Are you unsure if frozen food in your freezer is still safe to eat?
Here’s what you need to know about the safety and quality of frozen foods:
Long-term storage of perishable foods in the freezer is safe, as long as the temperature is maintained below 0 degrees F.
Cami Wells
Freezer burn does not make food unsafe, merely dry in spots. It appears as grayish-brown leathery spots and is caused by air coming in contact with the surface of the food. Cut freezer-burned portions away either before or after cooking the food. Heavily freezer-burned foods may have to be discarded for quality reasons.
To avoid freezer burn, wrap freezer items in heavy freezer paper, plastic wrap or foil. Be sure to label and date all packages and use the oldest food first.
People are also reading…
If food is thawed in the refrigerator, it is safe to refreeze it without cooking. However, there may be a loss of quality because of the moisture lost through defrosting.
If you have previously cooked food that has been frozen and then thawed, you may refreeze the unused portion.
Freeze food as rapidly as possible to preserve quality. Slow freezing causes large ice crystals to form, which can damage the texture and flavor of the food.
Never thaw foods in a garage, basement, car, dishwasher or plastic garbage bag; out on the kitchen counter, outdoors or on the porch. These methods can leave food unsafe to eat.
There are three safe ways to thaw food: in the refrigerator, in cold water, or in the microwave. It’s best to plan ahead for slow, safe thawing in the refrigerator. Small items may defrost overnight; most foods require a day or two. And large items like turkeys may take longer, approximately one day for each 5 pounds of weight.
Cheesy Pork Stuffed Bell Peppers
Cheesy Pork Stuffed Bell Peppers
4 large bell peppers
1/2 pound fresh pork sausage
2 cups cooked brown rice
1 cup frozen corn
1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup salsa
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup reduced-fat shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1/2 cup chopped cilantro (optional)
Wash hands with soap and water. Clean bell peppers by scrubbing with a clean vegetable brush under running water. Clean cilantro by gently rubbing under cold running water. Prepare as directed.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray.
Cut bell peppers in half and remove core, membrane and seeds. Place on prepared baking sheet and set aside.
In a large skillet, brown sausage until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F when measured with a food thermometer. Drain fat and turn off heat.
Add cooked rice, corn, beans, salsa, spices and 1/2 cup of cheese. Stir well.
Evenly distribute meat mixture into the bell pepper halves. Top with the other 1/2 cup of cheese.
Bake for 30 minutes or until cheese is melted and peppers are hot and softened. Sprinkle with cilantro, if desired, and serve.
Store leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to four days.
Makes 8 servings.
Nutrition information per serving: Calories 250, total fat 9g, saturated fat 3.5g, cholesterol 30mg, sodium 580mg, total carbohydrates 27g, fiber 5g, total sugars 5g, includes 0g added sugars, protein 15g.
Cami Wells is an Extension Educator for Nebraska Extension in Hall County. Contact Cami by phone at 308-385-5088, by email at [email protected] or visit the Hall County website at www.hall.unl.edu
#lee-rev-content { margin:0 -5px; }
#lee-rev-content h3 {
font-family: inherit!important;
font-weight: 700!important;
border-left: 8px solid var(–lee-blox-link-color);
text-indent: 7px;
font-size: 24px!important;
line-height: 24px;
}
#lee-rev-content .rc-provider {
font-family: inherit!important;
}
#lee-rev-content h4 {
line-height: 24px!important;
font-family: “serif-ds”,Times,”Times New Roman”,serif!important;
margin-top: 10px!important;
}
@media (max-width: 991px) {
#lee-rev-content h3 {
font-size: 18px!important;
line-height: 18px;
}
}
#pu-email-form-breaking-email-article {
clear: both;
background-color: #fff;
color: #222;
background-position: bottom;
background-repeat: no-repeat;
padding: 15px 0 20px;
margin-bottom: 40px;
border-top: 4px solid rgba(0,0,0,.8);
border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(0,0,0,.2);
display: none;
}
#pu-email-form-breaking-email-article,
#pu-email-form-breaking-email-article p {
font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, “Segoe UI”, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, “Apple Color Emoji”, “Segoe UI Emoji”, “Segoe UI Symbol”;
}
#pu-email-form-breaking-email-article h2 {
font-size: 24px;
margin: 15px 0 5px 0;
font-family: “serif-ds”, Times, “Times New Roman”, serif;
}
#pu-email-form-breaking-email-article .lead {
margin-bottom: 5px;
}
#pu-email-form-breaking-email-article .email-desc {
font-size: 16px;
line-height: 20px;
margin-bottom: 5px;
opacity: 0.7;
}
#pu-email-form-breaking-email-article form {
padding: 10px 30px 5px 30px;
}
#pu-email-form-breaking-email-article .disclaimer {
opacity: 0.5;
margin-bottom: 0;
line-height: 100%;
}
#pu-email-form-breaking-email-article .disclaimer a {
color: #222;
text-decoration: underline;
}
#pu-email-form-breaking-email-article .email-hammer {
border-bottom: 3px solid #222;
opacity: .5;
display: inline-block;
padding: 0 10px 5px 10px;
margin-bottom: -5px;
font-size: 16px;
}
@media (max-width: 991px) {
#pu-email-form-breaking-email-article form {
padding: 10px 0 5px 0;
}
}
.grecaptcha-badge { visibility: hidden; }