Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Can Cooked Pork Be Frozen

Cooked pork chops, ribs, tenderloin and other cuts can be frozen if you want to store the meat for later. This is advantageous when you have too much pork to eat and don't want it to spoil.


Packaging


Freeze cooked pork in an airtight container that will protect the meat from freezer burn. One option is a hard plastic or glass food storage container. Another way to freeze cooked pork is to place it in an airtight freezer-grade food storage bag.


Time Frame


Refrigerate or freeze cooked pork within 2 hours of when it was cooked. Frozen cooked pork should be eaten within about three or four months. Although the meat is safe to eat beyond this time frame, its quality might diminish.


Defrosting


Thaw frozen cooked pork in the refrigerator, microwave or cold water bath. Reheat pork thawed outside the refrigerator to 160 degrees Fahrenheit before eating it to kill any bacteria that might have developed on the meat. Refrigerator-thawed pork is safe to eat cold when it's used in foods such as sandwiches.

Tags: cooked pork, cooked pork, food storage, freeze cooked, freeze cooked pork