Have you ever encountered a frozen meal encrusted in a white, flaky, icy mess? Or what about dry, whitish patches spread across your beloved leftovers? A frustrating reaction, freezer burn is a fancy way of saying, dehydrated frozen food caused by ice evaporation (or sublimation). When your dish has not been wrapped or stored properly, vital moisture is lost. While freezer burnt food does not taste good by any means, it is surprisingly safe and OK to consume. If you do try to salvage your freezer burnt bits, you may want to cut off the parts affected by the burn.
Keep a Stable & Consistent Temperature
Make sure your freezer is set to at least 0 degrees Fahrenheit or lower. This is the proper and safe temperature to preserve your frozen food. To avoid freezer burn, you want to make sure the temperature in your freezer does not fluctuate as this instability causes food to thaw and refreeze. You may want to invest in a thermometer to make sure the temperature is consistent. Also, the fuller your freezer, the better; a full freezer will help maintain a stable temperature in your freezer.
Eliminate Air Exposure
Use freezer-made bags to store your food; usually, these bags are thick, heavy-duty and are a protective barrier around your food. Also, if you do not have a vacuum to seal your products, you will want to make sure you press and squeeze out all of the air possible. Also, make sure that the food inside of your freezer bag is wrapped tightly with an additional plastic wrapping. If you use wax paper, make sure the wax-side is faced down.
Quick Tip: Sick of freezer burnt ice cream? Next time, cover the top of your ice cream container with plastic wrap, gently press down the wrap to get rid of all the air bubbles, then place your lid on top of it.
Use Water, Broth, or Marinade to Your Advantage
Store your food products in water if applicable. The protective ice shell will evaporate first before your food does. Then, when you are ready to cook, allow your frozen block to thaw, allowing the water to melt off to access your meal. Also, feel free to save yourself a step and use broth or marinade to freeze your cooked food in. Not only are you partaking in a simple food prep, but it will protect your meal.
Photo Credit: stevendepolo via Flickr
