Question about freezing foods

[kirschman]

My neighbor who is a chef at a well respected restaurant in town was telling me the other day how they supposedly freeze some of there food items and I was wondering if anyone else has heard of this method.  He says they take whatever food that needs to be frozen and put it in freezer overnight on a plate-bowl whatever is necessary uncovered. Then its placed in container or baggy the next morning.  He says the moisture that causes freezer burn will evaporate overnight and you have long lasting food without freezer burn. Anyone heard of this?  I've got a nice rib-eye I need to freeze and was wanting some input..    

 

[hamrhead1971]

Never heard of doing it that way but I use my food saver to vac seal. My question would be why is a restaurant keeping food frozen long enough to be worried about freezer burn?

 

[cats49er]

Never heard of doing it that way but I use my food saver to vac seal. My question would be why is a restaurant keeping food frozen long enough to be worried about freezer burn?

Thats a good point,makes you wonder don't it?

 

[dirtsailor2003]

I pre-freeze all meats that I vacuum pack. I place a a piece of parchment paper on a baking tray place the meat on that. Then another piece of parchment paper. I'll repeat if one layer isn't enough. I freeze overnight then vac pack and into the freezer.

 

[HalfSmoked]

This restaurant may be one to miss. Vac seal I think is best is best as said above pre-freeze as Dirtsailer said is good ideal also we do that with diced peppers etc. sausage patties etc.

 

[hamrhead1971]

I pre-freeze all meats that I vacuum pack. I place a a piece of parchment paper on a baking tray place the meat on that. Then another piece of parchment paper. I'll repeat if one layer isn't enough. I freeze overnight then vac pack and into the freezer.

Learn me something, oh wise one. I vac seal then freeze. Is there a benefit to freezing beforehand?

Smoke it up
William

 

[atomicsmoke]

What the chef says makes no sense to me.

"The moisture that causes freezer burn"? Freezer burn is not caused by moisture but by the lack of it. Ice crystals that have developed over the surface of the meat will evaporate (thru sublimation) driving out more moisture from inside the meat = freezer burn.

 

[HalfSmoked]

If doing soft things like burgers they don't mash out of shape or as I said diced vegies on a cookie sheet then bag and you an take out what you need re-seal the bag. Also can save space in freezer by being able to better stack items. Just my 2 cents.

 

[hamrhead1971]

Makes sense. When separating ground meat after grocery shopping, I do one pound in quart zip locks with as little air as possible and mashed flat for stackability.

Smoke it up.
William

 

[dirtsailor2003]

Learn me something, oh wise one. I vac seal then freeze. Is there a benefit to freezing beforehand?

Smoke it up
William

Having worked in the commercial and sport fishing industries all the fish is flash frozen them packed.

I know that the home freezer doesn't flash freeze, but that's what I have to use.

Makes for less mess to clean up, you aren't sucking juices into your machine. For softer products like fish, burgers, etc. you don't have to worry about the shape being deformed. As mentioned above the same goes for veggies. Pre-freeze then there's no issues when vac packing. We freeze most of our garden and use through out the year.