Pork is a familiar food in the meals of many Vietnamese families. However, if preserved incorrectly, the meat will not only lose its delicious taste and reduce nutrients but also pose a risk of infection and health damage. Here are important notes to help keep pork fresh and safe when storing in winter.
Cut small before freezing
When buying a large quantity of meat, absolutely do not leave the stones and put them in the stone part. Cutting into small pieces just enough for each meal helps to defrost quickly, limiting re-frosting many times - the reason why meat is prone to loosening, dryness and loss of nutrients.
According to food safety experts, defrosting and then freezing again increases the risk of cross-infection, affecting meat quality.
Clean thoroughly and pat dry before wrapping
Before preservation, the meat needs to be washed with diluted salt water to remove dirt and bacteria from the stall. Then, rinse with clean water, using a paper towel to clean the surface.
If there is still water left, when frozen, the stone crystals will break down the structure of the meat tissue, causing the meat to roughly rot and lose its natural sweetness when processed.
Apply coating of natural moisturizing coating oil
A simple tip to keep the meat soft and berry is to apply a thin layer of cooking oil to cover the entire surface of the meat piece. The oil layer both limits exposure to air and retains natural moisture.
Unlike water, cooking oil at low temperatures does not freeze, so it does not affect the texture of the tripe. Thanks to that, the defrosted meat still retains its softness and does not dry out.
Coated with many layers, all the air is pressured
After applying the oil, wrap the meat with a food wrap, zip bag or vacuum cleaner. An additional layer of silver foil can be wrapped to increase air isolation and refrigerator odor.
Clearing the air inside the bag before freezing will limit the formation of frost and xoaxial bacteria. This is an important step to help preserve meat for a long time while still being safe.
Arrange neatly in the closet, record the storage date
After packaging, the meat should be stored in a plastic container with a lid to avoid mixing the smell with other foods. Record the date of issuance on each bag clearly, prioritize use of the packages before leaving them for longer.
frozen pork should be eaten for about 1-3 months to ensure the best nutritional quality and flavor.
Green rice properly to maintain nutrition
When needed, move the meat to the refrigerator to cool down naturally overnight. If you need to defrost quickly, you can soak it in cold water with a little salt or vinegar, helping to reduce bacteria on the surface.
Absolutely do not soak the meat in hot water because high temperatures will cause the surface to cook again while the inside is still freezing, causing the meat to lose its flavor and cook unevenly.
Notes when storing it for long-term
Avoid making meat directly exposed to ice because it can easily cause "cold burning", losing its freshness. Do not defrost and re-freeze many times.
Use separate cutting blades and knives when processing raw meat to avoid cross-infection with other foods.
Properly preserving pork not only helps save time going to the market, maintains freshness and deliciousness but also retains its nutritional value, ensuring safety for family meals. Adhering to a scientific preservation process is a simple but practical way to protect the health of relatives every day.
