We've all chucked things into the freezer to keep 'em around longer, but when it comes time to actually make those chicken thighs for dinner, thawing can be a total pain... But what if you could skip that step altogether?
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00:00We've all chucked things into the freezer to keep them around longer, but when it comes
00:04time to actually make those chicken thighs for dinner, thawing can be a total pain.
00:09But what if you could skip that step altogether?
00:12Kate Hall is the founder and author of The Full Freezer.
00:15Her approach helps home cooks reduce food waste, save money, and enjoy a wide range
00:20of meal options by using their freezers more effectively.
00:23She recommends freezing almost anything if there's a risk of it ending up in the trash,
00:27The foods that can be frozen that tend to surprise people most are nuts, fruits, and
00:31eggs out of their shells.
00:32Hall says she often freezes vegetables to avoid them going to waste, explaining,
00:37"...vegetables are undoubtedly best cooked from frozen.
00:39By cooking frozen veg over a high heat, particularly sautéing, air frying, or roasting, the excess
00:45moisture evaporates quickly and best preserves the texture, stopping them from going soggy
00:49and limp."
00:50With frozen food, you're five times more likely not to encounter food waste.
00:55When freezing some vegetables, like sweet potato, broccoli, and cauliflower, Hall recommends
00:59blanching them first, advising,
01:01"...this is the process of placing the veg in boiling water and then ice water to deactivate
01:05enzymes which deteriorate the quality."
01:08I find that by doing this, it also helps them to cook more evenly, especially if you are
01:12roasting or air frying.
01:13I've always thought fresh is best.
01:15If you want all of the nutrients, go fresh.
01:18It's not that simple, Cherry.
01:19One tip for cooking veg from frozen is to make sure the baking tray or pan isn't overcrowded
01:24so steam can escape, and if you're boiling or steaming veg that's been blanched, reduce
01:28the cooking duration by the time it was blanched for.
01:32Cooking steak directly from frozen is a game-changer for the busy home cook.
01:36ButcherBox chef-in-residence Ashley Lonsdale says,
01:39"...smaller pieces of protein like boneless steaks can be grilled directly from frozen
01:43with excellent results."
01:45Frozen protein can't take on any seasoning before cooking, but there are ways to circumvent
01:49that with sauces.
01:51And New York's strip steak with a green sauce like chimichurri and steamed rice is one of
01:55Lonsdale's quick and easy favorites.
01:57But cooking meat from frozen can be risky if not done correctly.
02:01Food scientist Jessica Gavin warns,
02:03"...ensure even cooking and safe internal temperatures of around 160 degrees Fahrenheit for ground
02:08meat and 165 degrees Fahrenheit for poultry.
02:11Use an instant-read thermometer to test, adjust cooking times as needed, and maintain a consistent
02:17temperature."
02:18Gavin, who is also a chef, uses the reverse sear method when she cooks her steak from
02:21frozen, explaining,
02:22"...I cook it in the oven at 275 degrees Fahrenheit until nearly done, then sear it in a hot pan
02:28for one to two minutes per side to develop a flavorful crust."
02:32Another tip from Gavin is to cut raw steak into smaller, uniform fillets before freezing
02:36for quicker cooking.
02:39Fish is healthy and delicious when cooked directly from frozen, although harmful bacteria
02:43can grow if safe internal temperatures aren't reached quickly enough.
02:47Lonsdale says,
02:48"...ensure internal temperatures of around 145 degrees Fahrenheit for fish."
02:53Fillets are the best cut of fish when cooking from frozen, and be sure to buy fillets that
02:57are the same size and not too dense to set yourself up for a successful cook.
03:01One of the best ways to cook fish from frozen is broiling.
03:04According to Lonsdale, salmon fillets cook easily under high heat.
03:07If you're cooking fish with skin, broil skin-side up for charred and crispy skin.
03:12Gavin recommends lower temperatures and shorter cooking times to get the best out of your
03:16frozen fish, pointing out,
03:17"...fish like salmon retain nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids better when poached or
03:22baked rather than deep-fried, as high heat can degrade these nutrients."
03:26The best cuts of chicken to cook from frozen are breasts and thighs.
03:30Recipe Rebel chef Ashley Fair shared,
03:32"...when I'm baking frozen chicken breasts, I like to give them a 20-minute head start
03:36in the oven, and then go in and add some seasoning or sauce.
03:39I find that it sticks better to chicken that is not frozen solid, and if I'm using sauce,
03:44it doesn't burn with the long cook time."
03:45Fair cooks her chicken breast at 400 degrees Fahrenheit in a baking dish and covers it
03:50with foil for the first half of the 40-minute cook.
03:52Hall advises cooks to make sure the thickest part of the fillet is 165 degrees Fahrenheit
03:57when cooking chicken breasts from frozen to prevent bad bacteria from developing.
04:02Unless you own a pasta machine or want to prepare gnocchi from scratch, it's unlikely
04:07you're regularly freezing these two Italian carbs.
04:10But it's not too late to start.
04:12If you're overproducing tagliatelle or only using two servings of the big batch of potato
04:16gnocchi you made for dinner, freeze it and cook it straight from frozen next time you
04:20feel like a pasta knight.
04:22Chef and recipe developer Marin Epstein of Eating Works told Mashed,
04:25"...you can leave uncooked gnocchi in the freezer for up to three months before you
04:29cook it.
04:30Gnocchi doesn't keep well once it has been cooked, so I would freeze them and cook right
04:33before you serve."
04:34They only take three minutes to make from frozen.
04:37Prepared ravioli or tortellini meals from the store can also be cooked directly from
04:40frozen.
04:42It's not necessary to thaw them first.
04:43Just follow the package instructions and cook as normal.
04:46On the other hand, fresh pasta should be eaten within 18 to 24 hours of making it.
04:51There are ways to store fresh pasta in the freezer to ensure an easier cooking process.
04:55First, lay the pasta out on a baking sheet or towel to air dry it for an hour or two.
04:59Make sure you dust the pasta with flour then wrap it into little nests.
05:03Or lay it out in a single layer and freeze it in an airtight bag or container.
05:07Unlike the gnocchi and ravioli, cook it directly from frozen, as you normally would.
05:12Another great option for cooking directly from frozen is shrimp and scallops.
05:17You'll find them in the frozen section of the supermarket.
05:19They'll be uncooked.
05:20The shrimp is often shelled and deveined.
05:22Double-check the packaging, and the scallops will be wild-caught and frozen at sea.
05:26ButcherBox's Lonsdale offers this advice.
05:29Seafood can be cooked from frozen by poaching it in a flavorful liquid, which provides an
05:33opportunity to introduce flavor and seasoning during the cooking process.
05:37A Thai shrimp curry would be a good option as the shrimp can poach in the curry-infused
05:41coconut milk.
05:42Or, for convenient summer barbecue vibes, Lonsdale recommends preparing herby sauces
05:46to swipe over grilled shrimp or scallop skewers.
05:49You can throw your frozen shellfish directly into the pot or briefly run cold water over
05:54it before cooking.
05:55Gavin explains,
05:56"...this raises the surface temperature, slightly reduces thermal shock, and reduces the risk
06:01of uneven cooking."
06:02Just make sure that the water stays below the danger zone of 40 degrees Fahrenheit to
06:07140 degrees Fahrenheit, where bacteria can rapidly multiply and cause food-borne illness.
06:13Portioning rice isn't always an easy task.
06:15You can use a cup or two and over-cater for what's needed that day.
06:19The good news is that leftover rice can be frozen and used for a busy weeknight dinner
06:23when you need a convenient option.
06:25Kate Hall's rule of thumb is to use frozen food within three to six months, as long as
06:29your freezer is consistently cold enough at minus 0.5 degrees Fahrenheit and the food
06:34is well-wrapped.
06:35She adds, however, that bulky food like vacuum-packed joints of meat can last up to a year.
06:40Use a plastic freezer bag to store rice to prevent it from drying out due to freezer
06:44burn.
06:45Freezer burn isn't unsafe, it just dries out food.
06:47Hall says,
06:48"...freezer burn is the dehydration of your food.
06:51It's where the moisture in the cells of the food migrates onto the surface and into the
06:54freezer.
06:55By wrapping your food tightly and not keeping food in the freezer for too long, you can
06:58avoid freezer burn."
06:59Can you taste how the freezer burn mingles with the actual burn?
07:04Reheating frozen rice is quick and easy.
07:06When you're ready to use it, just add a tablespoon or more of water and reheat it in the microwave
07:11for about three minutes, or on the stovetop with a lid until it's thoroughly steaming.
07:16The USDA doesn't recommend thawing frozen bacon on the kitchen counter or at room temperature,
07:22because bad bacteria from the surroundings can be introduced to the food.
07:25It's food poisoning.
07:28I have it, too.
07:29I did not sleep for one second last night, and I cracked the bottom of the toilet bowl."
07:34It's instead advised to use a refrigerator, cold water, or the microwave to defrost bacon.
07:39Better yet, cook your bacon directly from frozen.
07:42Kate Hall has a genius method to help you avoid trying to break up clumps of frozen
07:47bacon strips on a Saturday morning.
07:49Using a baking tray with wax paper, roll up each piece of bacon, place them a distance
07:53apart, and freeze it.
07:55If you have enough space in the freezer for the tray long-term, that's great.
07:59If not, place the frozen bacon rolls together in an airtight container.
08:03Each time you need a piece or two of bacon, grab what you need from the bacon bolt.
08:07The meat will naturally unfurl when cooked on the stovetop, in the oven, or air fryer.
08:12Cook until crisp.
08:14Fruits don't defrost well but are great for smoothies, baking, and as frozen snacks, recommends
08:19frozen food expert Kate Hall.
08:21Have you ever tried to freeze overripe bananas?
08:23You peel and chop them up, then stick them in a Tupperware at the back of the freezer
08:27drawer only to have to chisel off what you need each time you make a smoothie.
08:31But Hall's method of pre-freezing chopped fruit and veg before placing it in deep storage
08:36makes cooking fun and easy.
08:38It's similar to how she freezes bacon.
08:40Just chop up the pieces of fruit you want to freeze, bite-sized pieces will do.
08:43If it's blueberries or strawberry-sized fruit, keep it whole.
08:47If it's an apple, peel it first.
08:48Place the fruit evenly spaced on a baking sheet and put it in the freezer until frozen,
08:53which should be about two hours.
08:55Then add your fruit into a freezer bag.
08:56Hall explains,
08:57By doing that first, they're not going to all stick together, and then you're going
09:00to be able to use just as much as you want.
09:03For a real treat, Hall recommends dipping your frozen fruit in melted dark chocolate
09:07and popping it straight back in the freezer.