How to properly refrigerate, freeze and reheat food
Taza makes fresh food. Our entire concept revolves around fresh food that is custom prepared, with fresh ingredients, never canned or full of preservatives.
Let’s talk about preservatives for a minute. Ever wonder why a can of green beans, for example, can sit in your pantry for months on end without ever spoiling? Not to pick on canned beans, I mean, they come in handy around Thanksgiving when you remember last minute that you were on Green Bean Casserole duty. I’m using this as an example.
The answer is simple: preservatives. Now, to be fair, we wouldn’t have been able to survive as a civilization without preservatives. They are the reason we can keep food in our fridges and cupboards longer without having food spoil before you have time to consume it.
What I’m trying to say is, when you pay for a meal, you are paying for the experience, the taste and of course the freshness. So why eat something that came out of a can?
I was at an event a few months ago, and a food truck owner who made burgers in the truck next to us came by and chatted with us for a bit, and recommended I add a dish made of canned corn, that I fry up on the griddle and serve up with melted cheese. I was appalled by the recommendation! That is in no way the Taza concept!
Ok, I’m done ranting about canned food and preservatives. Now, on to what this blog is really about: how to keep your fresh meals fresh until it’s time to eat them. I want to make this a go-to for all our customers who buy from us.
How to properly refrigerate, freeze and reheat Taza Catering & Events leftovers
Our customers who know us, or even if it's your first time using us for your catered event, you know that we are very generous with our portions. So most likely, if we catered an event in your home, we leave you with leftovers. So the question is: how do we properly freeze them? Several customers have asked me how to make sure to avoid freezer burns or that weird aftertaste you notice when food sat for several days in the fridge. You know what I’m talking about. That’s not because it’s a bad Taza dish! That’s typically an indicator that the fridge needs to be cleaned out from this one item that was shoved way in the back, past its expiration date. No judging!
If the food is placed in sealed tupperware, it will preserve its freshness. If it's in one of our disposable metal pans, cover it with foil. This preserves freshness while the dish is in your fridge or freezer, waiting to be eaten.
Now on to how to freeze your meals.
Proteins
Whether is our delicious Creamy Lemon Mushroom Chicken (CLMC), our Grilled Chicken Skewers, Our New York Steak Skewers, or our famous Ribeye steaks, if you are planning to eat them within 4-5 days, you can keep them in the fridge (heating instructions are in the next section). If you are going to wait to eat them past 5 days, I recommend freezing them. In that case, here’s what to do: Put them in a ziplock bag, or wrap them tightly in a plastic wrap. The next step is the most important: wrap all that one more time with foil and seal in the edges. Then put the dish directly in the freezer. That’s it! The foil preserves freshness and keeps any odor from the freezer out.
Reheating: Take it out of the freezer and set it in the fridge for 2-3 hours prior to reheating. Depending on the quantity, it could take several hours, so plan ahead. You might consider taking it out of the freezer the morning of, and reheat it for dinner the same evening.
For CLMC, Put it in a deep pot, and let it simmer on low, cover it with a lid, and enjoy. You might need to add 1/2 cup of water if it looks like it needs some liquid.
Chicken Skewers and NY Steak Skewers are best heated in the oven. Unwrap the foil, remove the plastic wrap o ziplock. Put it back in the foil and wrap it tightly. Heat in the oven at 350F for 15 minutes or until it feels hot.
Ribeye Steak: The best way to reheat ribeye steak that has been previously cooked is to sear it in a pan with some butter and olive oil. Put just enough to cover the pan, allowing the meat to glide without sticking. Once the oil is hot, set the steak and sear for 1-2 minutes on each side. You can also slice the steak if it's not already, for a quicker and more even heating.
Pasta dishes
Pasta has a tendency to dry out in the fridge and even more so in the freezer. It’s very important to cover the food up in plastic and tightly wrap with foil. You got the point: foil is the secret ingredient to fresh food. It has a tendency to keep in flavor and moisture without drying out the food. That’s especially important when it comes to pasta.
Reheating Pasta: Here is the trick, if you are like me and don't love microwave heating, the best way to heat pasta is to boil water in a pot, and once it's boiling, dunk the pasta in the water then turn off the heat. Let it sit in the hot water for about a minute, then drain it. You can reheat the marinara or alfredo sauce separately then toss both together.
If the pasta has already been tossed in the sauce, ignore the boiling water trick, that will strip out the sauce. So in that case, you put it in a pan, add a few tablespoons of water just to hydrate, then sautee until the pasta is hot. If you want to be fancy, you can add a few drops of white wine to the pasta as it reheats. Yum!
Salmon and seabass dishes
Fish is best consumed within 2-3 days after your event. It is finicky like that. But to preserve the flavor and the moistness, it’s best consumed without a lot of reheating. And if you can avoid it, reheat in a conventional oven or in a pan. Never, never, ever, reheat in the microwave! I know sometimes it’s the only option but...just don’t do it! Not to mention that “fishy” smell that happens when you microwave any sort of fish, your co-workers (or house mates) will thank you.
Freezing fish: Place in tupperware, or put it in a ziplock, then wrap the bag in foil and tighten the edges to seal in freshness.
Oven reheating: Take the fish out of the ziplock then rewrap in foil, place on the oven rack for 10-15 minutes until it's hot.
Sautee pan: Put olive oil in a pan, add the fish, cover with a lid and let it simmer on low heat. The steam will heat the fish without drying it out. Never, ever (not as bas as the microwave), ever, heat on high heat. It will dry the fish to a rubbery mess.
Hummus
I know you want to know if you can freeze that delicious garlic-rich, lemon tangy dip that Taza Catering & Events is known for. The answer is yes! The easiest thing to do is to put it in a ziplock, wrap the ziplock in foil, and freeze until you are ready to consume.
For best results, take it out of the freezer the morning you plan to consume it. Then put it in a bowl, mix it with a spoon to recreate the consistency, and enjoy with pita bread or chips.
Rice
Yes! Rice can last in the fridge for up to 5 days. However, freezing rice is just not worth it. Put it in tupperware and it will taste as good as the first day if you reheat it properly.
Reheating: put the rice in a pot, sprinkle with a few tablespoons of water, use your hand to crumble the rice so it flakes apart. This is an important step in the heating process. Then turn the stove on low to medium heat and continue to stir regularly until the rice is hot. If it starts to stick, add a few drops of water to hydrate as you reheat.
There are so many more dishes offered by Taza Catering & Events so if you have a specific dish that we made for you and you are curious how to reheat it, or simply want to know how to reheat your favorite dish, write mem a note. I love hearing from you!
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