[Explanation with photos! ] How to freeze pork, expiration date, and 5 recipes!

There are many different types of pork, including ground meat, slices, and blocks, but did you know that all types of meat can be frozen?

Frozen meat is often sold at supermarkets, but you can actually freeze pork in your home freezer.

Normally, it can only be stored in the refrigerator for about 1 to 3 days. However, if you use refrigeration, you can store it for at least 1 to 2 weeks.

In addition to frozen preservation methods, this article provides information on appropriate thawing methods, storage periods for each type, and recipes using frozen meat. If you are interested in freezing pork, please take a look.

pork nutrition

Nutritional value and calories of pork

The calories in pork vary greatly depending on the part.

The fillet has the least amount of calories per 100g at 115kcal, and the one with the most calories has the most at 386kcal.

The reason why there is such a big difference even though it is the same pork is the difference in the amount of fat. When calculating calories, 1g of protein and carbohydrates is calculated as 4kcal, but 1g of fat is calculated as 9kcal, so a small difference can result in a large calorie difference.

It also contains vitamins and minerals such as:

【vitamin】
Vitamins A, D, E, K, B1, B2, niacin, B6, B12, folic acid, pantothenic acid, C, (biotin)

【mineral】
Sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, zinc, copper, manganese, (iodine, selenium, chromium, molybdenum)

Nutrients in parentheses are not included depending on the part.

Benefits of pork

Benefit #1: Relieve fatigue and avoid feeling tired in the summer

Pork is rich in protein and fat.

Furthermore, it is rich in vitamins B1 and B2, which help convert protein and fat into energy.

Feeling ``summer tired'' or ``not feeling tired from work'' are signs that your body is running out of energy. By eating pigs, you will be able to function powerfully without running out of energy.

Vitamin B1, which is abundant in pork, mainly converts carbohydrates, and vitamin B2 has the function of converting fats and proteins into energy.

In particular, the absorption rate of vitamin B1 is greatly increased when eaten together with onions and chives, so it is a good idea to cook them together, such as with ginger-grilled dishes.

Benefit #2: Stress improvement with essential amino acids

Pig protein contains a component called tryptophan.

Tryptophan is an essential amino acid (*) that converts in the body into serotonin, a component that has a calming effect. This serotonin is effective in reducing stress.

It also contains an essential amino acid called leucine, which has the effect of increasing muscle strength. It suppresses muscle breakdown and promotes muscle repair, increasing metabolism and creating a body that is less likely to gain weight.

*Essential amino acids: Amino acids that cannot be produced within the body and must be taken in from outside. It is so important that humans cannot live without it.

Advantages of freezing pork

Allows long-term storage

Pork can be stored for a long time by freezing it.

Normally, the expiration date (*) of pork is often set to about 1 to 2 days from the date of purchase. In particular, it is recommended that you cook items such as ground meat on the same day you buy them. If you use frozen storage, you can store it for at least 1 to 2 weeks.

*Expiration date: The period by which food can be safely eaten if it is stored in an unopened state according to a specified method.

1 to 2 weeks is the shortest period of time, but depending on the type of meat, it can be stored for a longer period of time. If you can store it for a long time, you will be able to buy it in bulk on sale days.

Reduces cooking time

By freezing pork, you can shorten the cooking time.

By preparing food in bulk before freezing, you can significantly shorten meal preparation time.

For example, if you season the food in advance, you can make ginger-yaki immediately after defrosting it. There is no need to make sauce in a bowl and let it soak for several minutes.

Alternatively, you can make tonkatsu by adding batter for deep-frying in advance and just frying.

You can shorten your daily meal preparation time by completing the steps in advance.

How to freeze pork

Pork can be frozen in any form, whether ground, sliced, or in blocks, using the following methods.

As a precaution, do not touch the meat with bare hands before it is frozen. Bacteria from your hands can be transferred to the meat and cause food poisoning.

Also, when placing the bag in the freezer, try to remove as much air as possible. By removing air, you can slow down the oxidation of food.

When freezing as is

1. Wipe the water well with kitchen paper.

2. Wrap each amount you can use up in plastic wrap, place in a freezer bag, and freeze.

When freezing with seasoning

1. Wipe the water well with kitchen paper.
2. Place the meat and sauce in a freezer bag and freeze (see the recipe section for how to make the sauce).

In other cases

If you want to freeze ground meat, wipe off the moisture, then place it in a freezer bag and freeze. If you are freezing a large amount, make a groove by pressing a chopstick or similar object into it before freezing to make it easier to remove.

If you want to freeze the slices, we also recommend wrapping them in vegetable rolls and freezing them. Separate each piece of meat and wrap it with your favorite vegetables. Just wrap it in plastic wrap and put it in a freezer bag.

If you want to freeze block meat, you can also freeze it as char siu or braised meat. Please refer to the recipe section for detailed instructions.

If you want to freeze meat for tonkatsu, you can coat it in advance and freeze it. If you coat the food in advance, you can drop it into the oil without thawing it, which will shorten the cooking time. See the recipe section for more details.

How to defrost pork and storage period

How to defrost pork

Regardless of the method used to freeze pork, we generally recommend thawing it naturally in the refrigerator. By thawing the food slowly in the refrigerator, you can suppress excess dripping (liquid leakage) and prevent the flavor from leaking out.

If you are in a hurry, we recommend thawing in ice water. This method is to thaw food by filling a bowl with ice water and submerging the whole freezer bag. It takes less time than thawing in the refrigerator and saves water compared to thawing under running water.

You can defrost the food in the microwave, but it tends to thaw unevenly and overheat, so it should be considered as a last resort.

Pork storage period

The shelf life will vary depending on how you freeze it.

[Minced meat]
If you freeze ground meat, the approximate shelf life is 1 to 2 weeks. Since there is a large area exposed to air, it deteriorates quickly.

[Slice block/unprocessed]
If sliced or block meat is frozen without any special processing, the approximate shelf life is 2 to 3 weeks. This includes raw food wrapped in plastic wrap and vegetable rolls.

[Slice block/processing]
If slices or blocks of meat are processed and frozen, the approximate shelf life is 3 to 4 weeks. This applies to seasoned foods and cooked foods.

>> Best before date and tips for extending the best before date for frozen meat and fish

5 easy recipes using pork

golden pork bowl

Source: https://cookpad.com/recipe/1649333

☑材料（2人分）
・豚バラまたはロース　200~250g
・ごはん　2人前
●醤油　大さじ2
●酒　大さじ2
●ざらめ（砂糖）　大さじ2
●みりん　大さじ1
●にんにく　少々
●しょうが　少々

<How to make>
1) Thaw the meat in advance in the refrigerator or in ice water.
2) Put the seasonings listed in ● into a small pot and melt over low heat.
3) Fry the meat in a frying pan, without adding oil.
4) When the color of the meat changes, add the sauce from (2).
5) Bring to a simmer over medium heat, and when it becomes glossy, serve over rice and it's done.

★You can also freeze the meat and seasonings in advance.
★Please top with green onions, green onions, sesame seeds, etc. as you like.

Pork vegetable roll

Source: https://cookpad.com/recipe/3083983

☑材料（1人分）
・豚ロース薄切り　2枚
・にんじん　少量
・もやし　少量
・ほうれん草　少量
・塩こしょう　少々
・ごま油　大さじ1/2
・ポン酢　大さじ1

<How to make>
1) Thaw the meat in the refrigerator or in ice water beforehand.
2) Shred the carrots, leave the bean sprouts intact, and heat the spinach in the microwave for 40-50 seconds.
3) Spread the meat and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Place a combination of carrots and spinach or bean sprouts and spinach on top and roll it up.
4) Heat sesame oil in a frying pan and fry the meat starting from the end of the roll over medium heat.
5) Once the end of the roll is cooked, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook the other sides as well.
6) Once the whole thing is cooked, lower the heat to low and sprinkle with ponzu sauce and it's done.

★If you insert a knife after it has cooled down a bit, it will not fall apart easily.

Pork cutlet

Source: https://cookpad.com/recipe/4416833

☑材料（2人分）
・豚ロース　2枚
・小麦粉　大さじ2
・卵　1個
・パン粉　適量
・塩こしょう　小さじ1
・揚げ油　適量

<How to make>
1) Thaw the meat in the refrigerator or in ice water beforehand.
2) Hit the meat with the back of a knife to cut the sinew, then season both sides with salt and pepper.
3) Prepare flour, beaten egg, and bread crumbs on a tray and coat the meat evenly in this order.
4) Heat oil to 170 degrees and fry for about 5 minutes on both sides. Remove excess fat with kitchen paper and it's done.

★It is also possible to freeze it in the state of (3). In that case, wrap it in plastic wrap and put it in a freezer bag and freeze it.
★If you have frozen it with batter on it, start from step (4) without thawing it.

roasted pork fillet

Source: https://cookpad.com/recipe/4499614

☑材料（4人分）
・豚バラブロック　500g
・長ねぎ　1本
・下味用の酒　大さじ3
・酒　大さじ4
・みりん　大さじ4
・めんつゆ　大さじ5
・おろししょうが　大さじ2
・砂糖　大さじ3

<How to make>
1) Thaw the meat in the refrigerator or in ice water beforehand.
2) Cut half of the long onion into white hair and soak in water, then cut the other half into 5cm wide pieces.
3) Sprinkle sake on the meat, rub it in, and after about 10 minutes, brown both sides in a frying pan.
4) Add sake, mirin, and sugar, cover, and simmer over low heat until heated through.
5) When the fire goes through, add the green onions cut into 5cm widths, add the mentsuyu and water, and simmer further.
6) Turn off the heat, let it cool down a little, then cut it into 5mm-wide pieces and return it to the frying pan to let the flavors soak in.
7) Arrange on a plate, bring the remaining soup to a boil, then pour it all over.

★You can also freeze it after proceeding to step (6). In that case, wrap several pieces of meat in plastic wrap, place them in a freezer bag, and freeze them.

braised pork

Source: https://cookpad.com/recipe/4489401

☑材料（2~3人分）
・豚バラブロック　700~800g
●おろししょうが　少々
●玉ねぎ　1/4個
●水　450cc
●ほんだし　小さじ1~2
◆砂糖　大さじ3~4
◆醤油　大さじ4
◆みりん　大さじ1
◆しょうがスライス　1かけ
・水溶き片栗粉　大さじ1

<How to make>
1) Thaw the meat in the refrigerator or in ice water beforehand.
2) Cut the pork belly block in half and fry it whole in a frying pan.
3) Cut the grilled pork belly into pieces about 2cm wide (easy to eat).
4) Place the cut meat and the seasonings in a pot, heat over high heat until it boils, then simmer uncovered over medium heat for 10-15 minutes.
5) Wait for half a day to a day and remove the white oil on top.
6) Add the ingredients ◆, cover with a lid and simmer on low heat for about 1 hour.
7) When the broth is reduced to about 1/3, add the dissolved potato starch and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes over medium heat.

★If you want to freeze the kakuni after completing it, remove the heat after step (7), then put it in a freezer bag and freeze.

Conclusion

How do you freeze pork?

Ground meat can be frozen raw for about 1 to 2 weeks. Slices and blocks can be stored raw for 2 to 3 weeks, or seasoned or cooked for 3 to 4 weeks.

The key to freezing pork is to wipe off the moisture and remove the air. By observing these two points, you can reduce the speed of food deterioration.

The basic way to defrost pork is to defrost it in the refrigerator, but if you're in a hurry, we recommend defrosting it in ice water. By taking the time to thaw, you can reduce the loss of flavor.

Freezing techniques can help you save money and reduce the amount of time you spend preparing meals. Please make good use of it.

>> Click here for how to freeze meat

>> Click here for how to freeze fish

>> Click here for other ways to freeze vegetables