Jersey Fresh Tip #4

THE DEEP FREEZE

The freezer is certainly a wonderful invention, and has come a long way since the very first "ice box." But the freezer must also be treated with respect, as well as the food you put in it.
If you buy raw meats in bulk and are planning to store them in the freezer until you're ready to use them, always put the raw meat into a zip-top freezer bag once you get them home from the store. Separate them by type (i.e. put chicken with chicken, and fish with fish), and do not overfill the bags. Make sure you squeeze out as much of the air as you can before sealing up the bag. This will help prevent freezer burn. It's also a good idea to label and date your bags with a permanent marker so you know what's in them and when you put it in the freezer. For example: Boneless Chicken Breasts - 8/15/09.
Take note of how long you keep each food item in the freezer. Here is a great freezing chart that tells you how long each food item stays "good" in the freezer. You can usually give or take a few days or so, depending on your individual freezer, but it's always best to play it safe.
Never EVER take meat out of the freezer, let it thaw, then put it BACK in the freezer! Once you have cooked the meat, you can put it back in the freezer in an air-tight container, but re-freezing raw meat is bad news...just don't do it. If you take something out of the freezer, and decide not to use it right away, store it in the fridge for only a few more days before it goes bad.
Ice cream...everybody's favorite. Until is starts growing ice crystals on it. If this happens, chuck it...please.
Be sure to check the temperature of your freezer every now and again. If you notice that everything has ice crystals on it, or if ice cream is rock hard when you take it out, turn the temperature down a little - and by down, I really mean up because your freezer is too cold. If you notice that things aren't freezing correctly or completely, turn the temperature a couple settings colder.
Don't overcrowd your freezer because then the air in the freezer doesn't flow as freely, and you will have unevenly frozen foods.

Above all, use your common sense when it comes to your freezer. Learn to recognize when food is no good anymore, and as always, keep it New Jersey Fresh!!