Can you freeze deli lunch meat?

limey

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Dec 26, 2007, 3:32:47 PM12/26/07

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I overbought. Can you freeze it without losing too much quality? I've
never tried before.
--
Dora
lime...@yahoo.com

Steve Pope

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Dec 26, 2007, 3:34:44 PM12/26/07

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limey <lime...@yahoo.com> wrote:

>I overbought. Can you freeze it without losing too much quality? I've
>never tried before.

It generally freezes okay if it's not too old and stale.

Steve

limey

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Dec 26, 2007, 3:40:01 PM12/26/07

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No, it's quite fresh (bought Christmas Eve). Thanks, Steve.

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Julia Altshuler

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Dec 26, 2007, 4:13:47 PM12/26/07

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limey wrote:
>
> I overbought. Can you freeze it without losing too much quality? I've
> never tried before.

Funny you should ask. I must have been in a daze when I last put the
plastic bag of sliced deli roast beef away because I looked everywhere
for it in the fridge and finally found it in the freezer. That wasn't
on purpose. I defrosted it in the microwave. It was fine.

--Lia

Pete C.

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Dec 26, 2007, 4:26:25 PM12/26/07

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aem wrote:

>
> On Dec 26, 12:32 pm, "limey" <limey...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> > I overbought. Can you freeze it without losing too much quality? I've
> > never tried before.
> > --

> It'll be safe to eat, sure, but the quality will be poor even if you
> thaw it slowly and carefully. Taste won't be hurt, so just anticipate
> that instead of laying nice firm slices on your sandwich you'll be
> piling up little heaps of pieces. Still can be a decent sandwich. -
> aem

Flash freeze it so ice crystals don't form and it should be ok.

limey

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Dec 26, 2007, 4:46:11 PM12/26/07

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Yes, that's what I have - 3/4 pound of roast beef, plus a lot of
pastrami and smoked turkey. Sometimes, you just can't figure what
people will want to eat. It'll go bad before we manage to eat it. I
think I'll use the Foodsaver then freeze.

Thanks, everyone.

Sheldon

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Dec 26, 2007, 4:48:08 PM12/26/07

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Roast beef is not anywhere the same as cured deli meats... it's the
salts in deli meats that wreak havoc on the texture through
freezing... cooked fresh meats suffer very little loss of texture.

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DGJ

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Dec 26, 2007, 10:20:34 PM12/26/07

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On Dec 26, 1:32 pm, "limey" <limey...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> I overbought. Can you freeze it without losing too much quality? I've
> never tried before.
> --
> Dora

> limey...@yahoo.com

Limey,

A couple of years ago my wife froze some Black Forest Ham, and when I
defrosted it for my son to eat about two weeks later, it was all slimy
and gross. I had to throw it away. I think freezing lunch meat is
iffy, at best.

Dave

limey

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Dec 27, 2007, 10:29:26 AM12/27/07

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Yes, another poster warned me about ham. I'm thinking about this as a
learning curve - if I don't freeze it I'll end up chucking it away. If
I do I'll then know whether freezing was worth the trouble - and if not,
I'll chuck it away. Either way, I'll learn!

Becca

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Dec 27, 2007, 1:04:07 PM12/27/07

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limey wrote:

> Yes, another poster warned me about ham. I'm thinking about this as a
> learning curve - if I don't freeze it I'll end up chucking it away. If
> I do I'll then know whether freezing was worth the trouble - and if not,
> I'll chuck it away. Either way, I'll learn!

Make sandwiches and take them to your vet's office, the animal shelter,
your hair salon, or to anyone you want to thank for doing such a good
job. I know, I would appreciate that. Lunch, without me having to go
get it? How great is that.

Becca