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Andrea Rivera Wawrzyn
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Tag: Freezing & Storing Food
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Can You Freeze Broccoli? Why This Step Is a Weeknight Lifesaver
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Yes, You Can Freeze Guacamole (But Never Do This)
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We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.But have you ever made too much guac? If you’ve ever wondered whether you can freeze guacamole, the answer is yes, with some very important tips. Freezing guacamole is a convenient way to preserve leftovers or to make ahead for burrito bowls, cheesy nachos, or steak quesadillas.
Before you start freezing batches of guacamole, there are a few key things you should know.
For the best texture, we recommend freezing just the mashed avocado by itself. If you freeze guacamole with tomatoes and onions (or other ingredients, like jalapeño peppers and cilantro), they will release water as they thaw, leaving you with watery guacamole.
To freeze guacamole, follow these simple steps:
How Long Can You Freeze Guacamole?
Guacamole can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. Make sure to label the freezer bag with the date you made the guacamole so you can keep track of how long it’s been frozen.
Tips for Thawing Frozen Guacamole
When you’re ready to enjoy your guacamole, let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Once it has thawed out, add your other ingredients and seasonings, and stir well before serving.
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Jan Valdez
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This Is The Best Way to Freeze Cookie Dough So It Lasts for Months
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We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.There are any number of reasons why you might want to stash some cookie dough in the freezer. Maybe you like having treats on hand in case company stops by. Maybe the first day of fall kickstarted your holiday baking gene. But we’re friends here, so let’s be honest: Frozen cookie dough in our freezer means warm, gooey, fresh-baked cookies any time we want one. Here are the best ways to freeze your favorite cookies for later.
How To Freeze Cookie Dough
For the purpose of freezing, let’s divide cookies into three main categories: chunky cookies, tender slice-and-bake cookies, and cut-out cookies.
How To Freeze Chunky Cookie Dough
Chunky cookies, like chocolate chip and oatmeal raisin, freeze best if you portion out the dough beforehand. Scoop out the dough just as if you were about to bake it, but then freeze it instead. Once frozen, the little balls of dough get sealed up inside a plastic freezer bag — when you need a cookie fix, just grab as many as you want to bake.
How To Freeze Slice-and-Bake Cookie Dough
By slice-and-bake cookies, I am referring to any fairly smooth, fairly tender cookie, like shortbread or sandies. These get pressed into logs, wrapped in wax paper, and frozen solid. They can be crumbly right out of the freezer, so when you’re ready to bake, let them warm for a few minutes before slicing. If you can plan ahead, letting the logs thaw in the fridge for a few hours is even better.
How To Freeze Cut-Out Cookie Dough
Last but not least, we have cut-out cookies, like sugar cookies and many holiday cookies. The dough for these cookies can be frozen in disks just like a flaky pie crust. When ready to bake, thaw until pliable and continue with the recipe. Freezing the dough for cut-out cookies is a little less of a time- and labor-saver than the other cookies, but it’s handy to break up the work of a big cookie-baking project or if you start a batch of cookies and get interrupted in the middle.
Most frozen cookies will need an extra minute or two in the oven. Otherwise, prepping and baking the cookies is exactly the same as in the recipe — you’re just giving them a freezer vacation in the middle.
Reasons to Freeze Cookie Dough:
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Emma Christensen
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What to Do If Your Turkey Is Still Frozen on Thanksgiving Morning
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We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.Even the most well-seasoned cooks have experienced the dread of the turkey still being frozen or half frozen on Thanksgiving morning. Maybe you decided to host last minute, or your fridge was so packed with holiday meal prep, that big bird in your fridge just did not thaw.
Don’t panic — whether you’re 24 hours out from roasting the turkey or your family is arrive later in the afternoon, you’ve got options. This handy guide will walk you through what to avoid, as well as how to thaw or roast your turkey depending on its near frozen state.
Mistakes to Avoid When Quick-Thawing Your Turkey
The risk of giving you and your guests food poisoning is just too great.
So, why can’t you do any of these things? Besides looking silly with a hair dryer, if any part of the turkey is within the temperature “danger zone” of 40°F to 140°F for longer than two hours, the likelihood increases that it has developed unsafe levels of bacteria and related toxins. This means that even if the inside of your turkey is still frozen, once the outside thaws to above 40°F, it’s in the danger zone.
Even cooking your turkey thoroughly in the oven doesn’t guarantee that the turkey is safe to eat — most bacteria will be destroyed, but the illness-causing toxins remain. There are times when you can bend the food safety rules and times when you shouldn’t. This is just one of those times when it’s not worth the risk.
If You Have a Few Hours to Spare
The best way to thaw a turkey is to leave it in the fridge for a few days, but if you’re reading this, then that option has probably passed you by. Not to worry — you can also thaw your turkey more quickly by submerging it in cold water.
Thawed this way in cold water, estimate roughly 30 minutes for every pound of turkey (so, an 8-pound turkey will take 4 hours to thaw using this method). This can of course take a while for a large turkey, so be sure to plan the rest of your meal — and the dinner bell — accordingly. Personally, I like this method the best if my turkey has already done some thawing in the fridge but is still partially frozen. The cold water helps it finish thawing the rest of the way time for dinner.
If There’s No Time to Thaw
If you’re up against the clock and have no time left for even the “quick” cold-water thaw, then just cook the turkey frozen. It’s perfectly safe to cook a frozen or partially frozen turkey in the oven — you just need to allow some extra cooking time, according to the USDA.
Estimate 50 percent longer cooking time for a completely frozen turkey and around 25 percent longer for a partially frozen turkey. (For example, a completely thawed unstuffed turkey that’s 18 pounds will take roughly 4 hours to cook, and a frozen turkey will take around 6 hours). In either case, check the temperature and cook the turkey until it registers 165°F in both the breast and the thigh.
The advantage of cooking a frozen turkey is that you still get to sit down to dinner in a timely manner with none the wiser for your turkey snafu earlier in the day. The disadvantage is that you’re stuck with a fairly basic roast turkey — no brining, deep-frying, or any other fancy turkey techniques here. You can, however, brush the turkey with butter and rub it with salt, pepper, and spices partway through cooking to give it some color and flavor.
But even when cooking a frozen turkey, you can still count on plenty of crispy skin and tender meat, and most importantly, Thanksgiving is saved.
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Emma Christensen
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How to Make and Store All Your Thanksgiving Pies Ahead of Time
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We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.
Making your Thanksgiving pies ahead of time can be a lifesaver when it’s crunch time in the moments leading up to the holiday dinner, but there’s a right and a wrong way to do it. Whether you’re making an apple pie or pumpkin pie, there’s a few things you can do to ensure they’re as delicious as possible on Thanksgiving day. Here’s exactly what you need to know to prep and store your holidays pie in advance.
Fruit pies, like apple or pear, can be made ahead and stored a few different ways. You can either freeze them unbaked or baked for up to three months. Here are the details:
How to Freeze Fruit-Based Pies Months Ahead
How to Bake a Fruit Pie After Freezing
How to Make a Fruit Pie a Few Days in Advance
Want to avoid the freezer all together? You can bake a fruit-based pie a few days in advance as long as it’s stored properly.
Custard or Nut-Based Pies
The make-ahead rule for freezing custard or nut-based pies are a bit more strict. This includes pies like pumpkin, sweet potato, and pecan. Avoid freezing custard or nut-based pies unbaked because the uncooked egg filling can curdle when it’s thawed. These pies freeze successfully after they’ve been baked — but for no more than one month.
How to Freeze Custard and Nut-Based Pies a Month Ahead
How to Make a Custard Pie a Few Days in Advance
You can skip the freezer and bake your custard pie a couple of days in advance. Loosely covered with plastic wrap or aluminum foil, you can store your pie in the fridge for up to four days.
Thanksgiving Pies to Make Ahead Now
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Sheela Prakash
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