<p>My project for this weekend is to cook a batch of chili and freeze it in single-serving containers for lunches. I usually only freeze things like uncooked meat so I have a few questions about freezing food that has already been cooked.</p>
<p>First, I am guessing that I would want to put the food in the refrigerator to cool before putting it in the freezer? Also, do I need to do anything special to the containers? I have glass Pyrex 2-cup containers, if that makes a difference.</p>
<p>I freeze beef stew and the like all the time. I let it cool to room temp, place in freezer container and then put it right into the freezer. If I were freezing individual servings, I would put them in the smaller containers first, that way they will come to room temperature quicker.</p>
<p>(1) You want the food to freeze as quickly as possible. This helps prevent ice crystals from forming, and hence prevents moisture loss. Ideally, your freezer will be set at or below 0 degrees F. When you are putting unfrozen food into the freezer, it is better to set it about -10 degrees F. And, don’t put too much in the freezer at once.</p>
<p>(2) Definitely cool the food thoroughly in the fridge first - otherwise everything else in your freezer will get a quick thaw.</p>
<p>(3) To prevent freezer burn, you don’t want air touching the food. When dry freezer air circulates over the food, it removes moisture. So, you want an airtight seal in a vapor or moisture resistant package. You can use your pyrex containers but only leave a little headspace (maybe 1/4 inch) so that it has just enough room to expand as it freezes.</p>
<p>I do what fishymom does but pop out the frozen food pucks and keep all of them in a gallon freezer zip lock bag.
Easier to keep track when you need to make more beef stew.</p>
<p>Hmm. I freeze chili all the time. I put it in hot. I just put it in various places in the freezer, no more than two containers together. Nothing else has ever thawed. </p>
<p>I wouldn’t let it cool first–that provides the perfect opportunity for bacterial growth, which is warm food. If I were going to cool it, I’d cool it with ice, but as I said, I don’t bother.</p>
<p>Since you are cooking any way, why not do a spaghetti, shepards pie, lasagna etc? I love comming home to something better than I can buy and that cost me pennys. I use the glad or zip lock small containers and once cool pop them in the freezer.</p>
<p>Batllo, I actually do that too. I have been doing that since I froze homemade baby food in ice cube trays 24 years ago. I works great and the pucks fit perfectly into the container “mold” for reheating.</p>
<p>Be careful with the Pyrex containers when you take the food out to cook. I have read that they can shatter if taken from one extreme temp to another. It has to do with the way the newer ones are manufactured. Old ones are fine.</p>
<p>I just put it in individual 2 cup, 4 cup, or 8 cup ZipLock or Glad plastic containers and toss right in the freezer. If it’s really cold outside, I’ll stick the containers outside the door for a few hours and then into the freezer. I don’t see any reason to bring the food to room temp before freezing.</p>
<p>It would take a lot of chili to thaw the freezer!</p>
<p>The only time I cool it first would be if I’m trying to congeal the fat (from stock for example) and remove it before freezing. Then, I’ll put it outside (if it’s below freezing) and/or in the fridge for a few hours until the layer of fat has congealed on top. Remove that, ladle into freezer containers and into the freezer.</p>
<p>I use ziplock freezer bags and express all the air out as I am zipping closed. I also put right in the freezer. I can use smaller single size bags or a gallon bag.</p>
<p>When I cook something my S likes, I freeze 1-2 servings in a zip lock bag (my favorite way is to place the bag in a small rectangular container to freeze it into a stacking shape) or plastic container and he takes them back to his dorm apt. when he comes to visit.
I do let the food cool a little but not completely.</p>
<p>I’ve had good luck with chili, lasagna, spaghetti, well, as you can see, tomato based Italian dishes. </p>
<p>We freeze TONS of food, my mom always makes extra servings of things so she can freeze them, and so I can take them back to my dorm or to my boyfriend-- and I only cook two or three times a week and eat leftovers the other nights, so I freeze a lot, too. I don’t let it cool first, I just put it in the freezer-- never had a problem with the other food in the freezer warming up because of it, it seems the hot food cools enough to not be a problem before the frozen food can actually thaw. I make it a point to use glass storage containers for things like chili and spaghetti so the containers don’t get stained, and I just pop them in the freezer. Chili, spaghetti, lasagna, soup, just about anything. </p>
<p>The only time that I would let cool at all before freezing is if I were using the glass containers, which I only use for red things-- but that would include chili. I only just recently switched to glass so I haven’t had to do it yet, but I wouldn’t want it to shatter.</p>
<p>I know folks have issues with plastic…but I use those two cup Ziploc plastic containers. I let my food cool to a cooler temp…not boiling hot…and I put the stuff in the containers…pop the lids on and place in my freezer. I take them out the night before I’m going to take them for lunch…put them in my lunch bag and use the microwave to heat it all up. I do this with soups, stews, pasta dishes, chili…yum.</p>
<p>Rice and some pasta can have texture issues when frozen and reheated. I still freeze and eat them, but there’s some loss of quality. If this bothers you, use smashed potatoes or polenta or a chewy grain (like bulgur) for the starch when you’re planning to freeze leftovers. I can’t tell the difference between these dishes fresh and frozen.</p>
<p>I freeze complete single-serving meals (say, chili on polenta, or enchiladas and refried beans) in small trays and bring one to work for lunch every day.</p>
<p>Thanks for the information. A few things I’ll have to think about and maybe do a little experimenting. H has decreed no plastics for food storage, hence the Pyrex. The plan is to freeze the chili in the Pyrex, take it out in the morning and leave it in the fridge at work. I am hoping that by lunchtime it will be thawed enough to transfer to a mug to microwave. </p>
<p>Freezer burn might be a problem because I have 2-cup Pyrex containers and was planning to fill them only 3/4 full. Could I maybe put a piece of wax paper over the chili after I put it in the container (and before putting the lid on)? </p>
<p>Balto and fishymom: What’s a food puck? (I searched on amazon and whatever it is, it’s not sold there.)</p>
<p>And LongPrime: What’s wrong with my thread?!</p>
<p>I’ve never frozen anything in a glass container so I don’t know how that works. We freeze things like soups or stews in the plastic ziploc containers or my boyfriend has a re-sealing machine that individually wraps and seals things like meats and whatnot. I don’t know what it’s official name is.</p>