Make Ahead and Freeze This Passover Menu
This year you can be prepared, no more last minute freak outs.
Because you can get a jump on the holiday NOW!
Freezing is a great way to preserve food, save time and money and most foods will freeze well, but there are a few foods that won't work.
FOODS THAT DO NOT FREEZE WELL
- lettuces
- fresh herbs
- eggs in a shell*
- custards
- cream sauces
*you can freeze eggs cracked into a container, as well as the whites and yolks separately.
HOW TO FREEZE FOOD FOR BEST RESULTS
- Be sure to wrap the food tightly
- Cool down to room temperature before freezing
- Store liquids near the door
- Store roasts and other proteins in the back (the coldest part)
- Rotate your foods and keep track of what you have in your freezer
- Invest in good freezer storage containers and freezer wrap
Freezing is thrifty and for most foods it is integral in the art of preservation of food, labor and money. Most foods can be frozen for at least 2 months. After that, flavors become muddled and the items texture can become mushy.
Many items can be frozen, thawed and frozen again! Don't get all crazy on this, but yes, you can take the soup, veal roast and freeze it. Thaw it and freeze it again. I would not recommend this with the matzo stuffing or cake as they will dry out and become crumbly.
So go ahead and start your Passover cooking, this menu will be perfect for your freezer. Add a salad or quick roasted veggie your seder is ready.
CHICKEN MEATBALL STUFFED MATZO BALLS
Freeze soup and chicken meatballs matzo balls separately. I love to freeze matzo balls. Layer them on a sheet pan and freeze them for an hour or so. Then transfer everyone’s favorite soup condiment to a resealable bag. Bonus! Matzo balls freeze well for months.
Roasts are the perfect example of foods that freeze well. Go ahead and make the roast. Wrap the unsliced roast very tightly and let the freezer keep it safe. Thaw the roast, covered in the refrigerator and reheat, covered in a very low oven, around 250°F.
Make ahead sides like Matzo stuffing is a great make ahead and freeze dish. I recommend freezing either un-baked or slightly underbaked. Wrap tightly and freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw, covered in refrigerator or at room temperature and roast, covered, until hot.
Don’t skimp on wrapping food, not even for a few days. To freeze this cake, tightly wrap the cake first in parchment paper, (I don't love foil directly touching my food, ever!) and then a tight layer of freezer foil or a large resealable freezer bag. Be sure to wrap tightly so air does not infiltrate and cause the cake to dry out or taste like everything else in the freezer.
To thaw the cake, just unwrap it and leave at room temperature for several hours. If the glaze becomes cloudy (cocoa butter separates) simply heat a spatula or knife under hot water, wipe dry and shmear the glaze a bit. The cocoa butter will melt and look like new.
