You might be wondering if it’s alright to freeze sour cream if you bought it for a recipe and now have a bottle of leftovers in the fridge that you don’t have any urgent plans for.
Even when kept in the refrigerator with other milk products, sour cream doesn’t usually stay long. Frozen cream may be kept for several months if you have an excess of it.
Storing sour cream for future use is simple. If you use the advice in this article to properly freeze sour cream, you’ll be able to do it quickly and affordably.
What Exactly is Soured Cream?
In contrast to conventional cream, sour cream is made by intentionally fermenting it with lactic acid bacteria. This reaction mechanism between the milk product and the bacteria is responsible for your pancakes’ thickness and sour flavor.
Is it Possible to Freeze Sour Cream?
Yes, you can freeze sour cream. However, is it a good idea? No- not unless you must!
Please remember that you should keep freezing conditions at or below 0°F (-18°C) to keep the frozen dishes safe.
Although there are no specific standards for the amount of time sour cream should be frozen, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) suggests that you keep yogurt in the freezer for about 2 months. Likewise, due to its similarity with the cream, it’s safe to use it within 2 months of purchase.
Don’t assume the texture will stay the same after freezing. Frozen sour cream will become thick after it has been defrosted due to the tendency of the constituents to break down after freezing.
Fortunately, we have a trick to help you get your sour cream back to its normal texture. You can keep it for up to 6 months if it’s kept inside the freezer appropriately.
How to Freeze Sour Cream?
The following are the simplest step-by-step procedures for properly freezing your surplus sour cream:
- Get the liquid from its jar and transfer it to a bowl.
- Mix your cream before freezing to ensure that the material is equally dispersed.
- After churning the liquid, I recommend splitting the mixture into small quantities and storing them in an ice cube tray, ziplock bags, or sealed containers. When it comes time to use them, you won’t have any difficulties estimating the quantity you’ll need.
- Allow the bags to soak in water for a few minutes to eliminate any ambient air or simulate a no-air effect before sealing them.
- Place the bags in the back of the freezer and allow the liquid to freeze there. If placed in the front, it will be more susceptible to elevated temperature each time someone opens the freezer. As a result, the quality of the product becomes compromised.
Defrosting Sour Cream: A Step-by-Step Guide
1. Refrigerator
Thawing dairy products in the refrigerator is the safest technique of thawing any milk product available. Depending on your serving, it can take anywhere from 2 hours for small chunks and more than 8 hours for big chunks.
The simplest and most practical technique is to thaw it overnight. Put the container in a basin of lukewarm water overnight to expedite the defrosting process and to ensure that your sour cream is wholly defrosted by morning.
2. Microwave
If you want to use your frozen cream right away, place the portion you’ll require in a microwave-safe dish and warm it up. Heat at intervals of 25-30 seconds until it is fully thawed.
Avoid overheating your sour cream to avoid damaging its taste, texture, and, most importantly, its safety for consumption.
3. Room Temperature
No one recommends this procedure, and I do not endorse it as well. Leaving frozen sour cream out at ambient temperature for an infinite length of time encourages bacteria that may be present to spread through the product rapidly.
To save time, place the container or bag containing the frozen cream in an empty pot of tepid water and leave it on the table for 15 minutes. Using hot water will not significantly speed up the process in this situation.
To expedite the process even further, you can replace the water anytime it becomes ice cold and mix the cream every 20 minutes or so, depending on how long it takes.
Once again, this is an unsafe method. Do it at your own risk!
4. Add it Frozen Straight into the Pot.
In some circumstances, such as when using it in stews and soups, you can chuck it in during the cooking process and allow the frozen liquid to defrost as the dish is cooking.
Frozen Sour Cream: What to Do With It?
According to nutritionists, you should only use sour cream in cooking or baking. It would be best if you don’t utilize it in any way as a sauce or a garnish.
If you use frozen or thawed sour cream for a meal that demands fresh cream, the texture will be unsatisfactory.
Here are some alternative uses of sour cream:
- Baking cakes, primarily muffins and coffee cake
- Casseroles
- Pancakes
- Mashed and baked potatoes
- Soups
- Slow cooker pies
Once you Open a Jar of Sour Cream, How Long Does it Last?
Whether opened or unopened, sour cream can last in the fridge for about 3 weeks after the purchase date.
This basic rule recommends using the liquid within 7- 21 days of cooling it at 400C.
Important Hints to Keep In Mind
- Make certain that any container you use to store the cream is firmly sealed or has a ziplock to prevent bacterial growth from taking place.
- Always check your liquid to ensure it hasn’t grown mold, has a discolored appearance, or has a foul odor before using it.
- Separation should not alarm you. While it may appear unpleasant, separation of the liquid from the thick cream is quite common. You can perhaps pour or stir it back in using a clean spoon.
- It is possible to restore the natural texture of the liquid if it has become chunky or fluid by whisking in a spoonful of cornmeal to the cream before using it.
- It is not advisable to refreeze the cream after thawing it. The melting and refreezing process can result in microbial infection, rendering the sour cream unfit for consumption.
Final Words
Is it possible to store sour cream in the freezer? You can find the answer in this piece of writing. Please read it as soon as possible before your sour cream goes bad!
Continue reading: How Long Can Yogurt Sit Out Before It Goes Bad?