Deep Freeze Freezer Burn
While freezing foods has some amazing benefits freezer burn is the potential downside.
Deep freeze freezer burn. A deep freezer is more energy efficient than an upright freezer using about 10 to 25 percent less energy. Bonus points if you wrap food in two different materials. Over time all frozen meat will eventually show signs of freezer burn. Freezer burn is a condition in which frozen food has been exposed to air.
Some common freezing rules of thumb. After several months the damage can reach so deep that there isn t enough usable meat remaining to be salvaged. Many home cooks are confused about freezer burn believing that a layer of frost on food means it needs to be thrown out. Similarly putting too much thawed food in the freezer at once can also increase the temperature of the freezer and the moisture loss this causes in surrounding food will lead to freezer burn.
Freezer burn occurs from exposure to air not excessive chill. There are two reasons for this. Freezers are harsh dry climates and freezer burn occurs when the moisture within the food. Repackaging food in several layers of plastic wrap helps reduce moisture loss and freezer burn.
A 15 manual defrost upright freezer using 442 kwh at 12 6 is going to cost 55 69 for the year. It is generally better insulated and because the door is opened less frequently it doesn t lose as much cold air as an upright freezer. You can freeze ground beef for up to 4 months and a whole. A plastic freezer bag which you can press the air out of and then a second layer of aluminum foil.
Energy information administration s september 2013 report one frost free 15 cubic foot freezer costing 12 5 cents per kilowatt hour will run you about 219 every year while the. While freezer burned food is safe to eat officials at the united states department of agriculture say it won t cause foodborne illnesses the issue is quality. The longer a piece of meat stays exposed to freezer air the deeper the damage goes. To prevent burn which causes an off taste and texture wrap food tightly.
Freezer burn changes the flavor color and texture of the food ew. A 15 chest freezer using 357 kwh at 12 6 is going to cost 44 98 for the year. That s not the case. Based on the u s.
Food that has been freezer burned is safe to eat but it s not very good at all. To help maintain the temperature in your freezer only freeze up to three pounds 1 4 kg of food per cubic foot of capacity at a time. Food that has been freezer burned usually has a layer of frost directly on the food and looks off freezer burned meat is usually a grayish white color and looks like it s dry which it is. A 15 frost free upright freezer using 621 kwh at 12 6 is going to cost 78 25 for the year.