Freezing Vegan Meat Substitutes?
Posted by OrangeCreme on Apr 13, 2010 · Member since Feb 2010 · 36 posts
So, I've been dealing with the irritation of being able to find lots of ingredients at places like Wal-Mart, but no vegan "meat".
My hubby loves smart bacon, and I use the GimmeLean "ground beef" for a lot of things that I make regularly.
I'm loyal to the Smart brand, and I was just wondering if anyone has tried freezing the above mentioned items, or anything else made by that brand.
Any warnings or tips or whatever for freezing/thawing/whatever would be very helpful, because it's a waste of gas to run to Sprouts all the time just for meat substitutions.
Thanks.
Also, if I'm a moron and didn't realize that you can just keep them in the fridge for a long time or something, that would be good to know, too. xD.
OrangeCreme, I <3 Smart Bacon too!! I've never frozen it, but I have frozen GimmeLean ground beef and sausage. I usually portion it into 4 pieces, wrap them in wax paper, then put them all in a big freezer bag to avoid ice crystals. I've also frozen the whole log before with good results. I defrost in the fridge overnight.
My HFS stores and sells those products frozen, probably because they don't see enough to keep them otherwise. I wouldn't know otherwise, but it tastes fine to me once I thaw it.
We buy the Smart deli turkey-flavored slices and freeze them frequently. You can freeze the whole package unopened, or whatever you have left. It works really well. It even says you can do so on the package, I think - "Use or freeze within 3-5 days of opening" or something like that.
It's best to defrost the turkey slices in the fridge, but if you're in a hurry, you can defrost them in the microwave - just don't zap them for very long before checking. They do thaw around the edges first but stay frozen in the middle.
I haven't tried freezing any other Smart brand items, but I would imagine it should work just fine.
Well, I don't know about store-bought meat substitutes, but here's what I know:
-Tofu freezes very well, has great spongy texture upon thawing, easy to squish out water over sink, soaks up marinades well
-Seitan freezes exceptionally well. I make a huge batch and freeze it down in 2 cup containers, covered with water
-beans also freeze well. Make a big batch in your slow cooker and freeze down in 2 cup containers. They don't get mushy or anything!
-Homemade veggie burgers freeze well. I've tried freezing before cooking (individually on a sheetpan, then put all together in a bag), and furrysgirl said she freezes them after they've cooked. Good both ways.
-Instead of storebought ground meat, you can make up a batch of seitan, process it in a food processor, season as you like, and you now have "ground beef." Also freezes well
I know this isn't really what you asked, but this is what I know about freezing.
I think I've frozen just about every Smart product I've ever had. Deli meats, Gimme Lean, Smart Bacon, and a bunch of other misc. products. I just used a tube of Gimme Lean that had been frozen for about 18 months and it tasted perfect.
Oh, oh, I forgot about this. A couple of years ago my mom bought tofu hot dogs for a cookout, and I wasn't so hot on them, so she froze them. Not the following autumn, but the next autumn (sooo, over a year) I thawed them out and made "The Pigs Are Safe in the Barn" with them, and they tasted fine. Like a tofu hot dog, if that's your thing.
I've frozen all kinds of vegan mock meats and never had a problem. Because the commercial stuff tends to be rather expensive where I live, I generally wait until something goes on sale, and then I'll buy a few packages. I also try not to eat them too often, so it's nice that they keep so well in the freezer.
Freeze the tofu for at least 48 hours to make sure it's completely frozen through. Then you can thaw in the fridge for a couple of days, or you can let it thaw on the counter when you're away during the day. It shouldn't have any ice left when you're ready to use it. Then just press it over the sink and the water will come rushing out. I don't know what might have gone wrong, except maybe you didn't freeze it long enough or didn't let it thaw long enough?