How to freeze rice balls, storage period, and arranged recipes [use leftover rice]

Did you know that you can freeze rice balls for a longer time with just a few tweaks?

Speaking of onigiri, it's a good way to prepare rice balls because they're easy to eat, and because they contain ingredients, they're also nutritious.

Freeze that rice ball? Some people may think so.

If you have leftover cooked rice, it may be common to put it in Tupperware and freeze it, but there are actually various benefits to making rice balls and freezing them.

Advantages of freezing rice balls

You can make it in bulk and eat it whenever you want.

Of course, if you have leftover rice, you can freeze it as is, but by making it into rice balls, you can eat it ``just heat it up and don't touch it.''

It saves time

Great for children's breakfast and snacks, and also recommended for people who live alone and don't cook rice every day.

It saves time when making lunch boxes, and can be prepared quickly when you're hungry (for a late-night snack, etc.) or as a snack for your child.

You can make effective use of leftover rice

You can make it into grilled rice balls and change the ingredients to keep it from getting boring. You probably buy rice balls at convenience stores or supermarkets.

It is economical to make lunch boxes using rice balls that you have made and stored at home.

How to freeze rice balls and ingredients that go well with them

How to freeze rice balls

1) Cool the rice to the point where it won't burn you. (If you use plastic wrap or a special rice ball container, you can make rice balls even at high temperatures.)

The key is not to let it cool down too much. Grab it before the water runs out.
It is recommended that steam be produced.

By wrapping the rice balls in plastic wrap along with the steam, the rice balls will be moist and fluffy when thawed.

2) Add the ingredients and squeeze.
From a preservation perspective, mixing 1 to 3 tablespoons of vinegar to 3 cups of rice will prevent it from spoiling. I will introduce recommended ingredients later.

3) Wrap each piece individually in plastic wrap, remove from heat, and place in the freezer.

If you think it will last longer, remove the air and put it in a freezer bag. (Prevents freezer burn and dryness)

From a preservation perspective, wrapping the glue later will prevent it from getting damaged.

[Precautions when freezing]
This is common when you want to freeze rice balls, but it is better to avoid cooking the rice balls with your bare hands to prevent bacterial growth and extend the shelf life.

To make it safer and extend its shelf life, if you plan on storing it, try holding it using plastic wrap, cooking gloves, etc.

Introducing ingredients that are delicious even when frozen

Here we will introduce ``Ingredients that can be delicious even in frozen rice balls'' as an example.

When choosing ingredients, if you want onigiri to be long-lasting, you should be careful not to use onigiri with meat or mayonnaise (with a high oil content).

Ingredients suitable for frozen rice balls are ones that have a low moisture content and a strong flavor.

- Pickled plums (seedless), salted kelp, grilled salmon, and yukari are recommended.
Umeboshi only has a preservative effect on the parts that touch it, so chopping it up and mixing it in will increase its effectiveness.

- Recommended ingredients include minced meat, sesame kelp, fried chicken (with strong flavor, chopped into small pieces), and cooked rice.

・Tuna mayonnaise is difficult to make because it contains a lot of oil. If you make it normally, the oil will seep into the rice when you defrost it, causing it to fall apart and not taste as good.

The key to success is to "squeeze the oil thoroughly" and "use a little mayonnaise." If you want to make it more difficult to crumble, you can also mix it into the rice in advance.

We also recommend that you add 1 tablespoon of mentsuyu to each can of tuna to season it, as the stronger the flavor, the better it will go with rice balls.

How to thaw rice balls and storage period

How to thaw frozen rice balls

1) Thaw in the microwave while still wrapped in saran wrap (warm thoroughly)
The trapped steam will steam the rice balls, making them fluffy. If you heat it too much, it will become hard, so keep an eye on it while heating.

2) Remove the plastic wrap, wrap it in nori and eat it (put it in your lunch box)

*Frozen rice balls cannot be thawed naturally.
If you leave it as is and try to eat it, the rice ball will become very lumpy and inedible. Please reheat it even if it is a hassle.

Storage period of rice balls

Refrigerated shelf life is only 1 day.

However, the shelf life of frozen food is approximately one month. It can greatly extend the storage period. However, as time passes, it deteriorates.

Make a note of the date you saved the food in the freezer pack so you don't miss the opportunity to eat it early.

Exquisite arrangement recipe for rice balls

Easy and rich men's meat-wrapped rice balls

Source: https://cookpad.com/recipe/3285983

☑〈材料　10個分〉
俵おにぎり10個
豚薄切り肉10枚
白ごま適量
■ 【調味料】
水100cc
酒100cc
醤油100cc
砂糖大さじ4
みりん 大さじ2

<How to make>
1) Defrost the frozen straw rice ball (make the rice ball smaller than the width of the meat) in the refrigerator or in the microwave.
At the same time, mix all the seasonings.
2) Spread the meat and roll it into rice balls.
3) Let's grill the rice balls. First, place the meat with the end of the roll facing down for grilling and cook over medium heat.
When the end of the meat roll is browned, turn it over to cook the whole thing.
When the whole thing is cooked, absorb the excess oil with kitchen paper, then add the seasonings.
Boil until all the meat is coated.
5) Arrange on a plate and sprinkle with white sesame seeds to complete.

Grilled rice balls with leftover rice

There are frozen and grilled nigiri products available. With this recipe, you can make delicious frozen grilled rice balls yourself. It is convenient that you can eat it right away when you want to eat it.

Source: https://cookpad.com/recipe/2051233

☑〈材料　５個分(１個あたり80〜90g)〉
ご飯400g
醤油30g
みりん 10g
白炒り胡麻5g
本だし 5g
塩ひとつまみ

<How to make>
1) Mix all ingredients. Grab a rice ball. There are approximately 5 ingredients. If using cold rice, reheat it before mixing the ingredients.
2) Lay out the rice balls from 1) on a parchment paper to prevent them from sticking to the plate.
Preheat the oven to 250℃ and bake on the top rack for 10 minutes on each side.
It burns easily, so keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn't burn.
3) Once they have cooled down, wrap them one by one in plastic wrap and put them in the freezer.
When grilling, you can also add sesame oil to a frying pan and fry it.
You can also bake it in a toaster oven covered with foil.

Easy chazuke with grilled rice balls

Source: https://cookpad.com/recipe/730342

☑〈材料1人分〉
焼きおにぎり１個
鰹節適量
鮭フレークお好み
顆粒ダシ少々
わさびお好み
お湯お好み
塩少々

<How to make>
1) Thaw the fried and frozen rice balls in the microwave.
2) Place the dashi granules, salmon, bonito flakes, and salt on top of the rice ball and pour over hot water.
3 Add wasabi to your preference and complete.

Spicy grilled rice balls

Source: https://cookpad.com/recipe/673041

☑〈材料1人分〉
焼おにぎり1個
唐辛子入りラー油少々
醤油少々
焼き海苔1枚

<How to make>
1) Drizzle some chili oil and soy sauce on both sides of the frozen grilled rice balls.
2) Heat 1) in the microwave for about 2 minutes, wrap it in nori and it's done.

Frozen grilled rice ball risotto

Source: https://cookpad.com/recipe/3174859

☑〈材料1人分〉
冷凍しておいた焼きおにぎり1個
スライスチーズかとろけるチーズ　1枚
牛乳50cc
あら挽き黒こしょう　適量

<How to make>
1) Place sliced cheese on a frozen grilled rice ball and pour milk over it.
2) Leave a little gap and wrap it in plastic wrap. Heat in microwave at 500W for 3 minutes
3) Break up the rice balls and mix well. Finish with coarsely ground black pepper to taste.

Conclusion

What did you think.

Even if you just freeze rice balls, you can make them delicious just by following a few tips, so please take notes and put them to use.

Also, instead of just eating frozen rice balls as is, you can try arranging them to prevent your menu from getting stuck in a rut.