I love cooking with my casserole and with my pot. I enjoy being in the kitchen preparing stews and braises for my family and friends. I get excited every time I try new recipes. But I don't always get the measurements right and sometimes I cook for 30 instead of 4.
Here are some little tricks for freezing your stews without losing their texture, flavor, and nutrients. In short, so that when you thaw them they look like they just came off the stove.
One detail to keep in mind: when you put your stew in the freezer, it should not contain potato. The problem with freezing cooked potatoes is that potatoes, once frozen, lose texture and become sandy. I'm not saying dishes that contain potato can't be frozen. Don't worry — if your recipe has potatoes, on the day you reheat it, add the potatoes cut up and let them cook slowly.
To freeze a stew reliably it's also important that you haven't thickened the sauce with starches or thickeners like cornflour; the same thing would happen as with potatoes and it would become pasty. And how do I get a thick sauce? I add more vegetables to the sofrito and purée part of them, then add it back to the pot.
Another solution to thicken the sauce after freezing is to use instant thickeners; these dissolve when hot and don't form lumps, so while you reheat the stew you get a sauce with the desired texture.
Last but not least: all stews meant for freezing, whether meat or fish, must always be thawed in the refrigerator overnight since meat, fish, and vegetables are sources of microbial contamination.
With these practical tips you can preserve your braises, and you won't waste them. Also, you won't be eating the same dish for four days straight out of fear it'll spoil.
Also, knowing the most appropriate and effective technique for freezing stewed dishes, you can take advantage of a day when you have time to spend hours in the kitchen, cook your best recipes to enjoy on other days when you don't have as much time to cook. I do it whenever I can. With this habit I've saved many unexpected dinners and treated myself after a hard day's work. I recommend it!
How about starting with this delicious and irresistible beef stew? You can cook it both in the cast iron casserole and in the ceramic pot.
Source: My experience, the website of Le Creuset and the blog Directo al Paladar
Comments
Claudia said:
Hola Tami, por regla general, cualquier alimento puede estar en el congelador de 2 a 3 meses… A partir de aquí, dependerá un poco de lo que congeles. Muchas cosas aguantan bien hasta 4-6 meses, pero depende realmente de qué alimentos lleve. Un saludo!
Claudia said:
Hola Kim, no soy muy fan de congelar almejas, pero entiendo que no debería haber problema. Más aún con tan poco intervalo de tiemp congelado, por lo que dices sería durante un par o tres de semanas solamente.. Adelante! un saludo,
Claudia said:
Adelante con el guiso de ternera, Norma! :) No hay problema en ponerla en el congelador si te sobra, claro que sí! :)
Tami said:
Hola! Cuantos dias puede estar en el frizer?
kim said:
estoy pensando en cocina un guiso o zarzuela de pescado y después congelarla para no estar tan ajetreada en Navidad pero me da miedo.solo rape gambas y almejas.
me lo recomienda?
Norma said:
Excelente receta. Voy a hacerla. Como carezco de mucho tiempo, tenía pensado hacerla tranquila unos días antes y ponerla en el freezer. Está mal? Tienen alguna advertencia sobre esto?
Sus consejos serán muy bienvenidos.
La receta es fantástica.
Muchas gracias por su respuesta.
Muy cordialmente,
Norma