Life Hack: Can I freeze cheese? Seven foods you can pop in the freezer before Christmas
To Safe For Turkey Festive Freeze The Is Season
Now that we’re in December, Christmas preparations are in full swing in homes across the country. Christmas dinner and other festive foods and drinks are an important budgeting aspect and when bargains can be had early in the month it can be tempting to buy now and freeze for later — but is it safe?
Here, we look at some of the festive foods you can safely freeze now and consume later this month.
Spotted a bargain when it comes to your Christmas roast? Luckily turkey is safe to freeze for the festive season. Uncooked poultry like chicken and turkey can be safely frozen for nine to 12 months. When defrosting the bird, remove it from the freezer on December 22 and let it defrost in the fridge for 24 hours per four–five pounds, which means a 15-pound (6.8kg) turkey could take up to three days to thaw.
Similarly, a joint of ham is also safe to freeze, with an uncooked piece good for up to siz months in the freezer. However, it is worth noting that freezing the meat can change the texture and flavour of the final cooked product.
Make and freeze your stuffing ahead of time and defrost it on Christmas Eve in your fridge. Use up stale bread by making breadcrumbs for stuffing, let it dry out, then grind it up in a food processor or use a grater on frozen slices. You can store these breadcrumbs in the freezer for months, or in the fridge for up to a week.
Another time-saving tip for Christmas Day is to freeze your potatoes. For crispy roast potatoes, SafeFood says you can boil them until they’re just starting to get soft, then let them cool. Freeze them on a tray first to keep them from sticking together, then transfer them to a freezer bag. Thaw the potatoes in the fridge on Christmas Eve so they’re ready to roast on Christmas Day.
Freshly made gravy will last for about three days in your fridge, according to SafeFood. However, you can make it earlier in the month and freeze it for use at Christmas. Defrost the gravy in your fridge on Christmas Eve for safe consumption.
Fresh cream can be frozen for four weeks according to Stop Food Waste but the frozen product is best suited to cooking dishes like pasta bakes and soup as it can separate when defrosted. You can also freeze whipped cream for use in desserts by dividing it onto a baking paper-lined tray and putting it into the freezer. Once frozen, the dollops of cream can be place into a freezer bag for storage.
Cheese is also safe to freeze for up to two months but its texture and flavour can be affected so the frozen product is best suited to cooking. If you grate the cheese before freezing it will be easier to use and can reduce deterioration.