruits and vegetables are visibly dry and shriveled. Freezer burn noticeably affects the flavor and texture of food, resulting in dishes that taste unusually dry and bland.
If you can, trim away visibly freezer-burned portions of meats prior to cooking and add flavor by marinating or seasoning dishes to taste. For ice cream, try removing the freezer-burned layer to expose the less affected ice cream below. To keep foods looking and tasting great, read these tips on how to help prevent freezer burn on meat, vegetables and other essentials. Allowing foods to cool properly before freezing can go a long way in preventing freezer burn.
Storing hot foods in the freezer may raise the temperature of the freezer compartment, causing the surrounding food to partially thaw before refreezing and increasing the likelihood of freezer burn setting in.
When cooling foods like soups, stews and meats, The United States Department of Agriculture recommends quick cooling to avoid the risk of pathogens that lead to foodborne illness. You can do this by allowing foods to cool uncovered in the refrigerator, or setting food inside containers into an ice bath.
Be careful to avoid allowing water and ice from the ice bath to mix with the food inside the container. To prepare fruits and vegetables for freezing, blanch them by boiling them briefly, then draining them and submerging them in ice water. Dry them thoroughly before storing. This helps fruits and vegetables maintain their nutritional value and stops enzymes that would lead to spoiling.
Read on to learn more about packaging food for freezing. Depending on your budget and the type of food, you can use freezer bags, freezer-ready plastic containers, freezer-safe glass or a sealed vacuum bag.
When freezing meat, preventing freezer burn starts with wrapping it in multiple layers of plastic wrap, wax paper or tin foil. Place your items into your preferred container and pack them down to help prevent excess air exposure. If you are using a bag, try to eliminate as much air from it as possible. Keeping your freezer at the proper temperature can help reduce freezer burn by allowing foods to freeze faster, which produces smaller ice crystals that are less likely to contribute to freezer burn.
Whenever you freeze food, make sure that your freezer is set to the proper temperature — zero or below.
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