If you have ever experienced food that tastes like freezer burn, then you will know that it is not a pleasant experience, at all. While it will not make you sick and is safe to eat, the texture can make the food pretty inedible.
There is nothing more disappointing than taking food out to defrost, only to find that it has freezer burn. Throwing away the food can seem like such a waste, especially given that it can still be eaten.
You may be wondering if it is possible to get rid of the freezer burn taste and how to do this.
In this article, we will be delving into this further. We will be discussing whether or not it is possible, and if it is, how to get rid of the taste. In addition to this, we will be talking you through what freezer burn is, and how you can help to prevent it from occurring.
What Is Freezer Burn?
Freezer burn is caused when the food in your freezer is not sufficiently covered. When the food is not covered correctly, moisture slowly seeps out of the food. This causes dehydration to occur.
Furthermore, when your food is not completely covered air has access to the food. When the air reaches the food, a process called oxidation occurs. Oxidation causes the food to change in color and texture.
If you have ever noticed that frozen meat has turned a darker color or has a spot of color on it, this is due to the oxidation process.
In addition to this, if you notice that your frozen food has a layer of ice crystals covering it, this is a big sign that it has been affected by freezer burn.
Commonly ice cream will develop crystals over time which can cause its texture to be crunchy, rather than smooth.
Although you can slow down the effects of freezer burn by covering the food in your freezer correctly, there is no way to stop the food from becoming freezer burnt completely.
Over time all of the food in the freezer will become freezer burnt if left for too long. This is why many frozen foods have specific dates of when they should be eaten.
How To Get Rid Of Freezer Burn Taste
Now that you know the causes behind freezer burn, you are probably wondering how to get rid of the taste.
Unfortunately, you cannot get rid of the taste of freezer burn completely, especially if it is a bad case. However, there are some steps that you can take to improve the flavor slightly.
Here are some of our best recommendations:
Throwing Out The Freezer Burnt Items
This may sound counterproductive. However, if the food that is burnt is something like a bag of vegetables, some of them can be salvaged.
While throwing away a freezer burnt steak is a waste, if the items are fruit or vegetables, and there are a lot of them, you can save some of them.
Food that has been freezer burnt does not contain the same nutritional value as non-freezer burnt food. Given this, there does seem little point in cooking freezer burnt fruits and vegetables.
If some of the food has not been freezer burnt, just throw away the parts that have been burnt. If the food is meat, you can cut out and throw away the burnt pieces.
This way the food will still be tasty and you will not have to worry about the freezer burnt taste.
Seasoning
When it comes to freezer burn, seasoning is your friend. We all know that seasoning can make food taste better and the same can be said when it comes to freezer burn.
Depending on the food you have defrosted, the following types of seasoning can help to mask the taste of freezer burn:
- Salt
- Pepper
- Garlic
- Chilli flakes
- Herbs
- Sugar
Although these will not take away the taste completely, they can help to improve it.
Sauces
In addition to seasoning, using sauces with freezer burnt food can help to mask the taste. Again, these will not remove the taste, but they will help to improve it.
The sauces you use will depend on the type of food you have defrosted. However, here a few great sauces that can be used for a wide range of different foods:
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- BBQ sauce
- Hot sauce
- Sweet chili
- Mayonnaise
- Pasta sauce
- Soy sauce
There are many different options to choose from.
If you have freezer burnt chicken or beef, why not marinate it in a sauce or add it to your favorite pasta dish?
Pureeing Food
If the food you have frozen can be tasty when pureed, this is a great option.
For the fruit, in particular, pureeing can improve the overall texture, especially if the fruit is going to be made into a milkshake or smoothie.
Again, this will not remove the taste of the freezer burn, but it can help to improve the texture and mask the taste.
How To Prevent Freezer Burn
The best way to get rid of the freezer burn taste is to help prevent it from occurring, to begin with.
As explained above, although you cannot prevent it from happening after a long period, there are things you can do to slow the process.
When freezing food, always ensure to use a sealed freezer bag or an airtight container. Ensure that as much air has been removed as possible before freezing.
The main way to prevent freezer burn is to ensure that air cannot reach the food and moisture cannot escape. If you ensure this, you can help to prevent the taste of freezer burn.
Summary
We hope that you found this article useful. As you can see, it is not possible to remove the taste of freezer burn, unfortunately.
However, there are methods you can use to mask and improve the taste of freezer burn.
In addition to this, the better you store your frozen food, the less likely it is that it will be affected by freezer burn.