Fisher & Paykel RF135 Meat, poultry and game, Fish, Vegetables, Prepared and cooked foods, Fruit

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Storing food in your freezer

Meat, poultry and game

■■Do not try to freeze more than 22lb (1kg) meat per 0.9 cu.ft (25 L) freezer

capacity. Meat must be frozen quickly in order to maintain its texture.

■■	Do not stuff poultry before freezing.
■■	Red meat can be cooked from frozen, or from the partly or completely
	thawed states. Remember to allow extra cooking time if cooking from frozen.
■■	Always thaw poultry completely before cooking.

	Fish
■■	Fish is best frozen commercially. If however you do want to freeze fish
	at home, make sure the fish is very fresh and of high quality.

■■Clean, scale and preferably leave whole. All fish should be wrapped in

	two layers of packaging as depending on the type of fish, odors and
	flavors can be readily transferred either to or from it. Seal well.
■■	For best results, cook from either the frozen or partly thawed state.

23US CA

Vegetables

■■Most vegetables freeze well, although ‘salad’ vegetables lose their crispness. Other vegetables eg celery, onion and tomatoes should

only be used in cooked dished as they soften on thawing. Freeze only high quality, mature, ready-to-eat vegetables. Sort and discard any that are damaged.

It is necessary to blanch most raw vegetables prior to freezing Blanching involves a short cooking period during which vegetable enzymes are destroyed. If these enzymes are not destroyed they

cause undesirable physical and chemical changes during freezer storage.

■■Vegetables can be blanched in boiling water, steam or microwave oven. If using boiling water, boil vegetables for 2 – 4 minutes and cool quickly.

■■In general frozen vegetables are best cooked from their frozen state, i.e. Do not thaw.

	Prepared and cooked foods
■■	Most cooked foods can be frozen but it is not recommended to freeze
	the following:
■■	Cooked egg white, custards, cream fillings and milk puddings, gelatine
	or jelly-like dishes, mayonnaise and similar salad dressings, meringue
	toppings. These tend to separate on thawing.
	Fruit
■■	Choose high quality, mature, and ready to eat fruit. Preferably select
	varieties recommended for freezing.
■■	Avoid unripe and over-ripe fruit.
■■	The way fruit is packed depends on how it is to be used. Fruits packed in
	syrup are ideal for deserts, whereas fruits packed without sugar are better
	used for cooking. Most fruits can be stored for 8 – 12 months.