Stews coagulating after freezing
I often make stews with meat and veg such as beef and mushroom, cassoulet, etc. I normally eat one portion fresh and then portion and freeze the rest of my stew, to be eaten on a later date. However, often I find that when I defrost my stew portion it has coagulated - it has a jelly like consistency, even when hot. I try to solve this by adding a little water and giving it a good stir, which does give it more of a pourable consistency, but it doesn't bring back the smooth velvety texture the stew had when fresh.
I normally just use a spoon of flour or cornflour (cornstarch) to thicken my stews, so the only ingredients are meat, veg, oil, flour, some liquid (stock, often beer or wine), and seasonings. Would a different thickener prevent my stew getting this coagulated, jelly-like texture after freezing?
Best Answer
Experiment and see if flour acts the same as cornstarch. I find that cornstarch tends to "set up" in such a way that food remains a gelatinous blob after reheating. It does this after being refrigerated too, so I don't think it has to do with you actually freezing it: just cooling it down.
I think flour works a little better to reheat which is why I tend to try to use that for things which I know I will want to reheat and eat again later.
Lastly, do make sure you get it piping hot when reheating as this will help to smooth it out and will also melt and gelatin that comes from the meat.
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How do you revive frozen beef stew?
To defrost, place packages on a plate to catch juices and defrost in the refrigerator. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, ground beef, stew meats and steaks will defrost within 24 hours; allow up to 2 days for roasts and bone-in cuts. Not Much time for thawing? Use cold water.Do stews freeze well?
Stews freeze well, so you may want to double the recipe and freeze some for later. Here are some helpful guidelines: Store stew in heavy plastic, airtight containers, leaving \xbc- to \xbd- inch of space to allow for expansion in the freezer. Stew can be kept frozen for up to 3 months.Why is my stew greasy?
As a stew cooks, you will notice oil and foam accumulating on the surface. The foam is due to coagulated protein, starchy carbohydrates and other impurities that cook out of your ingredients. Run a spoon gently around the edge of the pot to remove the foam. Place the skimmed foam in a bowl to discard.Can you reheat stew from frozen?
You should thaw frozen stew before reheating to ensure your meat will warm through evenly. You can thaw it in the fridge for a day or two before you want to reheat it.Freezer Meal Beef Stew
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Answer 2
I find that reheating on the stove and stirring work better than microwaving for sorting out the consistency if I used (wheat) flour. Don't rush it (it doesn't take long anyway). I don't use much flour, and leave sauces fairly thin, which seems to help too (you don't say what kind of spoon or how much liquid; I could be using more or less than you). I don't often use cornflour for thickening so don't know if that behaves differently on freezing
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