Fried Rice is one of the most comfortable grand dishes. It is loaded with lots of nutrients as it contains a lot of vegetables. There are different kinds of fried rice prepared by many of us as per our requirements.
Some might like a full vegetable fried rice, while others may want to include eggs, Shrimp, paneer, chicken, or any other meat. The most important of all is, it requires minimum time and effort for a delicious treat. What if you just made a huge batch of fried rice? You really cannot waste them. So, what can you do?
Can You Freeze Fried Rice? Yes. You can. The key to a good freezing technique is to freeze the rice before adding any condiments. But, you can also freeze the leftover fried rice safely in the freezer and keep them good for days to come.
Let us look more in detail at the freezing and thawing techniques. We have also tried to answer the questions that might emerge while you keep reading. Let us get started.
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Does Fried Rice Freeze well?
Surprisingly Yes. Fried rice freezes well. This is because of the moisture content in the rice when it is cooked. The rice becomes soft and absorbs moisture when it is cooked. The texture of the rice is upheld and locks the moisture when it is frozen.
How Long Can you Freeze Fried Rice?
Fried rice is safe to freeze for up to three months in the freezer. While it is still safe to eat, we do not recommend creating a stash for more than three months.
The longer the rice stays in the freezer, the more flavors and the texture will be lost. This is mainly because of the freezer burns.
You can use either freezer bags or airtight containers. If you are using freezer bags, it is better to vacuum seal the bag. Though the freezer bags are airtight, they might have small pores. The air might flow through the small pores and create freezer burns.
How to Freeze Fried Rice?
Freezing a bowl of Fried rice is a complicated thin line. It depends on what ingredients that you have used in the recipe. If you have used seafood, then you might require more preparation time and effort in freezing them. Let us discuss both freezing vegetable fried rice and seafood fried rice.
Freezing Vegetable Fried Rice
Preparing the vegetable fried rice is very simple. The best technique for freezing the vegetable fried rice would flash freeze the vegetables and the fried rice separately before cooking them together. Here is how you can do it.
- Cut the vegetables of your choice and cook them well in a pan.
- Simultaneously, cook the rice in a separate pan.
- Take two trays and place the baking sheet.
- Once the vegetables and the rice are cooked well, allow them to cool completely.
- Once the vegetables have cooled down, transfer them to the tray with baking sheets. Make sure the vegetables do not overlap or touch each other on the baking sheet.
- Once the rice is cooled enough to touch them, lay them on the baking sheet. Make sure to lay them as thin as possible.
- Keep both the trays in the freezer for about four to five hours or until they are fully frozen.
- Take them out once they are frozen and transfer the vegetables and the rice together to a freezer bag.
- Make sure you squeeze out the excess air.
- Zip the bag and label them before placing them in the freezer.
Freezing Shrimp Fried Rice
Let us take an example of Shrimp Fried Rice for discussing the technique for freezing Seafood Fried Rice. The most important part of freezing the Shrimp fried rice is that the freezing has to occur immediately once it has cooled down. The longer the time you take to freeze, the higher the chance of bacterial development. This will result in deteriorating the quality of the Fried Rice.
- Prepare the Shrimp Fried Rice in the way that you would like your recipe to be.
- Once cooked, allow it to cool down completely.
- Once the Shrimp Fried rice has cooled down, transfer them to the tray covered with the baking sheet.
- If you find any clumps, make sure you separate them gently before freezing.
- Lay the rice as thin as possible and flash freeze the rice for four hours in the freezer.
- Once they are completely frozen, transfer them to freezer bags immediately.
- Please make sure they are no excess air stored in the freezer bags.
- Label the freezer bag and put them straightway in the freezer for freezing.
If frozen in the said method, both the vegetable and the Shrimp fried rice can stay fresh for three months.
How to Defrost Fried Rice?
Defrosting the Fried rice is not a big deal. There are two ways.
Take the freezer bags from the freezer and transfer the fried rice to a plate.
You can either use a microwave or a frying pan to reheat them.
Using Microwave
If you use a microwave to reheat the Fried rice, it is very important to check the texture of the fried rice after two minutes of heating. If you notice that the rice is drier, you can add a tablespoon of water. Reheat for another two to three minutes. The perfect soft and moist fried rice is ready to eat. Using a microwave will make the rice soft and mushy.
Using Pan
If you are using a frying pan for reheating, similar to heating in a microwave, check for the texture of the fried rice after two minutes of heating. If you find the rice dry, you can add a tablespoon of soy sauce and water. Cook it for another three to four minutes. If you want to rice to be crispy, do not add more water to it. If you prefer them to be soft, add more water.
How to Use Frozen Fried Rice?
You can thaw the frozen fried rice and eat it. Since you have added all the ingredients to it before freezing, it is pretty easy to use.
Fried Rice is a very versatile dish, and you can also use them for other words. The following are examples of a few dishes to which you can add the frozen fried rice.
- Soup & Stews
- Chicken and Beef Stir-fry
- Pilafs
- Food bowls
Can You Freeze Take Away Fried Rice?
We do not recommend freezing the fried rice that you have bought from the restaurant. Many restaurants prepare fried rice in advance and freeze them. When you place an order, they would usually reheat them and serve you.
Fried rice should not be reheated. It can be heated only once. If you refreeze and reheat them again, you might lose the taste and texture.
So, the better solution would be to store them in the fridge and finish it within a day.
Can You Freeze Homemade Fried Rice?
If you are planning to freeze homemade fried rice, plan well ahead and make sure you follow the proper freezing technique.
If you keep the rice out at room temperature for more than an hour, the bacterial growth begins once they cool down.
So, if you have random leftovers, it is better to throw them away.
How Long Does Fried Rice last?
The lifespan of the Fried Rice depends upon the ingredients you have used and the method you have adopted to store them.
Storing at Room temperature
If you store the fried rice at room temperature, the maximum lifespan would be no more than an hour. The bacterial growth would increase once the cooked rice has been completely cooled down. So, if you are not planning to eat the fried rice right away, you should freeze them immediately once it has been cooled down.
Storing in the refrigerator
If you store the fried rice in the fridge, you can keep them fresh for a couple of days. Again, it depends on the ingredients that you have used. I have used chicken or beef; it would last for a maximum of one day. On the other hand, the vegetable Fried Rice would last for a couple of days longer.
Storing them in the freezer
If you freeze the fried rice, it can stay fresh for up to three months. It can still be edible for more than three months, but the taste and texture would begin to deteriorate.
How to identify if the Fried Rice has gone bad?
To identify if the fried rice has gone bad, look for certain signals.
- If you find any foul odor to the fried rice, discard them right away.
- The texture might become mushy and slimy. If the slimy texture accompanies the foul odor, throw them away.
- If you miss the odor and the texture, the taste might help you find if it has gone bad. The spoiled fried rice will taste sour and bland.
Identifying spoiled fried rice is very important. It not only gives you food poisoning but sometimes may lead to death if you get to eat a lot of bad fried rice.
Final Words
Fried rice is one of the versatile foods. If you follow the proper freezing procedures, you can create a good stash for ready availability.
Make sure you don’t create a stash for more than three months to enjoy the same flavor and texture. Happy Freezing!