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Living Well In Yalobusha County

Storing Food In The Freezer


By Pamela Redwine

Freezing is the best way to preserve the fresh-like qualities of food. Per capita consumption of commercially frozen foods has steadily increased since 1937. The amount of home-prepared frozen foods and purchased foods frozen at home is also gaining popularity.

The colder the better

Frozen foods require low storage temperatures because quality continues to change after harvest or slaughter. The higher the temperature, the more rapidly quality deteriorates. For every five-degree increase in storage temperature, changes in quality occur twice as fast.

Many refrigerator-freezer compartments cannot reach or maintain 0 degrees Fahrenheit. Keep frozen foods no longer than a week in such a compartment. This kind of freezing unit usually has no separate outside door.

Packaging

Use only moisture- and vapor-proof materials such as heavy-duty aluminum foil, polyethylene bags, freezer film wraps, glass, plastic and metal containers. The shrink-film wrap on meats in self-serve counters allows air to enter the package and is not suitable for freezer storage beyond two weeks. Overwrap these packages with a moisture- and vapor-proof material to prevent freezer burn.

Quality changes with refreezing

Some foods purchased thawed, especially meats and poultry, have been previously frozen. As long as they were commercially frozen, quality changes are minimal when these foods are refrozen at home.

Generally, the faster the freezing rate, the better the quality is preserved. Commercial freezing is much faster than home freezing. With quick freezing, cells break down less. When water, a component of all food, freezes rapidly, tiny crystals form. Slow freezing forms large ice crystals which cause cells in food to rupture. Moisture leaks out and quality is lowered.

When refreezing foods that were initially frozen at home, expect quality changes. Those changes will be more extreme for texture than for color or flavor. The food, however, should still be acceptable to use.

Why packages say “Do not refreeze”

Frozen food packers want their products to have a good image with shoppers. Because quality can deteriorate if interior product temperatures range up to 40 degrees Fahrenheit, many manufacturers do not recommend refreezing such thawed food because they cannot guarantee quality under such conditions.

Freezer management

A freezer (a chest or upright unit that maintains a temperature of 0 degrees Fahrenheit or below) offers convenience and flexibility, but it can rarely be justified only on the merits of saving money. To get the greatest use out of your freezer, keep it fully stocked. A rapid rate of turnover-once every six months-is recommended to greatly reduce the operating cost per pound of food.

References: University of Missouri Extension Service MP556

 

Recipe of the Week

By Pamela Redwine

Veal Cordon Bleu

8 (2-ounce) lean veal cutlets

? teaspoon freshly ground pepper

2  (3/4 ounce) slices fat free  Swiss processed cheese, each slice cut in half

1 (1 ounce) slice lean ham, cut into 4 equal pieces

 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

6 tablespoons egg substitute

? cup dry breadcrumbs

Cooking Spray

1 tablespoon reduced calorie stick margarine

Parsley sprigs (optional)

Lemon slices (optional)

1.        Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2.       Place veal cutlet between 2 sheets of heavy-duty wrap.  Flatten to 1/8 inch thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin.  Sprinkle freshly ground pepper evenly over 4 cutlets.

3.       Place 1 half-slice Swiss cheese in center of each of 4 peppered cutlets; top each cheese slice with a piece of lean ham. Place remaining 4 cutlets oven ham, pressing edges gently to seal.

4.       Dredge cutlets in flour, and shake off excess flour.  Dip each cutlet in egg substitute then dredge in breadcrumbs.

5. Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray; add stick margarine, and place over medium-high heat until margarine melts.  Add cutlets and cook 2 minutes on each side or until cutlets are lightly browned.  Place cutlets in an 1 x 7 inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake, uncovered, at 375 degrees for 20 minutes. Garnish with parsley sprigs and lemon slices, if desired. Yield: 4 servings.

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