How to increase the shelf life of jellied meat?

How long can jelly be stored in the refrigerator

Soon the New Year holidays will come, and with them fun, visits, meetings of friends and relatives. Each housewife wants not only to feed everyone deliciously, but also to relax herself.

Jellied meat is perhaps the most popular winter dish, hearty and elegant; it will decorate the festive table.

The problem is that they cook it a lot, otherwise there is simply no point in messing around, and how long the jellied meat is stored in the refrigerator depends on quite a few nuances.

The term and storage conditions for jellied meat

If you try to find information on the Internet about how many days you can store ready-made jelly in the freezer or refrigerator, then the answers will be very contradictory - from several hours to several weeks.

The regulatory documents indicate that the shelf life of jelly, brawn, aspic and jellied meat is not more than 36 hours, provided that it is stored in a cold temperature is not higher than +10 degrees. And when frozen, these products can be stored for up to two months.

The experience of ordinary housewives tells us somewhat different numbers. On average, jellied meat can be safely stored in the refrigerator for up to a week, and some argue that it does not deteriorate in ten days.

Before use, frozen jellied meat must be boiled again and allowed to freeze. If you simply defrost, then the formed ice crystals will greatly spoil the taste. You can also use the preparation of jellied meat as the basis for a delicious soup.

Additional ingredients in jellied meat that affect shelf life

Jellied meat, decorated with carrot circles, herbs, halves of eggs, looks beautiful and elegant. But any additional product that has not undergone heat treatment reduces the shelf life to several hours, even in the refrigerator.

Some housewives mistakenly believe that the addition of raw onions and garlic and ground pepper contributes to a longer storage of jellied meat. But these spicy foods only fight off the smell of the product starting to deteriorate.

Grated horseradish can become a real preservative for jellied meat. It must be evenly distributed over the surface and the bowl must be covered with foil or cling film. This way you can extend the shelf life in the refrigerator by a couple of days.

Increased shelf life

There are some tricks that you can use to influence the shelf life of your finished product. First of all, you should competently approach the choice of meat.

It should be as fresh as possible, in no case freeze. Otherwise, during the cooking process, an unpleasant surprise may await you - not the freshest smell.

In addition, you can increase the shelf life by several days by creating conditions for maximum cleanliness:

Disassemble meat with gloves, regular medical ones will do.
Sterilize the dishes in which the jellied meat will be stored. We calcine metal containers in the oven, and heat glass and plastic containers in the microwave.
Close the bowls tightly before storing them in the refrigerator. The less contact with air, the longer you can store frozen jellied meat.
Jellied meat cannot be re-frozen. Use very small containers to store it in the freezer.
Every hour spent in the warmth reduces the ability to store jellied meat for a day, Serve it on the table immediately before eating, It is better to stock additional small portions in the refrigerator.

Outcome

Aspic, like all meat dishes, is a perishable food. It can only be stored if kept at a fairly low temperature. But you shouldn't keep it in the refrigerator for longer than five, maximum seven days.

The possibilities of increasing the shelf life for jellied meat are very limited.After a week, the natural process of protein oxidation begins in the meat, and the consumption of the dish becomes unsafe.

Due to the special structure of jellied meat, the possibilities of preserving it are limited. Basically, this is the removal of all products from those portions that will be stored longer, except for meat, and the observance of the highest possible purity.

It is better to cook as many servings of jellied meat as the eaters are supposed to, and a little more in reserve, than trying to preserve a perishable product at the risk of health.

Your brownie.

Is it possible to freeze a meat dish and how to do it correctly

For storing jellied meat for a longer period, it is recommended to use special techniques. At the same time, many, even experienced housewives, do not know whether it is possible to freeze jellied meat. But this is a great option in order to preserve the freshness of the product.

Meanwhile, in modern houses and apartments very often there is not only a large refrigerator with a traditional freezer, but also a special freezer. There is quite enough space to place all the "large-scale" remnants of jellied meat after some family celebration. But when storing the jellied one both in such a chamber and in the freezer of an ordinary refrigerator, certain rules must be followed.

Jellied meat cannot be re-frozen.
The dish that you plan to freeze should be cooked without garlic and onions, since their taste changes for the worse during this procedure.
Containers with the product should be small and always with tight-fitting lids. You can, in addition, close the plastic container additionally with cling film in 2-3 layers. This will protect the jelly from absorbing foreign odors.
After defrosting, use should be as fast as possible; it is not recommended to store defrosted jellied meat for a long time.
It should be defrosted at room temperature.
Food will retain its quality only if there is no temperature fluctuation in the freezer.

If, after defrosting, you doubt the quality of the product, it is better to boil it again. After that, the broth can be poured back into containers and allowed to solidify again. But such jellied meat is stored for a very short time, even in the refrigerator.

Rice. 4 - Reboil the jellied meat

In general, if freezing and defrosting is done correctly, your jellied meat will go to work anyway.

Shock freezing of the product

The faster the jellied meat is frozen, the better its quality and all consumer properties are preserved. This means that the best option for this product is super-fast, or so-called shock freezing. This is how, for example, all frozen foodstuffs that we buy in supermarkets are prepared in this way.

In almost all modern refrigerators, and even more so in freezers, this option is present. With the standard freezing option, the product freezes gradually, starting from the outer layer. Only after some time is the inner layer affected.

During shock freezing, this process is rapidly accelerated, there is an almost instantaneous freezing of the product to the depths of the inner layer.

Rice. 5 - Frozen jellied meat

	Automation follows a certain sequence of actions	Thermometer readings
1	Moisture crystallizes on the surface of the dish.	Aspic is cooled to three degrees Celsius (in some models - to 0 ° C).
2	The product freezes, that is, it passes from a liquid structure to a solid one. The faster this happens, the better the internal structure of the product is preserved.	At this moment, the temperature drops to minus 5 ° C.
3	At the final stage, the jelly is frozen.	This happens when the thermometer drops sharply to –18 ° С, which ultimately fixes the structure of the product.

All three stages of blast chilling in the fridge or freezer take place within a very short time.If you manage to maintain the natural structure, then you will not feel any changes in taste.

However, it is important that during storage there are no significant temperature fluctuations inside the unit.

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Features of storage of various varieties

There is a wide variety of dough dishes with different fillings. They differ not only in taste, method of preparation, but also in storage characteristics. In order for the products to retain their original appearance, to remain tasty, certain storage conditions are observed.

Manty

Previously, the manti is prepared for freezing. A flat plate or cutting board is wrapped with cling film. Stacked products are laid, being careful not to come into contact with each other. Place in the freezer for 2-3 hours. After light freezing, the manti is transferred to a tight bag or container, tightly closed.

Ravioli

If, after preparing an Italian dish, a sufficient number of semi-finished products remain, they are placed in the freezer for storage. Subject to the conditions, the product can be stored for 45 days. Previously, the ravioli are laid out on a board covered with cling film. Send it to the freezer for 30 minutes. After freezing, the ravioli are transferred to an airtight container.

Khinkali

The product can also only be stored frozen. The principle of freezing a semi-finished product is the same as for manti, dumplings and ravioli. Dough stuffed products are left on the cutting board for 6-8 hours. After freezing, khinkali are transferred to an airtight package.

Dumplings with meat

A dish of unleavened dough with filling can be prepared for future use. Flour semi-finished products are capable of absorbing foreign odors, therefore they are put in an airtight package and sent to storage in a freezer at a temperature of -12 ... -18 degrees. The shelf life is from 30 days to six months.

Influence of ingredients on preservation

Many people prefer traditional jellied meat without gelatin, for the manufacture of which only pieces of meat and rich meat broth are used. Such a dish, on the one hand, is stored less simply in the refrigerator, but, on the other hand, it feels great in the freezer. So for freezing and long-term storage, it is better to use this option.

Rice. 7 - Jellied meat decorated with egg

But choosing jellied meat as one of the festive dishes, the hostess still seeks to decorate it somehow in order to match the solemn moment. As a result, when the jellied meat solidifies, many add figured boiled eggs (including quail), vegetables (primarily carrots), herbs (parsley, dill) to a container with broth. Their availability will directly depend on how much jelly is stored in the refrigerator.

Naturally, adding additional products to this popular dish is possible only after they have been previously heat-treated. So the frozen surface, of course, looks more beautiful, festive. However, this will still have a negative effect on safety.

If herbs, carrots or eggs are added, the shelf life is reduced by a couple of days. The optimal storage period for jellied meat in this case cannot be more than three days. If initially it is planned to store the remains of jellied meat for a long time, then these products should not be added.

On the other hand, grated horseradish can be a natural preservative. The effect is about the same as that of jellied meat with gelatin. By covering the surface of the jellied meat in a container with a thin layer of grated horseradish, you can increase the storage time by about 2-3 days. The fact is that the layer of horseradish prevents protein oxidation. To enhance the effect, you can also cover the top with cling film.

The duration of storage without compromising quality also depends on which type of meat is used. Jellied meat can be made from chicken, beef, pork.The best option is fresh, chilled meat that has not been frozen before.

The shelf life of the jellied meat will be longer if fatty meat is used. In this situation, beef jellied meat is more advantageous in terms of storage than chicken. And the maximum period of successful and safe storage of a pork dish (including pork tongues). When the broth solidifies, a fat film forms on the surface of the jellied meat, which protects this dish, like a layer of grated horseradish. Oxidation of the product is much slower.

Rice. 8 - Jellied meat with a film of fat on the surface

Can fresh onions or garlic be added to the jellied meat?

These additives add spice, just like ground pepper. Jellied meat with garlic and fresh onions is a fairly common and popular recipe. There is an opinion that they contribute to the better preservation of the dish. Unfortunately, this is not confirmed in practice. Onions, garlic, ground pepper and other spices do not affect the shelf life of this meat dish.

Moreover, it is not recommended to add them if you plan to freeze the jellied meat and store it for a long time in the freezer. Their taste under the shock of low temperatures changes for the worse.

There is one more negative factor. Additional seasonings can kill the unpleasant smell at the moment when the jelly begins to deteriorate. You may not pick up this alarm call and use such a spoiled product, which is fraught with negative consequences for your health.

But, in principle, no one can forbid you to make any additions to your jellied meat, if you do not plan to keep it in reserve for a long time.

Storage conditions

With a huge variety of cooking methods for this dish, there is still a standard recipe. In fact, these are pieces of meat that are poured with concentrated meat broth. Moreover, the filling must be gelled - naturally or with the help of gelatin. Natural gelatinous broth is obtained by long-term (sometimes up to 12 hours) digestion of special parts of the meat carcass. At the same time, food additives for thickening and gelling are not used.

Meat is used in a variety of ways. It can be pork, beef, offal (for example, tongue), any poultry. Delicate aspic is also obtained from fish. And the most interesting taste is observed in the dish, which simultaneously combines several variants of meat and poultry.

Cooking jellied meat of different types of meat

The long-term cooking of the dish is completed only after it has been placed in the cold for a long time. Many people prefer to cook it in the winter, in order to use the natural cold outside the window (if the climatic conditions permit). As a rule, containers filled with meat and broth are sent to the frozen balcony in the evening. By morning, the jelly hardens and takes on its traditional look.

It is clear that in the conditions of industrial production, catering enterprises or food supermarkets, no one will send jellied meat in the cold. Here, for its final solidification and subsequent conservation, refrigerators are, of course, used. Moreover, this storage should be carried out according to the norms of the SES, which are officially approved by the relevant government agencies.

How much ready-made jellied meat is stored in the refrigerator of retail outlets or catering establishments is determined by the current SanPiN 2.3.2.1324-03. The requirement established by this document is quite strict.

However, according to GOST, industrial manufacturers of such products can set their own shelf life. It must be indicated on the packaging of the finished product. The maximum duration allowed is 72 hours from production time. It must be understood that jellied meat, in any case, refers to perishable food products.

Industrial jellied meat

Temperature

As established by the current SanPiN, a 12-hour storage period is set for jellied meat only when the correct temperature regime is applied. It is 4 ± 2 ° C. If the finished dish is stored in the refrigerator at a different temperature, it cannot be considered sound and must be disposed of. It is no longer possible to use it for food.

The finished product of industrial production, which is made according to GOST or local TU, can most often be stored at temperatures up to + 8 ° C. The reason is that manufacturers, as a rule, use special additives, in which additional preservation of the product is carried out. Including its gelation becomes more persistent.

As for the preparation of jellied meat at home, here the SES standards, of course, do not apply. However, housewives are still better off being guided by the recommendations of specialists if they care about the health and safety of their loved ones.

Remember that temperatures are different in different sections of a household refrigerator. Such zoning is associated with the storage characteristics of certain types of food products. Depending on which zone your jellied meat is in, how much it can be stored also depends. This period ranges up to several days. If the gelling went naturally, without the use of additional preservatives, and the dish contains only meat and broth, then much less storage time is given.

Temperature regime on different shelves of the refrigerator

Storage conditions

Rice. 1 - Cooking jellied meat of different types of meat

Rice. 2 - Industrial jellied meat

Temperature

As established by the current SanPiN, a 12-hour storage period is set for jellied meat only when the correct temperature regime is applied. It is 4 ± 2 ° C.If the finished dish is stored in the refrigerator at a different temperature, it cannot be considered sound and must be disposed of. It is no longer possible to use it for food.

Rice. 3 - Temperature conditions on different shelves of the refrigerator

How much jelly is stored in the refrigerator? Defining freshness

As we have already said, sometimes housewives notice that after three days in a cold place nothing happens to the jelly. We advised you not to risk the health of your household. Moreover, visually or by smell, you can determine the signs of deterioration of the product. So, your jelly has already deteriorated if it has acquired an unpleasant odor. And sometimes your own organs of smell let you down. So, one second it seems to you that the dish smells bad, and the next you are sure of the opposite. In this case, you can do a simple trick: leave the snack removed from the refrigerator on the table at room temperature for a couple of minutes. Now you can safely sniff.

If you see homemade jelly has changed from a pleasant color to a dull dark shade, discard it immediately. It is strongly discouraged to consume such a dish. The same applies to gray deposits or mildew on the surface. In this case, it is better not to experiment with your own stomach. Even removing the top layer from the appetizer will not help as bacteria have already entered the entire dish.

Is it possible to freeze jellied meat in the freezer

There are situations that a lot of jellied meat is cooked and it is not possible to eat it within the shelf life. Then it is better to freeze the jellied meat.

For this, the container with the jelly is closed with a lid and, to prevent the absorption of extraneous odors from the freezer, is wrapped in several layers of cling film.

However, it should be borne in mind that after defrosting, such jellied meat will slightly lose its taste and slightly change its consistency. To avoid this, you should take care of further freezing the jellied meat even at the stage of cooking.

If you know that you will be freezing some of the jellied meat, then prepare special containers for freezing. Place the meat in them and cover with broth.

Important: You don't need to add spices and garlic !!!

Close the containers tightly with a lid and wrap in plastic wrap. In this form, send the preparation for the jellied meat to the freezer for storage.

What is better to cook from

The main component of jellied meat is meat. It should only be used fresh. The defrosted product tastes worse.

The broth will be tastier if you use more fatty meats. After the broth hardens, a protective fat layer forms on top, which will make the storage of the jellied meat longer. The fat should be skimmed off just before serving.
Chopped horseradish root also helps to increase the shelf life of this dish.It is distributed in the upper part of the jellied meat even before it hardens.
Salt is, like horseradish, a natural preservative. The dish should be salted in sufficient quantity, it will be stored less than salted.

In sterile containers, the jelly can be stored for 1 - 2 days longer. For sterilization, metal containers can be held in a hot oven. And containers made of food-grade plastic are placed in the microwave.

Canning as a way of long-term storage of jellied meat

Home cooks don't just love to cook it for the holidays. They also make homemade preparations that allow you to enjoy the dish all year round. For canning jellied meat, you can use standard traditional recipes.

Rice. 9 - Canned jellied meat

You will need pieces of meat, rich broth, bay leaves, peppercorns.
You can cook them much less than for standard jellied meat. Bring the meat to half-readiness.
After that, jars with meat and meat broth are sent for sterilization. It should last at least two hours.
Then the cans are rolled up and sent to any cool place.

Such canned meat can be stored in jelly for at least a year. They can be taken out at any time and placed on the table. But, of course, such canned food is somewhat different from the classic jellied meat.

Natural preservative

You cannot use gelatin to create such blanks. The reason is that during sterilization, jars of meat are boiled for a long time. The gelling properties of gelatin are thereby destroyed, it becomes useless as a preservative. How is the safety of the dish ensured in this situation?

In this case, separate parts of the meat carcass act as a natural preservative. It is necessary to choose those that have a high collagen content. When cooked, it is released and acts as a gelling agent for canned food. Such parts can be, for example, pork and beef legs, bones, skin with a layer of fat, etc. This broth is very strong and rich.

Alternative ways

There are many alternative ways to increase the shelf life of this product.

Freezing

In the freezer, the dish remains fresh for 3 months. An undoubted advantage is the presence of a shock freeze function. In this case, the meat will be able to solidify evenly and will not crystallize. This method allows you to keep the freshness of the product for 5-6 months. However, experts still do not recommend delaying storage until the last days.

Canning

This is a great way to make jellied meat in advance and not worry about its safety. It is permissible to keep canned meat in a dark and cool place for 1 year. However, it is best to eat them 6 months in advance.

To prepare jellied meat for future use, it is recommended to do the following:

Cook the dish according to your favorite recipe and roll it up in sterilized jars. Pasteurize them for 2 hours over low heat.
Cool jars, put in a cool place. The temperature should be + 15-20 degrees.
In the evening, put the jar in the refrigerator. By morning, the dish will become elastic.

What measures should be taken to preserve jellied meat

If the jelly is cooked in large quantities, then sooner or later the question of its safety arises. This requires a low temperature. You can get it if you have:

Household refrigerator.
Freezer
Cellar.

Containers made of any material are suitable for preserving homemade jellied meat. But it would be better to cook it in portioned plates. It is recommended to store the dish in metal, glass or earthenware dishes. It should close tightly, since when storing the jelly in the refrigerator, the smell of garlic and spices with which the jellied meat is flavored can pass to other food, which is undesirable. Therefore, be sure to keep the jelly in a container with a tight lid.

Shelf life of the jelly in the refrigerator

This dish is not intended for long-term storage, so it must be eaten within a few days.If a refrigerator is used for storage, then the maximum shelf life of portioned pieces is 7-8 days.

If a large amount of jellied meat is cooked and it is not possible to eat it in a few days, it is better to use a freezer for storage. If it has the function of deep freezing, then the jelly can be stored for 5-6 months without losing its taste.

In many cases, after a feast, plates remain on which the dish is unfinished. Moreover, it was in a warm room for a long time. In this case, if the hostess wishes, you can collect all the pieces in a saucepan, and then bring the meat broth to almost a boil over low heat, but not boil. After that, it is necessary to pour the jellied meat into the molds again. This re-made dish can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Many housewives prepare food for future use in order to save their time and not to stand at the stove every day, but only to reheat ready-made food or take it out of the refrigerator. The same applies to jellied meat.

In the freezer for storing jelly, set the temperature to -12-15 ° C. Do not freeze the product deeper. If the finished jellied meat is in a sealed container, then its preservation lasts 3–6 months.

Using a cold cellar

If a person lives in a private house or in a rural area, then instead of a refrigerator or freezer, you can use a cold cellar to store food. The lowest temperature that can be obtained depends on the design of the cellar and its location. Aspic in this case can be stored from 2-3 days to 3-4 months. As mentioned above, it is better to put it in a container with a tight-fitting lid. The best option if it is a metal container. This not only preserves the taste and aroma of the product for a long time, but also protects it from various rodents, for example, mice, which can enter the cellar.

Increasing shelf life by different methods

There are several ways that allow you to increase the safety of the jelly up to 9-10 days when using a conventional refrigerator. These methods are recommended only if the product is prepared in advance, for example, before a holiday. To increase the shelf life of finished food, you can do the following:

Use an enameled metal dish with a lid for storing the dish. It is necessary to sterilize it before pouring the jellied meat.
When making jelly, it is advisable to disassemble meat with sterile gloves.
You do not need to add raw vegetables to the dish. It is better to add spices to the broth during its cooking. Horseradish, mustard is best served at the table.
The broth should be poured into small containers.
For better preservation, cover the container with the dish with a lid, cling film or aluminum foil.

Some people think that adding pepper and garlic can increase the shelf life of the dish. It's a delusion. It must be remembered that it is better not to store the resulting product at temperatures above 0 ° C for more than 7 days. Since the tightness of a container with jelly closed with a lid is difficult to ensure, various bacteria appear in it. If the jellied meat is stale, then mold may appear on it. Such food is unsuitable for eating and is hazardous to health.

Signs of a spoiled product

It is not always possible to predict how long a meat dish will stand in cool temperatures. The following signs indicate that the aspic is spoiled:

the color has faded;
the food has an unusual smell;
a gray coating has appeared on the surface of the jelly-like delicacy.

The presence of mold on the surface of the jellied meat is a sign of its absolute unsuitability. Having tasted such food, you run the risk of getting serious poisoning.

Sometimes you can see aspic in fast food supermarkets. There it is sold in special stands. How much store jelly is stored in the refrigerator is usually written on the package.