Good deals on cold cuts and cheese are hard to pass up. However, these items spoil quickly, generally within one week of purchase for cold cuts and within three weeks for hard cheeses. Luckily, you can freeze these items to extend their life. Because certain types of products freeze better than others, finding the right type of product to freeze is essential. Additionally, the manner of packaging and eventually using the products is important if you want to avoid eating potentially contaminated foods. Meat and dairy products require special care to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria that cause food poisoning.
Best Cold Cuts and Cheese to Freeze
Sliced meats such as chicken, turkey and roast beef freeze well, as do processed meats such as bologna. Hard and semi-hard cheeses generally freeze better than soft cheeses. Examples of cheeses that freeze well include swiss, gouda and cheddar. Blue cheese, brie, Camembert and Roquefort do not freeze well.
Freezing Cold Cuts
Remove the plastic packaging and place the cold cuts in freezer bags. Separate the meat into smaller portions for later use. Freeze the cold cuts as soon as you get home from the grocery store. If you are planning on making sandwiches out of your cold cuts, you can save considerable time if you assemble the sandwich before freezing. Freeze each sandwich in a separate resealable plastic bag, and place all of the sandwiches in a larger freezer bag. Because the plastic of freezer bags is thick, your sandwiches will not get freezer burn.
Freezing Cheese
Frozen cheeses have a tendency to become crumbly after thawing. The cheese's texture improves considerably if you grate it before thawing. Alternatively, you can cut the cheese into smaller chunks. Seal the cheese in a freezer bag and place in the freezer.
Using Frozen Cold Cuts and Cheese
Frozen cold cuts must be consumed within two months. Thaw the meats in the refrigerator before using. You can safely freeze cheese for 6 to 8 months before using it. Place the frozen cheese in the refrigerator to thaw. Because it is not safe to refreeze the cheese, use the thawed cheese within 3 weeks and discard any remaining cheese. If you froze a sandwich with cold cuts and cheese, simply put the sandwich in your lunch bag in the morning. The sandwich should be completely thawed by lunch time. Packing frozen sandwiches eliminates the need for ice packs to keep the sandwich cold.
Tags: cold cuts, Cheese Frozen, freeze well, before using, better than
