Culinary question!

[Nollaig]

I'm a complete tool in the kitchen, and not a useful one at that, so bear with me

 

I've discovered this gorgeous low fat honey dijon chicken sauce. Just a standard 20-minutes-on-the-hob chicken stir in thing. But it's so good I don't want to limit it to just hot dinners - it's for all the world like a deli sauce - I was wondering about how safe it would be to cool some of the chicken in the sauce and refridgerate it, to put in a sandwich or something? And how long would it last after it had been put in the fridge?

 

Thanks and stop laughing

 

[Kell]

I would say it's best eaten within 24hours if left in the fridge.

[Ceinwenn]

I'd have to agree, Rox. Definately safe to do, but don't store it for long. Sounds lovely for a sandwich, by the way!

[Nollaig]

Lol thanks =D I don't suppose storing some sauce on it's own would make any difference to it's life span? Well I suppose it's still not too bad - I can just take off the excess from my dinner and store it for the following day, make more the next evening ad infinatum. Or at least til I get sick of honey dijon sauce

[Ceinwenn]

Not mixing the sauce with the chicken would definately increase it's life-span. But, no longer than that recommended on the bottle. It's the introduction of the foreign body (ie: chicken which is highly prone to causing bacterial illness) which reduces the use-by date.

[Nollaig]

I guessed as much. It doesn't say anything on the jar about storing it once cooked, so I wasn't sure.

[Charm]

I always use a 3 day rule for everything that has been opened. If you cooked the chicken at the same time as the sauce they will both keep for 3 days in the fridge, after that dump them. Do not however reheat anything more than once.

 

I have never had food poisoning by my own hand and nor has anyone I have fed!

[Nollaig]

Wow, three days?? even the chicken?? Awesome!!

 

I'll trust you, given your credentials!

[Stephanie2008]

I would agree with the three day rule, as long as it is kept in the fridge. I agree that the sandwich sounds yummy

[Nollaig]

Thank you Stephanie

 

Today I'm going making enough of the chicken in the sauce to last three days, and I'm going making my own onion and sage stuffing from scratch to go with it. Also think I'll just make enough mash for 2-3 days while I'm at it, and then I'm going baking queen cakes. I'll be in the kitchen all day!

[Guest ii]

I'm with Charm on the three day rule, that's generally a good one. Just let it cool before you put it in the fridge, store in air-tight container and don't reheat more than once. And now I'm hungry.

[Nollaig]

Haha awhhh you have cupcakes later when I bake them

[Guest ii]

Thanks, Sweetie! I cannot wait...

[Michelle]

You know, I never know what I can or can't freeze, or the best way to do it - I bet I waster far too much food that could be eaten at a later time.

[Guest ii]

You know, I never know what I can or can't freeze, or the best way to do it - I bet I waster far too much food that could be eaten at a later time.

 

You can freeze practically anything! It's just a matter of what tastes good after defrosting. (hit: vegetables don't.) Just make sure they've cooled down properly before. I often freeze food, because I a) love to cook, live alone, c) have absolutely no interest in eating the same food three days in a row.

 

edit: additional thoughts... plastic containers that are air-tight are the best way to go. They're easy to use, easy to clean afterwards (make sure they're washing machine -proof), can be stored efficiently and stacked in the freezer to save space. Just stop by in Ikea and stock up.

 

I've frozen sauses, stews, meatballs etc... plus I always have some salmon and reindeer in the freezer. Oh, and an ice-cube tray filled with left-over red wine (oxymoron, I know). It's brilliant for sauses and stews and such, when I want to add a little flavor but can't really justify opening up a whole bottle.

Edited February 14, 2009 by ii

[Michelle]

So, say that I've cooked some mince, and there's some left over - do I simply let it cool, then freeze it? How do you heat it up again.. do is need to be defrosted, then cooked, or can you simply zap it in the microwave?

 

(I'm not a very good cook!)

[Guest ii]

So, say that I've cooked some mince, and there's some left over - do I simply let it cool, then freeze it? How do you heat it up again.. do is need to be defrosted, then cooked, or can you simply zap it in the microwave?

 

(I'm not a very good cook!)

 

Yes, let it cool and then blob it into a container and freeze. Simple as that. The cooling is good to do so that there won't be extra moisture in there. For heating, there's several ways to go, really, depending on the time you have in your hands. Taking it out to fridge or room temperature is the slowest way, but good. It won't spoil because it's not left there after it's melted. Or you can heat it up on the stove or microwave (take care, use low temperature in the microwave or it'll start exploding, not like big-ruin-your-microwave -way but like all-over-the-walls -way, because of the water locked inside the food). And if it's already cooked once (before freezing) you don't need to cook it again. Just heat it up.

 

I sometimes make pasta sause with mince so that I fry all the mince, but only use half, and freeze the rest. That way I have ready-cooked mince in the freezer, just waiting for me to pull it out, flop on the pan, add some tomato and what-not I'm using to make the sause that time, so it's just about heeting up the rest of the sause, not cooking it. Or if I cook all the sause at once, I freeze some of it, and just heat it up the next time.

 

Was that any help?

[Nollaig]

It helped me at least!

[Guest ii]

It helped me at least!

 

That's good! *laughs* Freezing already-cooked stuff is like having a ready-made-meal, only you know exactly what's in it. And it's tailored to your tastes.

 

I couldn't live without a freezer. I don't need microwave, but I do need a proper freezer. It just simplifies life so much.

 

Oh, and you can freeze bread, too. Just freeze it while it's fresh, and melt as you need it. I've sometimes gotten slightly carried away with baking, so I've frozen breadrolls and muffins and stuff, too.

[Nollaig]

I knew about freezing bread, I do that already. I sometimes store cupcakes for days in an airtight container. They usually taste fine. I'm always wary about freezing cooked things, or even refridgerating them. I'm dying to go cooking today now Waiting on my brother to go to the supermarket...

[Nici]

I freeze everything! I always make too much. It's always nice and handy to have something ready in the freezer.

[Michelle]

Was that any help?

 

Yes.. is there anything that should't be frozen and reheated?

[Nollaig]

I freeze everything! I always make too much. It's always nice and handy to have something ready in the freezer.

 

I know! It was you who inspired me to try do this mass-cooking thing, rather than cooking every day

[Nici]

Yes.. is there anything that should't be frozen and reheated?

 

Rice. But I am very naughty and am always making a huge pot of risotto and then freezing it in portions ready to heat up as a quick meal.....

 

I know! It was you who inspired me to try do this mass-cooking thing, rather than cooking every day

 

Aw really... I'm blushing!

[Nollaig]

Aw really... I'm blushing!

 

I love these people whose fridge you open and theres like, fresh food in dishes everywhere ready to be heated, it looks lovely! And provides choice!