Why you can freeze sour cream in the freezer: nuances of storing and using frozen sour cream

Is it possible to freeze sour cream? It all depends on the goal being pursued. If you need to preserve the product in its original form, then freezing is absolutely not suitable. After freezing, sour cream separates, its consistency and taste change. But at the same time, the frozen product can be used to prepare homemade cottage cheese, dough and other dishes.

Is it possible to freeze sour cream?

In order to answer this question, it is enough to study the storage conditions of the product. Most manufacturers indicate information on the packaging. Example:

To preserve the properties and nutrients, sour cream must be stored at a temperature of +2 to +6 degrees. Shelf life depends on the presence of preservatives (on average, 14-30 days).

What happens when a product is frozen?

1. The water contained in sour cream turns into ice at negative temperatures.
2. Ice crystals form over the entire area of ​​the product.
3. During defrosting, the ice melts and the water separates.
4. The product separates into dense milk clots and a watery part.
5. It is no longer possible to use frozen sour cream for borscht, prepare sour cream for cake, or eat it as usual.

You can freeze sour cream for only one purpose - the product is about to spoil, and you need to extend its shelf life. Dishes are prepared from frozen product.

Homemade (village)

Sour cream made from natural milk, as a rule, has a higher fat content. After defrosting, it slightly delaminates. It is often beaten with a small amount of cornstarch and eaten. Village sour cream is also frozen to make cottage cheese and elastic dough.

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Sour cream from the store can be fatty or low-fat, of poor or good quality. If you freeze store-bought sour cream made from powder, with vegetable fats and preservatives, after defrosting it can turn into a substance of small flakes and a large amount of liquid. It cannot be eaten. You can only knead the dough, but you shouldn’t expect any health benefits from such baking.

Shelf life

How long frozen sour cream can be stored is not indicated in official sources. Usually they focus on the average shelf life of frozen foods - 6 months. Over time, all the beneficial substances in frozen sour cream are destroyed and it begins to deteriorate.

Preparing sour cream for freezing

Homemade sour cream purchased in a bucket or other non-airtight container must be prepared for freezing. You need to divide it into portions and choose the optimal storage container.

You need to freeze the sour cream so that when defrosting, you can use it all at once.Thawed product does not last long (about 24 hours), and cannot be re-frozen.

You need to do the following:

1. Prepare thick plastic bags with a capacity of 200-500 g.
2. Fill with sour cream.
3. Remove excess air.
4. Tie or close the zip-lock fastener tightly.
5. Line a plastic container with foil.
6. Place portions of sour cream into it.
7. Cover with foil and close the lid.

Prepackaged and hermetically sealed village sour cream will be reliably protected from the absorption of foreign odors, and will take up minimal space in the freezer. In the absence of plastic bags, you can use small food-grade plastic trays and cups with tight-fitting lids.

Freezing food in glass or ceramic containers is not recommended.

They are heavy and put undue stress on the plastic trays in the freezer. In addition, glass jars often break when frozen and defrosted.

How to freeze?

Freezing sour cream is a simple process. The freezer will do all the work. We recommend paying attention to the following nuances:

1. The lower the freezing temperature, the better the nutrients are preserved. If your freezer has a quick or blast freezer, you should use it.
2. It is important not to forget to put a sticker on the container with the date the product was frozen and by what date and month it should be used.
3. You need to store sour cream in the freezer separately from fish and products with a strong odor. A suitable place is next to butter, dough, cottage cheese.

How to defrost sour cream?

To defrost, the product is transferred to the refrigerator. The sour cream should defrost naturally in the cold.At room temperature, bacteria will begin to multiply in it, and if quickly defrosted in heat (hot water, microwave), the texture will become rough.

On average, defrosting sour cream in the refrigerator lasts 4-6 hours.

How and where can I use frozen sour cream?

In order to use frozen sour cream, it must first be thawed. How and where it can be used:

What to cook from frozen sour cream?

Frozen food is not suitable for all dishes. It is mainly used for making dough.

Sour cream increases the nutritional value of a flour product, promotes the formation of an appetizing crust, makes the dough elastic, binds flour and eggs, and prevents the finished product from drying out quickly.

The ingredient can be added to different types of dough: shortbread, yeast, unleavened. In baked goods you can’t tell at all whether the sour cream was frozen or not. We will not dwell on baking, but will give examples of simple recipes where frozen sour cream shows its best side.

Delicate curd (spread for snacks and sandwiches)

This is the easiest cottage cheese recipe ever. As already mentioned, when sour cream is frozen, it separates into water and milk clots. Knowing this feature, many people specially freeze it to prepare tender cottage cheese or spread for snacks and sandwiches.

Recipe:

1. Freeze the sour cream in the package. It must be in the freezer for at least 12 hours.
2. Remove from freezer.
3. Cut the packaging.
4. Place the frozen product in a colander or wrap it in 3-4 layers of gauze and hang it over the pan.
5. Wait until the sour cream thaws and all the liquid part (whey) drains into the pan. Approximate waiting time is 8-10 hours.
6. The remaining curd in a colander or cheesecloth can be placed on a plate, salted or sweetened to taste, and eaten.
7. To prepare a spread for bread, finely chopped dill, fried champignons chopped in a blender, boiled shrimp or ham are added to the curd.

"Philadelphia cheese"

Curd made from frozen sour cream is often called “Philadelphia cheese.” But in order for it to really look like him, you need to perform a few more steps.

Recipe for making Philadelphia cheese from frozen sour cream:

1. Prepare cottage cheese (see recipe above).
2. In a blender bowl, mix 1 raw egg and 1 tbsp. spoon of lemon juice.
3. Add 1 teaspoon of sugar and 1 level teaspoon of salt.
4. Beat with 2 tbsp. spoonfuls of cottage cheese. Gradually add another 10 tbsp. spoons of cottage cheese.
5. After 4-5 minutes the mass will become airy, like soft cheese.
6. You need to let it harden in the refrigerator.
7. After 2-4 hours, “Philadelphia cheese” can be eaten, and you can also prepare rolls and delicious pancakes with salmon with it.

Pancakes

Delicious pancakes can be baked from frozen sour cream or whey, which has been drained after making the curd.

Ingredients:

• flour – 120 g;
• sour cream and water - 200 ml each (or 400 ml of whey);
• eggs – 2 pcs.;
• vegetable oil – 2 tbsp. spoons;
• sugar – 2 tbsp. spoons;
• salt - a pinch.

Recipe:

1. Combine eggs, sugar, salt, sour cream (or half the whey) in a deep bowl.
2. Mix thoroughly with a whisk.
3. Add all the flour, stir.
4. Pour in vegetable oil and stir until smooth.
5. While stirring the dough, add water (the remaining whey).
6. Leave the dough to rest for 30-40 minutes.
7. Heat the frying pan well and grease with oil.
8. Fry the pancakes over medium heat until golden brown on both sides.

Questions and answers

How does the taste of sour cream change when frozen?

The taste of fresh and frozen sour cream is not very different. Mainly, its consistency changes, which affects the perception of taste buds. Separated sour cream can be perceived as missing.

How can you tell if frozen sour cream has gone bad?

Lost product has an unpleasant odor and bitter taste, and may change color and become sticky. You should pay attention to the expiration date on the packaging and the sticker that was stuck on during freezing. If it has long expired, the sour cream should be thrown away.

Natural sour cream contains lactic acid bacteria, which have a positive effect on digestion. To keep sour cream healthy and tasty, you should use the refrigerator for storage. Storage in the freezer is only justified if the product is nearing its expiration date. Frozen sour cream is used to prepare a limited number of dishes, mainly baked goods, less often cottage cheese and bread spread.