Freezer Burn

It didn't take nearly as long to sort the freezer food as I expected. Unfortunately, that was because I threw out about half of it.

Chest freezers are great if you're throwing a party and need to store large cases. They're not so good with small containers. There were several packages I labeled UFO (Unidentified Frozen Object). I'm pretty sure two are Honeybaked Ham slices. Not sure from when. There's some kind of rib rack wrapped in foil. I don't know if it's cooked, marinated, or what. If you're going to use a FoodSaver, remember to label the pouch with the product name and the date it was frozen! We get to have some surprises for dinner. :)

The oldest thing I found was dated 1996. Granted, frozen food can be kept much longer than its expiration date. I put a 5-year limit this time primarily because of the freezer burn issue.

What is freezer burn and what causes it? Usually, trying to freeze food that has not been chilled in the fridge first will bring on the condition. Water is drawn out of it and freezes into crystals. This water never reenters the product, which turns dry, hard, and dessicated. No matter how much water or sauce you try to steam into it, the food will never be itself again. Another cause is an imperfect seal on the bag, allowing air in. Air carries moisture, which brings us back to the primary cause. Then there's bags which were sealed with air in them in the first place. The last cause I can think of is food which was defrosted and refrozen. Sure, sometimes the power goes out and you don't have a choice. I recommend moving the food to the fridge and eating it within a week to avoid this cause.

Is it safe to eat? Yes. Freezer burn does not automatically mean a food is unsafe. I did throw out all the shellfish that had freezer burn, but that was being extra cautious. I tried to eat some pre-cooked sausage with only a little ice on it, then threw it out. It was just way too hard. I made up some pre-cooked pasta shells with cheese. We really tried to enjoy them. As soon as they started to cool, the pasta turned to leather.

How do I avoid freezer burn in the future? Time increases the odds of a product succumbing to freezer burn. Rotate foods. Don't buy more than you can eat in about three months. (Girl Scout cookies being the exception. An unopened box of Thin Mints will be good for several years in the freezer.) Keep your freezer clean and ice-free. Yes, defrosting is annoying, but that ice will melt whenever the freezer goes into its own defrost cycle, and potentially get into containers. Make certain your freezer is in good working condition, and it will keep a more constant temperature.

Food waste is expensive and unnecessary. All it takes is a little self-control at the market, and you can avoid having to do a yearly purge of damaged frozen food.