[Can it be frozen?] Stew freezing method, storage period, and arrangement recipe

Have you ever wished you could save some stew and eat it when you need it?

It's convenient for small meals for children.

In such cases, it is actually very dangerous to store it in a pot.

Stew is perishable and difficult to preserve because it contains milk and potatoes.

We will introduce a safe and convenient way to use such stew by freezing it, so please check it out.

Advantages of freezing stew

Reduces stew cooking time

If you freeze it, you can skip all the steps of preparing the stew (cutting the vegetables individually, simmering them, adding the roux and milk and simmering them).

It can also be easily used as a pre-made menu.

Easy to defrost and eat whenever you want

You can eat it anytime you like, such as as a substitute for breakfast soup or in an arranged menu, by simply defrosting it by heating it in the microwave or pot.

If you are using a ziplock bag to store your food, you can thaw it in a hot water bath, which is convenient and won't leave your kitchen dirty.

Stew can be stored safely

Stew is a perishable dish because it contains milk, potatoes, and meat.

Therefore, it is not suitable to store it in a pot at room temperature. Even if stored in the refrigerator, it will only last for 2-3 days.

On that point, freezing it is very convenient as it can be stored for about a month.

How to freeze stew

[Key points for making stew that is delicious even when frozen]
Potatoes are often added to stews, but potatoes are not suitable for freezing.

If you freeze and thaw it, the texture will become lumpy and crumbly.

Therefore, when freezing stew, be sure to ``remove'' and ``mash'' the potatoes in advance.

Carrots also lose some of their texture when frozen and thawed.

To prevent this, when adding carrots, it is important to cut them into small pieces so that the texture will not be bothersome.

In the photo, potatoes are mashed with a fork. Since it is soft, it can be easily crushed in a short time. Be careful not to leave anything unfilled.

1) Thoroughly remove the heat from the stew. The faster the stew cools, the more likely it is to prevent the growth of bacteria, so if you take measures such as placing the pot containing the stew in a bowl filled with ice, you will be able to safely store the stew for a long time.

2) Place the cooled stew into a sealed container (Ziploc, Tupperware, etc.), removing as much air as possible and sealing the container.

3) Place 2) on a metal tray so that they do not overlap and freeze in the freezer.

[Points to avoid losing flavor when frozen]
・To prevent deterioration such as oxidation due to exposure to the air in the freezer, store in a sealed container.

- Metal trays (especially those made of aluminum) have good thermal conductivity, so the heat of the stew can be quickly dissipated to the outside. Therefore, it can be frozen more quickly, making it less likely that it will lose its flavor.

Stew storage period and thawing method

Storage period

・Store at room temperature
Basically, I do not recommend it.
When stews and other stews are left at room temperature, bacteria called Clostridium perfringens may grow.
This bacteria will not be killed by reheating, so it is best to refrigerate or freeze the stew you have made as soon as possible.

Make sure to heat it at least once a day.

This is a perishable dish, so be sure to check to make sure it doesn't smell or look spoiled before you eat it. (Check to see if it has become sticky, has a sour smell, is not stringy, etc.)

・For refrigerated storage
Transfer it to a container that can be tightly sealed (such as Tupperware).

You can use a highly airtight pot, but in either case, make sure to heat it at least once a day.

The storage period is 2-3 days.

・For frozen storage
If frozen, Storage period is approximately 1 month is.

How to unzip

・How to thaw
Avoid defrosting food at room temperature in the summer, as there is a risk of food poisoning. There are no other restrictions.
There is no big difference in quality whether you microwave it, boil it in hot water, or thaw it in the refrigerator.

Stew arrangement recipe

There are many ways to arrange stew. There are many more than those introduced here, so you may want to check them out.

There are various menus such as using it in place of white sauce or making it into surprising champon noodles, so be sure to check it out.

Spinach quiche stew arrangement

Source: https://cookpad.com/recipe/4157923

The great thing about this recipe is that you can make it with just a small amount of leftover stew. You can also eat a lot of vegetables by adding spinach.

☑材料 （3人分）
残ったシチュー　おたま4杯ほど
牛乳　適量
ほうれん草　約3株
卵　3個
チーズ　適量
マーガリンかバター　適量

<How to make>
1) Boil the spinach and cut it into bite-sized pieces.
2) Dilute the remaining stew with milk.
3) Break the eggs into a bowl, loosen them, then add 1) and 2) and mix well.
4) Spread margarine or butter on a heat-resistant plate and pour in step 3. Put cheese on top and bake in the oven until browned. You can also heat it in the microwave and brown it in the toaster oven (this method is faster).

Arranged pasta with leftover stew

Source: https://cookpad.com/recipe/4194152

Since it's pasta, it's easier to eat if you mash the potatoes. Since it will be crushed during freezing, it is perfect for arranging frozen stews.

☑材料 （1人分）
ベーコン1枚
牛乳150cc
シチュー（残り物　冷凍したものでにOK）
パスタ　適量
バター　5gほど

<How to make>
1) Add an appropriate amount of oil to a frying pan and fry the bacon.
2) After frying the bacon, add the stew (leftovers or thawed), milk, and butter and simmer over medium heat.
3) Pour a large amount of water into a pot and bring to a boil. When it boils, add a pinch of salt and boil the pasta.
4) Add the boiled pasta to the stew cooked in step 2) and toss to coat.

You can also enjoy it with a quick seasoning of salt and pepper.

Arrange cream stew into champon

Source: https://cookpad.com/recipe/1296578

This is an amazing arrangement recipe! This is a slightly adapted version of something Miki Mama made on a certain TV show. I was surprised that the stew turned into Chinese food! What's more, it's delicious, so you'll be even more surprised.

☑材料 （１人前）
クリームシチュー　（余ったものや冷凍したもの）お玉三杯分
水　300ｃｃ
おろししょうが　小さじ1/2
おろしにんにく 小さじ1/2
ごま油 小さじ1
オイスターソース 小さじ1
中華めん　1玉
具材（お好みでネギ、カニカマ、ゆでたシーフードなど）適量

<How to make>
1) Add water, ginger, and garlic to the stew and mix.
2) Add sesame oil and oyster sauce to 1), mix and bring to a boil.
3) Add the parboiled Chinese noodles to 2) and bring to a boil.
4) Complete with toppings such as chopped green onions and seafood to your liking.

Arrange the stew! French toast

Source: https://cookpad.com/recipe/1849690

The bread absorbs all the flavor. You can easily make French toast that is different from the usual! Perfect for breakfast♪

☑材料 （1人分）
食パン1枚
クリームシチュー　お玉１杯くらい（お好きなだけ）
牛乳　お玉１杯（シチューと同量くらい）
粉チーズ　お好み

<How to make>
1) Cut the bread into bite-sized pieces. It may be easier to eat or bake if you divide it into 12 equal parts.
2) Add milk and stew to a frying pan and mix over medium heat.
3) When it comes to a boil, add the bread from 1).
4) Bake, turning the bread inside out from time to time so that the bread is well soaked. Once the surface of the bread has a slightly browned brown color, sprinkle with grated cheese to your liking and it's done.

Arrange last night's stew into "Doria"

Source: https://cookpad.com/recipe/791965

You can easily make delicious doria using leftover stew. It's easy to arrange curry doria, so if you know this, you'll be able to expand your range of arrangements.

☑材料 （大きめ角型焼き皿1枚分）
シチューの残りお玉２～３杯ほど
水溶き片栗粉　大さじ１（シチューにとろみがしっかりあれば不要）
ご飯　３００～４００ｇ
バター　２０ｇ
パン粉 適量
とろけるチーズ　２枚
粉チーズ　適量
塩・コショウ　適量

<How to make>
1) Place rice in a square baking dish and put butter on top. Cover with plastic wrap and heat in the microwave (600W) for 3 to 4 minutes.
2) Once 1) is heated, stir gently to mix the butter and rice.
3) Once 2) is mixed, level it out.
4) Keep the stew warm. If it's not thick enough to use as a substitute for white sauce, add potato starch dissolved in water to adjust the thickness.
If you want to make curry doria at this time, dissolve an appropriate amount of curry powder.
5) Adjust the taste with salt and pepper from 4).
6) Spread the stew over the rice from 3). Layer melted cheese, breadcrumbs, and grated cheese on top of that in that order, then use the oven function of a microwave oven or toaster oven to finish.

Conclusion

What did you think. Store stew in the refrigerator if you plan to eat it immediately, and freeze it otherwise.

You can store it for one month by freezing it. There are many delicious and fun arrangement menus with just a few ladles left.

It's also a good idea to save it and enjoy it as a different menu from your usual stew.

Don't forget to prepare before freezing (remove and mash all potatoes, cut carrots into small pieces) and make the most of delicious and convenient frozen storage.