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Can You Freeze Beef Broth?

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By Ross Young

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4 minutes

Beef broth is a kitchen essential as it can be used in a multitude of dishes. Given that itā€™s the perfect base for lots of tasty winter soups, you might plan to have a ready-made supply on hand to save yourself some time.Ā 

But whatā€™s the best way to store it?

Can You Freeze Beef Broth? Yes, you can freeze beef broth. It can be frozen for up to 6 months. Once cooled, bag beef broth up in suitable freezer-safe bags (or airtight containers), label it, and add it to the freezer. Alternatively, you can freeze beef broth in ice cube trays.

Do Does Beef Broth freeze well? Yes

Can you refreeze Beef Broth? Yes

How to Freeze Beef Broth

Freezing beef broth is an excellent way to save yourself time and effort in the kitchen. Itā€™s also super straightforward and doesnā€™t require a great deal of thought. Hereā€™s what you need to do: 

  1. Cool
    Once you have prepared your beef broth, allow it to sit at room temperature until it has cooled completely. Itā€™s a good idea to transfer it to a separate bowl as it will cool much more quickly than if you leave it in the pan.Ā 
  2. Bag Up
    Pour your beef broth into a freezer-safe bag or an airtight container. If your bags arenā€™t particularly thick, itā€™s best to lie the bag in a container, as you donā€™t want the bag to split in the freezer.
  3. Label and Freeze
    Lastly, make a note of todayā€™s date and the use-by date on the front of the freezer-safe bag and place it in the freezer. Remember, you can freeze beef broth for around six months.Ā 

How to Freeze Beef Broth in Ice Cube Trays

Although it might sound a little unusual, freezing beef broth in ice cube trays is a great solution if youā€™re looking to freeze your broth in smaller portions. Hereā€™s what to do: 

  1. Cool
    Again, you will need to ensure your broth has completely cooled before freezing it.Ā 
  2. Pour Into the Ice Cube Tray
    Over the sink, pour your beef broth carefully into the ice cube tray so that each section is filled.Ā 
  3. Flash Freeze
    Once full, place the ice cube tray in the freezer and leave it for around two hours.Ā 
  4. Bag Up
    As soon as your broth has turned into cubes, remove the tray from the freezer and empty the blocks into a freezer-safe bag.Ā 
  5. Label and Freeze
    Write todayā€™s date and the use-by date on the front of the bag and place it in the freezer. Remember, you can freeze beef broth for around six months.

3 Tips for Freezing Beef Broth

Now you know how to freeze it, we’ve got our 3 top tips which we strongly recommend following when freezing beef broth to have the best results:

Always Cool Before Freezing
It might seem like an obvious thing to say, but allowing your beef broth sufficient time to cool before freezing is super important. Empty your broth from the pan and allow it to cool for an hour or so, and you should then be ready to proceed with the steps listed above.

Freeze Other Types of Broth
Although weā€™ve focused on beef broth in this article, you can also freeze vegetable, chicken, and fish broth by following the same steps.

Consider Portions
If you freeze all of your beef broth in one bag, you will need to use it at the same time. As such, itā€™s much better to separate it into portions before freezing it, either using the ice cube tray method or by measuring out the broth and placing it in individual bags.

How Long Can You Freeze Beef Broth?

You can freeze beef broth for around six months. While some people might be tempted to freeze it for longer than this, weā€™d advise you to try and use it within this timeframe to ensure it retains much of its taste and flavours.Ā 

Leaving broth in the freezer for too long can cause it to water down, due to the ice crystals that form during the freezing process.

You Can Freeze Beef Broth for up to 6 Months

How Do You Defrost Beef Broth?

The best way to defrost beef broth is to remove it from the freezer the night before you plan to use it and place it in the fridge. However, you will find that in many recipes, you donā€™t actually need to defrost it before using it.Ā 

For instance, if youā€™re adding beef broth to soup, simply pop a couple of cubes out of the bag and add them straight to the pan. In no time at all, your broth will have liquidised.

Can You Refreeze Beef Broth?

You always have to be a little bit careful when refreezing food, but beef broth is safe to refreeze if you have thawed it in the fridge.Ā 

That being said, weā€™d always recommend reducing your portion sizes in the first instance, as this makes your life so much easier and means you donā€™t have to worry about whether itā€™s safe to refreeze or not.

Does Beef Broth Freeze Well?

Yes, beef broth freezes really well. Whether you freeze it all at once or by following the ice cube method, you will find that your beef broth will be perfectly fine if used within six months.

Related FAQs

If you’ve still got questions about freezing beef broth or broth in general, then these may help:

Can You Freeze Other Broths?

Broths made with anything from chicken and vegetables to fish can all be frozen. Once cooled, bag it up, seal tightly and then place into the freezer to store for the long term.

How Long Can You Keep Beef Broth in the Fridge?

As long as it is covered, beef broth will keep in the fridge for between 4 and 5 days before it will need to be thrown out. This is why freezing it is such a good idea.

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2 thoughts on “Can You Freeze Beef Broth?”

  1. when I defrosted the beef broth from the container….it had small flakes of ??? in it. heating the broth didn’t seem to clear the broth . is it alright to eat it?

    Reply
    • This sounds like scum that wasn’t skimmed off when the beef broth was originally made. However, it’s always best to err on the side of caution if you’re not sure.

      Reply

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