FAQ: I want to freeze my tomato sauce, but can’t use the whole 32/24 oz jar at once!

6/4/12

It never fails. You make spaghetti for your husband and yourself and
you only need half the jar.  Or you ran out of pasta but still have pasta sauce left.  Well, no worries! Yes, you CAN freeze sauce.  What
ever did humans do before refrigeration?

19th Century Underground Cellar for Ice and Refrigeration

Actually, humans went through a lot of trouble and got pretty creative before refrigerators.  Primitive food cooling systems can be traced
back to (or before) 1000 B.C.  Naturally, pre-refrigerator
civilization couldn’t acquire and store large amounts of food for
extended periods of time like we Americans have the privilege of
doing.   Livestock was often slaughtered and eaten immediately, or butchered
in the fall before the colder temperatures set in, and harvests were
also timed to accommodate the wintery months.  But, some methods were
introduced to give families the option to preserve food for a longer
duration.

Underground Cellar Still Used Today to Preserve

The earliest predecessors to the refrigerator were caves, cellars, streams, snow and the like.  Blocks of ice packed in salt and salt water brine (which absorbs heat when it evaporated) were used to assist in the cooling process.  Early restaurants had blocks of ice delivered daily to cool the cellar for food storage and health safety. Eventually ice cabinets or “ice boxes” would predate the modern refrigerator design, until finally in 1834, Jacob Perkins invented the first refrigerator suitable for food use, which used ether in a vapor compression cycle.  It took another 100 years of refrigerator evolution to provide the version we know and love today.  So, appreciate your refrigerator!

Jacob Perkins Supposed Inventor of the Refrigerator Patented in 1834

As far as freezing foods,  know that some foods freeze better than
others.  Most fruits and vegetables usually freeze well (yay for tomatoes!)
and cream or gel based products (which tend to separate upon freezing,
and never quite go back right when thawed) do not.  Sorry Alfredo
sauce.

• When you’re ready to freeze your tomato sauce, first you’ll want to
  cool it quickly in order to prevent bacteria growth and freezer burn.
  Placing sauce in the refrigerator is a great way to do this.
• Next, stir the sauce well so that the flavors are evenly distributed.
• It’s best to ladle sauce into quart sized Tupperware or ziplock bags (which
  serves 2-3 people) so that you can thaw a little at a time when you
  need it.  If using Tupperware, try spraying it with cooking spray
  first to prevent staining.  Leave adequate space in your container or
  bag to allow for expansion during freezing and/or thawing.
• Finally, remove as much air as possible! Air will spoil food faster than any
  other culprit!  Also, it helps to label and date your pasta sauce to
  help ensure freshness.
• Moni’s has informed me that their sauces can easily keep for 3 months
  in the freezer.  When the pasta craving strikes, just remove one quart
  of sauce and allow it to thaw for 6 hours on the counter or overnight
  in the fridge.And there you have it! The key to pasta freshness and longevity!  Bon Appétit!

Share some of your techniques on how you freeze your sauce?  Anyone heard of using an ice cube tray…? 

Until next time, age well and live long!

Freelance Writer- Holly Bone