Yes. You can easily freeze cooked lamb and retain its amazing juicy and flavorful taste for as long as possible.
This was the perfect solution for me since I like to cook a big chunk of lamb meat in one go. Once I knew I could freeze the cooked lamb, reheat it and enjoy it later, I started cooking lamb meat more often instead of cooking it only in big occasions and get together.
Does cooked lamb freeze well?
It all depends on how you are going to freeze it. You have to prepare it well before placing it in the freezer for it to retain all its juices and freshness and not be affected by freezer burns.
I am going to share with you the detailed step-by-step guide for a successful freezing of your whole or sliced cooked lamb.
How can I freeze cooked lamb?
Before you check out the detailed steps of freezing, keep in mind that the fresher the cooked lamb meat is, the better and longer it is going to retain its quality in the freezer.
- You have to first make sure that your freshly cooked lamb meat is cool to at least room temperature before you attempt to freeze it. The quickest way to do so is to just let it rest on a cooling rack for at least an hour.
- Once your cooked lamb meat is completely cool, tightly wrap it in aluminum foil. This is an important step, as the aluminum foil keeps all the juices and flavors intact inside the meat and protects it from freezer burns. Just make sure that every part of the meat is well covered.
- Place the wrapped lamb meat inside a freezer bag and squeeze out as much of the air as you can, then tightly seal it. Once it is sealed, place the bag with the lamb meat inside a plastic container.
- After sealing the container, label it with the date of freezing and the contents of the container so that it is easier for you later to distinguish it from all the other food stored in the freezer.
How long can cooked lamb stay in the freezer?
If properly prepared prior to freezing, cooked lamb can withstand freezing for up to 2 months. Following the previously mentioned steps protects the meat from any change in texture, taste, or freshness, and of course, from freezer burns.
However, cooked lamb can also stay for a couple of days in the fridge, so don’t freeze it if you are going to eat it soon.
How can I defrost frozen cooked lamb?
Never attempt to defrost this meat or any type of meat generally, at room temperature. Sudden elevating of temperature of meat encourages bacteria to grow and thrive.
That’s why, I prefer the safest and slowest way to defrost lamb meat, which is by placing the frozen wrapped lamb meat in the fridge directly. It will slowly defrost in the fridge overnight.
I usually just reheat it the very next day.
Tips to successfully freeze your cooked lamb?
- Freezing whole lamb is actually better as it retains all the flavors inside of the meat cut. However, I prefer to slice the cooked meat before freezing so that I can freeze serving-sized portions. Takes less time to defrost and decreases any chance of needing to refreeze the meat.
- Did you know that you can also refreeze the meat gravy?
So you can get to enjoy your meat with the gravy after defrosting and reheating them. - If you have a small portion of leftover cooked lamb then you don’t have to freeze it. Refrigerating it allows it to be preserved for 2 to 3 days.
Frequently asked questions
Now that we have discussed the detailed steps of freezing cooked lamb. Here is a list of some questions that I came across while I was searching for this topic. Thought about sharing them with you in case they ever crossed your mind.
Can I refreeze cooked lamb?
Although it is perfectly safe to freeze your cooked lamb meat for a second time. Yet, I wouldn’t recommend doing that, as each time you freeze the meat, it affects its taste and texture drastically. So yes. It might not be harmful, but it is definitely not tasty either.
I prefer to freeze my cooked lamb in separate sliced portions so that I don’t have to defrost more portions than I would eat.
Can I freeze lamb meat with its gravy?
It is better to freeze them separately and defrost them at the same time whenever you crave some juicy lamb. However, it is okay and certainly safe to freeze the gravy with the lamb meat.
Can I freeze cooked leg of lamb?
Generally speaking, you can freeze whichever cut of lamb meat you would like. But, I would suggest removing the meat from the bones and freezing it separately since bones will just take up too much space in your freezer.
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