USING YOUR CHEST FREEZER
Label everything
•
Many foods look the same when frozen, so careful labelling will help
avoid forgetting what an item is. Storage times being exceeded could
cause food poisoning.
•
You can buy special freezer tape for use in low temperatures. This
tape is available in white, so you can use it to write the items
contents on. You can buy special freezer labels and pens. Labels
vegetables green.
•
Write the contents and date.
If you are really organised add the weight and notes on cooking such
what is in each drawer.
This will save opening the lid and searching around unnecessarily.
Preparations for freezing
•
Leave cooked food to cool completely.
•
Chill food in a fridge before freezing if possible.
•
Consider how you want to cook the food before freezing it.
•
Don’t freeze food in metal containers if you may want to microwave
it straight from the Freezer.
•
polythene bags, plastic containers, aluminium foil (heavy grade only,
if in doubt, double wrap).
Don’t use aluminium foil for acidic foods (such as citrus fruits) Don’t
•
Exclude as much air from the container as possible. You could buy a
special vacuum pump which sucks excessive air
out of the packaging.
•
Leave a small amount of ‘air space’ when
freezing liquids, to allow for expansion.
•
You can use the space in the freezer most
with liquids, such as stew) in square blocks.
This is known as ‘preforming’.
Pour the liquid into a polythene bag
which is inside a square sided
container. Freeze it like this, then
remove it from the container and seal
the bag.
Recommended Storage Periods
(when frozen from fresh)
Fruit Syrup or Sugar packed Fruit
up to 12 months
Open Frozen or Puréed Fruit
up to 18 months
Fruit juices
up to 6 months
Beef
up to 12 months
Lamb
up to 9 months
Veal
up to 6 months
Pork
up to 6 months
Minced meat
up to 3 months
Cured meats
up to 2 months
Sausages
up to 3 months
Packed bacon
up to 3 months
Smoked bacon/ chops/ gammon steaks
up to 2 months
Unsmoked bacon/ chops/ gammon steaks up to 1 month
Chicken
up to 12 months
Duck
up to 5 months
Goose
up to 5 months
Turkey
up to 6 months
up to 3 months
up to 2 months
Smoked salmon
up to 3 months
Caviar
don’t freeze
up to 1 month
Butter
up to 6 months
Cheese
up to 9 months
Cream - double/ whipping
up to 3 months
Eggs - only freeze separated
up to 6 months
Suet
up to 6 months
Milk
up to 1 month
Yogurt
up to 6 weeks
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