foods that don't hold up well in the freezer

[cal1956]

the other day i read a thread about someone that had smoked and made pulled pork and put it in the freezer for an event that was happening a few days later , i have never like pulled pork once it has been frozen ,it somehow changes the taste of it ( at least for me ) and i have tried freezing it both with and without sauce and still don't care for it once it has been frozen, the same is true for my wifes meatloaf . its great fresh made but once its frozen she might as well pitch it in the garbage. i'm sure there are other foods that don't freeze well

 

[Marknmd]

My understanding is it's the air-exposed surface area that gets freezer burned and gives an off taste. Something like a brisket sealed in a cryovac has a great advantage over a cooked meat loaf or a cooked pulled pork. Good luck

 

[Brokenhandle]

We freeze all kinds of meals, always busy working for a living so not always time to make meals. They are quick to heat up and quite often taste as good if not better than they did fresh out of the oven. But we also vac seal everything or use freezer friendly containers. Ziplock bags with freezer burnt food is not good! What I really don't like is when people put a roll of toilet paper on the wrong way...isn't there some form of etiquette for that? We all know what I mean...it only rolls off naturally in one direction! The one other thing I hate is people wasting my time...I once sat and watched a 15 minute video of a guy on you tube growing potatoes in a 3 or 4 foot square wooden box...or so I thought. Anyway watched this guy disassemble his box, board by board and dig out dirt...in the end, he grew 1 potato. I'll never get those 15 minutes back...gone forever! Guess he showed me the way not to grow potatoes!

 

[bbqjefff]

Once I cook it, the leftovers go in the fridge. We don't put it in the freezer after it's cooked. We store a lot of raw meat in there but not cooked.

 

[HowlingDog]

I use a Foodsaver for freezing. I have some pulled pork in the freezer, in Foodsaver bags from last June and they taste just fine. Heat um up, add a little sauce and in a few minutes lunch is ready!

 

[leont]

I had no problems with freezing pork, and the taste was OK. I think I just didn't pay a lot of attention to it, so I need to check it. Also will ask my family whether they'll notice any difference

 

[pineywoods]

We freeze pulled pork, brisket, burgers, meatloaf, and some other things after vacuum sealing it first and it's tastes fine after reheating.

 

[Winterrider]

Just depends on the food item being froze and how long before used. Things like pulled pork are going to have air pockets between the meat which even the vacuum sealer isn't going to omit completely.
Usually use within about 3 months anyhow ( if lasts that long ).

 

[SmokinVOLfan]

Sometimes for fun the kids and I go out to the deep freeze and see who can eat the most ice build up off of the sides. No hands. The winner gets to pick dinner out of the freezer.

 

[sawhorseray]

We freeze pulled pork, brisket, burgers, meatloaf, and some other things after vacuum sealing it first and it's tastes fine after reheating.

Same here. RAY

 

[tx smoker]

Sometimes for fun the kids and I go out to the deep freeze and see who can eat the most ice build up off of the sides. No hands. The winner gets to pick dinner out of the freezer.

When I was a kid my parents played the same game with my brother and I. Since I was far bigger than my older brother I always won and got to pick dinner. Oh the memories....and it saved mom from having to defrost the freezer.

 

[cal1956]

about once or twice a year i make 20 lbs or so for one of my wifes freinds and she freezes it and has never said anything about it so maybe its just me

 

[WI Smoker77]

I am like some above. I freeze Pulled pork and brisket both, but use a vacuum sealer. I have not had a different tasting one that I can recall. Although try to use them up within a month or two.
Side note: We have found that we enjoy reheating the meat up by simply putting the pulled pork in boiling water, then cutting it open when heated thoroughly. Maybe it's in our heads but does seem to retain more of the taste of fresh pulled pork flavor.

 

[DougE]

Side note: We have found that we enjoy reheating the meat up by simply putting the pulled pork in boiling water, then cutting it open when heated thoroughly. Maybe it's in our heads but does seem to retain more of the taste of fresh pulled pork flavor.

Best way to reheat without drying the meat out.

 

[sandyut]

We freeze pulled pork, brisket, burgers, meatloaf, and some other things after vacuum sealing it first and it's tastes fine after reheating.

Same. Freezing is not an issue if you vacuum seal the product first, then freeze. I do it constantly without any loss of quality or taste.

 

[TH-n-PA]

Great

Now I have to have a vacuum sealer......

 

[TH-n-PA]

Since we are here.....

Freezing a rack of ribs?

 

[noboundaries]

I have vac-sealed and frozen smoked pulled pork, brisket, chicken, and tri-tip. When ready to eat, I thaw it slightly in cold water, removed it from the packaging onto a MW safe dish, then nuke it on a low-power setting to avoid cooking it further. It tastes like it just came off the smoker. Plus, I glow in the dark!

 

[SmokinVOLfan]

Sometimes I like to take a frozen strip steak and put it in the toaster. Crank the heat up. It might take a couple rounds but man oh man the sear marks you get on that thing. Doesn't get much better.

 

[tx smoker]

Freezing a rack of ribs?

Absolutely. I do it all the time. They come in packs of 3 racks from Costco so I vac seal them individually because it's just the two of us. After smoking, they can certainly be vac sealed for later use. We typically make tacos out of the leftovers within a couple days though so those don't get frozen, but you can do it without issue.

Robert