Wondering if you can freeze the pease pudding or pease porridge? If yes, how long can you keep it in the freezer without losing its texture and taste? How should you defrost it after that? How do you check if the pease pudding doesn’t go bad and is safe for eating? Read the article to find answers to all these questions!
Pease pudding is a dish made from peas cooked in milk, sweetened with sugar, and seasoned with spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg. It originated in England during medieval times when people would cook them over an open fire using pots made from clay. Thus, they were called “peace kettles” by some historians, while others believe it may have come from “pottage” (which was considered peasant fare back then).
Can You Freeze Pease Pudding?
Yes, you can freeze pease pudding safely for up to 3 months. Freezing the pease pudding will not affect the taste or texture of your dish. You will need to let the pease porridge cool down, put it in an airtight container or ziplock bag, and label it with the date and content name (“pease pudding”). When you want to use it, thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating over low heat on the stovetop until warm.
Needed Items for Freezing:
How to Freeze it?
If you decide to freeze pease pudding, wait until it cools down completely. Then pick some airtight containers or freezing bags.
Quick Note: If you decide to use freezing bags, squeeze all the air excesses from the freezing bag. By doing that, you will improve the texture of pease pudding after you thaw it. Also, it is essential to mention that you should ensure that the container or freezing bag is completely dry. Otherwise, if there is some moisture inside the package, your food might get a freezer burn and lose its freshness sooner than expected.
Now, if you see that you have a more significant amount of pease pudding that you will not eat in one sitting, consider dividing it into smaller portions and putting it separately in different containers or freezing bags.
After that, stick a label with the freezing and expiration date and put them into the freezer.
How Long Does it Last In The Freezer?
You can keep the pease pudding safely for up to 6 months in the freezer. However, it is recommended to keep the pease pudding frozen for less than three months for the best texture and taste. Otherwise, the quality of the pease pudding may degrade, and it may not taste good when defrosted.
Will the Texture and Taste Suffer?
You don’t have to worry about the taste of your pease pudding changing after freezing. It will still taste the same as when you first prepared and served it, even though it might be a bit mushier than the original texture.
How to Defrost Properly?
Thawing frozen food properly usually is even more critical than freezing them well. The most important rule is to don’t hurry up the process. The shorter the thawing period, the more texture the dish will be affected.
So, if you have time, it is recommended to take the container or freezing bag with frozen pease pudding and to let it in the refrigerator overnight.
If you can’t wait so long, you can put the frozen pease pudding in the microwave and use the defrost setting on it. Just take into consideration that in that case, if you will thaw the pease porridge in the microwave, it may become mushier than the original texture.
Can You Refreeze it?
It is not recommended to refreeze the pease pudding as the dish will become mushy, and most importantly, there is a high risk of bacteria growing.
Storage Tips
If you enjoy your pease pudding in the next 4-5 days, then you can keep it in the fridge in an airtight container for that period. Just make sure that the container is closing tight to ensure that the pease pudding will not absorb other smells from the fridge.
If you know that you will not eat the entire pease pudding in that period, it will be better to divide it as soon as possible into a few portions and freeze it in different containers in the freezer.
How to Know if Pease Pudding Goes Bad?
- Check the appearance of the pease pudding:
- Does it look like it’s starting to mold or change color?
- Is there a bad smell coming from it? If so, don’t use it!
Answering Your Questions:
Can You Refreeze Pease Pudding?
It is not recommended to refreeze the pease pudding as the texture will suffer (it will become mushy), and during the refreezing process, the bacteria can grow on the pease pudding, and the food will spoil quickly.
Does Pease Pudding Freeze Well?
Yes, the pease pudding freezes well for up to 3 months without losing its texture and taste. Just ensure you will freeze it into airtight containers or freezing bags.
Conclusion
So, we found that you can freeze the pease pudding safely for up to 3 months without losing the texture and taste of the pease pudding. To get the best results after thawing, make sure you use freezing bags or airtight containers to prevent moisture and air into the dish from outside sources and keep away smells from other foods.
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