Can You Freeze Scrapple?
Not many people, including the average non-vegetarian eaters, would have heard of scrapple. But, if you are brave enough to try it, you would love it. Scrapple is a pork dish, and if you like pork, there is no reason you shouldn’t try scrapple. You will enjoy it.
Scrapple can fill your tummy very soon. So, there are high chances of having leftovers. But, should you be worried about storing scrapple? Can you freeze scrapple? You need not worry because you can comfortably freeze scrapple and keep it for twelve months.
Can You Freeze Scrapple?
Generally, people freeze cooked scrapple, but it is also possible to prepare a scrapple loaf before cooking it thoroughly. We shall discuss both these procedures in detail in this article.
It is an excellent idea to freeze the scrapple before slicing and frying it because it allows the scrapple to solidify and not fall apart when frying the individual pieces.
Freezing scrapple helps keep it fresh and edible, but it also enables to fry it and serve it as a meal.
How To Freeze Scrapple Before Frying?
Freezing scrapple is a simple process. Besides, it is best to freeze scrapple before frying as it enables you to fry it better. The following procedure can help you freeze scrapple.
- Decide beforehand if you wish to freeze the entire scrapple loaf or love to slice it up. Then, if you like to slice it, you can do it.
- Accordingly, wrap the scrapple loaf or the slices in freezer paper or plastic wrap.
- Place the wrapped scrapple loaves or slices in an airtight container or a heavy-duty freezer bag.
- Label the bag, note the freezing date, and ensure removing all air to prevent freezer burn.
- Store the container or the freezer bag in the freezer for twelve months comfortably.
The only factors to consider are wrapping the loaf or the slices and removing the air from the freezer bags before freezing. If you are worried that the pieces might not hold, you have the option of freezing the entire loaf.
How Do You Freeze Scrapple After Frying It?
Freezing scrapple after frying it is also not an issue. However, fried scrapple does not last as long as unfried scrapple when frozen. So, we recommend freezing the scrapple raw. Nevertheless, if you have fried the scrapple, the following procedure should help you freeze it.
- Bring the cooked scrapple slices to room temperature.
- Pat the scrapple slices dry using a paper towel. It helps soak excess moisture and oil accumulated during the frying process.
- Use a plastic wrap to wrap the individual slices.
- Place the wrapped slices in a freezer bag and remove excess air from it.
- Label the bag and seal it properly.
- Freeze the bag inside the freezer compartment.
How Long Does Frozen Scrapple Remain Fresh?
While the unfried scrapple can remain frozen for 12 months, the fried scrapple does not last as long. But, it is still better than refrigerating the scrapple.
How Long Does Scrapple Remain Fresh In The Fridge?
Though USDA claims scrapple can remain refrigerated for 50 days, we do not recommend refrigerating them for more than three to five days. Keeping it refrigerated for more time encourages bacterial contamination.
How To Use The Scrapple After Freezing It?
The best aspect of scrapple is that you can work on it while still in a frozen state. It is beneficial to freeze the entire scrapple loaf because they stay together when you slice them for frying.
Defrosting scrapple is the first thing to do when you decide to use the frozen scrapple. Scrapple can be allowed to thaw naturally in the fridge overnight. So, you remove the frozen meat and place it inside the refrigerator. It would have defrosted when you took it out the following morning. However, you can start slicing the loaf even when it has not defrosted entirely. It works well, even if it softens up a little.
Does Freezing Scrapple Affect It?
Like all fatty meats, scrapple is also vulnerable to freezer burn. It explains why we wrap the individual slices and remove the air from the freezer bag before freezing. It helps decrease the chances of freezer burn.
However, freezing scrapple can affect its texture and taste, especially when you keep it frozen. However, the difference is not much if you consume it quickly.
Can You Reheat Scrapple?
While you can cook scrapple before freezing, it is best to do it on a slow cooker or microwave. Cooking it before freezing allows you to heat the scrapple and serve it directly.
You can microwave this frozen scrapple and heat it on high. It is also possible to thaw frozen scrapple in cold water. However, we do not recommend defrosting the scrapple at room temperature.
However, if you have frozen scrapple raw, it is advisable to thaw it first before cooking it.
How Do You Know That The Scrapple Has Turned Bad?
You should understand that fresh scrapple and frozen scrapple are different things. It is recommended to consume fresh scrapple immediately, while frozen scrapple can easily last more than three months in the freezer. However, we recommend consuming frozen scrapple within three months, as it can turn rancid otherwise.
Here are the signs of scrapple turning rancid.
- It loses the natural brownish-gray or black color to turn into a darker gray shade.
- The scrapple smell also changes when it turns sour. However, the odor can be powerful for anyone to miss.
- The texture changes from crunchy to soggy.
Can You Refreeze Scrapple?
It is not advisable to refreeze the scrapple once defrosted thoroughly. However, if you thawed it partially to cut it into slices, you can place the scrapple back into the freezer for continued freezing. But, if you do this, you should not leave the scrapple at room temperature.
The scrapple must remain outside the fridge only as long as it is required to slice the loaf into the necessary pieces. After that, the scrapple should promptly return to the freezer. If you place it at room temperature, you expose it to bacterial contamination.
Final Thoughts
Scrapple could be a unique dish not many people would have tasted. However, it is one of the easiest to freeze and consume. So, can you freeze scrapple? The answer is Yes, you can.
