I have the perfect answer to this million dollar question!
Yes. You can absolutely freeze the gravy. Why am I that certain, you might wonder?
It is because I heavily rely on freezing gravy since it doesn’t stay longer than 1 hour on the counter and two days in the fridge. I simply can’t risk the spoilage of such a delicious side dish. I mean, gravy sauce is what makes fried chicken, pot roast, grilled meats, and even Thanksgiving turkey special!
It has a savory, yet rich flavor because of its cream-base. This is also probably the reason why it can’t withstand being left at room temperature for longer than an hour. It is also the reason why gravy tends to break up if it is left in the fridge or the freezer for a long time.
I prefer to freeze my gravy in small serving-sized portions so that I don’t have to take out the whole batch from the freezer and refreeze the rest of the gravy.
Time to share with you the step-by-step guide to freezing
How to Freeze Gravy?
- Allow your hot gravy to first cool to at least room temperature before you attempt to freeze it.
- Once it is cool enough, pour your gravy into a freezer-friendly airtight container or a freezer zip-lock bag and seal it tightly after leaving an inch of space for the gravy to expand.
- Label the container with the date of freezing and the contents so that you can easily distinguish it from other food placed in the freezer.
- Place the bag or container in the freezer.
How to freeze gravy ice cubes
- Pour your gravy into a silicone ice cube tray once you are sure that the gravy is cool enough to at least room temperature.
- Don’t overfill the ice cube tray with the gravy. Leave room for the gravy to expand.
- Put the ice cube tray on a baking tray so that it is as flat as possible.
- Freeze for a few hours till the cubes hold their shape, then transfer them to a freezer bag and leave it in the freezer.
How long can gravy stay in the freezer?
Gravy can last in the freezer for up to one month if it is cream-based. While if it is made of flour, it can stay for 4 months.
A good tip that can help prolong the lifespan of the gravy in the freezer is to always boil the gravy for 3 minutes before you freeze it. This helps in killing most, if not all the bacteria that can cause the spoilage of the gravy.
Another beneficial tip is to always either place the gravy in small serving plates, or serve it only using a serving spoon instead of allowing everyone to dip their spoons filled with food in the same gravy plate.
How to defrost gravy?
Just like any other dairy-based food, gravy shouldn’t be left to defrost on the counter at room temperature or else you risk bacterial contamination. However, I prefer to transfer the frozen gravy from the freezer to the fridge and allow it to slowly defrost overnight.
You should expect the gravy to separate while it is defrosting. But nothing a good stir won’t fix!
Can you refreeze gravy?
It is not recommended to do so, as refreezing gravy can cause its splitting even more and will highly affect the texture.
Related posts:
Can You Freeze Bolognese Sauce?
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