Does using frozen coconut milk lead to poorer consistency than canned?
Curries or baking, I use coconut milk/cream often with my share of failures. I put it down to the variations in fat content between brands or when measuring out of a large container -which I then freeze for later use... Could freezing be the source of some of my issues? Or is graininess, splitting while cooking, small flecks of pure fat after blending, all signs of my inferior skills?
This is from http://www.realthairecipes.com "There are bags of frozen coconut milk available in some Asian groceries. While the flavor is better than canned, it separates and gets chunky when you heat it. I’m not sure why freezing does this to coconut milk. I’ve experimented with freezing my own homemade fresh-pressed coconut milk, and the same thing happens. The flavor is OK, but the consistency is quite odd. So, I recommend canned. If you are lucky enough to find Chao Koh brand coconut milk in a paper carton, this is even better."
*I prefer pure coconut in UHT packages (no gums or preservatives)
Best Answer
Jennifer Frazer experimented with frozen coconut milk and wrote about it on her blog. The conclusion is that you can freeze cococnut milk. The taste is preserved, but the consistency is not.
Jennifer writes:
The thing is, you can still use it just fine for purposes that don’t depend on coconut milk’s texture or consistency;
Coconut milk is an emulsion of oils in water. To freeze and thaw the coconut milk is enough to affect the emulsion. You can compare the situation to cow's milk. Cow's milk is also an emulsion and the mouth feel will change if you freeze and thaw it.
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Does freezing coconut milk change texture?
The Texture of Coconut Milk Will Change Once thawed, the flavour of coconut milk will be similar to what it was before freezing. However, the texture may become a little grainy. We recommend using frozen coconut milk in dishes where texture isn't a big issue, such as smoothies or baked goods.Why has my coconut milk gone thick?
Coconut milk is chunky because coconut is high in fat and less dense than water. Over time, the lighter, fatty part of the mixture will rise and separate from the water, making it appear chunky.Can you use refrigerated coconut milk instead of canned?
You can refrigerate a can of coconut milk and the fat will settle & harden at the top if you want to extract it. Can you substitute carton coconut milk for canned? In some recipes, absolutely!Why is my coconut milk in a can solid?
Because coconut oil solidifies into coconut cream at room temperature, canned coconut milk generally separates into two distinct layers: liquid water at the bottom and solid white cream at the top. The cream in some cans was as heavy and dense as Crisco, while in others it had a looser consistency.How to Properly Store Canned Coconut Milk
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