Justine Pattison Q&A

FlowerPower44

All over the news today about not washing chicken (or in fact any meat) before you cook it. What about the grit you sometimes find on pork?

And defrosting meat - sometimes I put it in a bowl of water. Is that wrong?

All food for the freezer should be prepared as hygienically as possible. So, wrap it well, freeze it quickly (flip your fast-freeze button on at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours ahead depending how much food you are adding) or put in the fast freeze section of your freezer. Cooking meat should kill off any harmful bacteria and by not washing first, you should be able to help prevent cross contamination. I think the grit you find on pork is possibly where the bones have been sawn, so isn’t necessarily dirt. Try brushing it off rather than washing. For freezing, you need your meat and poultry to be as dry as possible anyway to help prevent icy patches and freezer burn developing. It is possible to defrost meat in a sealed bag in regularly changed bowls of cold water but it’s not something I recommend. I think that thawing slowly in the fridge gives better results and is safer. Make sure you defrost in a large, well-covered bowl to catch any liquid that drains from the meat as it thaws.

pipparj

Hello Justine. What would you say is the one thing that people throw away most, that could be so easily frozen and used again?

Fresh fruit I reckon. I sometimes make what I call a fruit bowl crumble, using up all the fruit that would otherwise go past its best before being eaten. Apples, pears and plums make a good crumble or pie and can be quickly cooked with a little sugar before freezing if there is no time to complete the dish. But even oranges can be peeled, sliced and frozen in a light syrup or caramel and overripe bananas whizzed into a cake for the freezer. Lemons and limes can be sliced and frozen on trays then packed into freezer bags ready for cooling drinks. I even freeze chopped strawberries with mint and diced cucumber in ice cube trays to use in drinks – perfect for Pimm’s.

SimmondsAJ

Hi Justine, what's the best way tp persuade my daughter to stop wasting things and start freexing them? it drives me bonkers seeing the amount of stuff she throws away because it\s been in her fridge a bit too long for her taste!

If your daughter isn’t freezing, it probably means she isn’t confident about food safety or quality once the food has been frozen. Is there a chance that you could prepare her a few different foods or dishes for her freezer that she could then thaw/reheat herself? Once she is confident about the results she may start freezing her own food. Even bags of grated cheese, bread or pastries and the odd pint of milk are handy additions that might help her understand how useful a freezer can be and how it can save her time and money. Have you thought about buying her a book about freezing so she can see how easy and convenient it is? There are several on the market, some focussing on recipes and others full of practical tips and advice on freezing. Good luck!

Nellsbells

I often find myself with leftover egg whites or egg yolks and i hate to throw them away (though sometimes give them to the dog and cat as a treat). My question is: are they safe to freeze and do you have any tips for what to do with them when they're defrosted?! thank you

Yes, both white and yolks can be frozen and will be safe to eat. I find that egg whites freeze more successfully than yolks, which can become very thick and sticky even when a little salt or sugar are added to help stabilise them. (I sometimes add a little milk to egg yolks then freeze the mix as a glaze for pastry.) Egg whites are best frozen just as they are. You’ll need to put them in small airtight containers, leaving enough room for expansion and label well so you know how many you have. Don’t freeze in huge quantities as you’ll have to thaw all of them at the same time. Always defrost slowly in the fridge. Freeze for up to 1 month for the best results.

Frozen and thawed egg whites can make a good meringue base and I have read that they can be used for angel cake. Whole eggs can be beaten and then frozen too but shouldn’t be frozen in their shells.Bear in mind that freezing will not kill off any bacteria present in eggs so only use them in cooked dishes.

marjerydaw

Actually if I can ask one more? Do I need an ice cream maker to make ice cream and sorbets or can I just put things in to freeze and that's it?

Oh, and you don’t need an ice cream maker but you will need to return to the freezer several times while your ice cream or sorbet freezes and give it a good mash to break up the ice crystals.