Given the size of many pork joints, youāre likely to find yourself with considerable leftovers that youāre unsure of what to do with. Unless youāre planning to eat your leftovers, how can you store them?
Can You Freeze Cooked Pork?
Yes, you can freeze cooked pork for up to 3 months. If you plan to use your cooked pork within a few days, you can wrap and refrigerate them in portions and take them out whenever youāre ready to enjoy them.
Do Does Cooked Pork freeze well? Yes
Can you refreeze Cooked Pork? No
How to Freeze Cooked Pork
Freezing cooked pork is different from freezing fresh pork. You need to be extra careful when your meat is already cooked and be aware that it wonāt last as long as fresh pork will when frozen.
The good news is that itās not too difficult to freeze cooked pork, and you can learn exactly how to do it by following the simple steps listed below:
- Leave to Cool: You must leave your cooked pork to cool before transferring it to the freezer. Equally, it would be best if you didnāt leave it on the countertop for too long, as doing so will allow bacteria to start growing on the surface of the pork.
- Separate Into Portions: Depending on your cut of pork, you will want to separate it into portions before freezing it. If you donāt do this, you will have to defrost it as a whole and use it all at once.
- Wrap Tightly: Before placing it in the freezer, consider double wrapping your pork. First, place it into some film wrap and then place each portion into a freezer-safe, sealable bag.
- Label: Once you have your cooked pork wrapped and ready to place in the freezer, label it. Itās a good idea to write the date you cooked it, as well as the use-by date.
4 Tips for Freezing Cooked Pork
Now you know how to freeze it, we’ve got our 4 top tips which we strongly recommend following when freezing cooked pork to have the best results:
Fresh Pork Freezes Longer
While you should only freeze cooked pork for around three months, you can freeze fresh pork for up to six months. Therefore, if you want your pork joint to last longer, consider cutting it before you cook it and freeze the part that youāre not going to use right away.
Refrigerated Pork Tastes Better
Cooked pork can be stored in the refrigerator for 4 days after being cooked. If you plan on using it relatively soon after you have cooked it, you can keep it in the fridge. This will help preserve the taste, as putting the pork in the freezer will affect the meat’s overall taste.
Slice in Advance
If you have a large pork joint that you wish to freeze, slicing it in advance can save you time and effort. However, bear in mind that you will be increasing the pork’s surface area when you cut it, meaning it will affect the taste of the meat once it has defrosted.
Be Careful of Bones
If your particular pork cut has any sharp bones, make sure you carefully wrap them to ensure they donāt pierce the film thatās covering your meat.
How Long Can You Freeze Cooked Pork?
You can keep cooked pork in the freezer for around 3 months, keeping it wrapped airtight to prevent it from drying out and becoming impacted by freezer burn.
Should you wish to preserve your pork for longer when frozen, consider freezing it before cooking, as fresh pork can be frozen for up to six months.
Once cooked, you can keep cooked pork in the fridge for up to 4 days. It can be enjoyed both hot and cold.
How Do You Defrost Cooked Pork?
The best way to defrost cooked pork is in the refrigerator.
With meat, you have to be careful when defrosting, as mishandling can lead to contamination.
Transfer it straight from the freezer and place it in the refrigerator the night before you plan to use it. Donāt leave cooked pork to defrost on your countertop overnight.
Can You Refreeze Cooked Pork?
You ought to be careful with most meat products – the same can be said for cooked pork. Refreezing is not a good idea.
Not only can the meat become tough and dry, but it can also begin to harbour bacteria. Instead, try to freeze it in portions.
Does Cooked Pork Freeze Well?
Cooked pork freezes well if you take care to cover it appropriately.
It lasts in the freezer for up to three months and can be defrosted overnight. You should have no problems freezing pork if you follow the guidelines outlined in this post.
Related FAQs
If you’ve still got questions about freezing cooked pork or pork in general, then these may help:
Yes, cooked pork chops can be frozen, but you may want to pull the meat from the bone and also cut away as much fat as you can. Instead, pork chops freeze much better when raw.
Yes, you can freeze cooked pork loin. Wrap the loin in a sheet of cling film, followed by a sheet of foil, and then pop it into the freezer.
Cooked pork roast can be frozen. It’s a good idea to slice it into thick 1-inch pieces before wrapping each piece in a sheet of cling film. You can then grab as many portions as you need.
Cooked pork in gravy will not freeze remarkably well. Instead, it is better to freeze the pork and gravy individually.
Sources
We have verified the information on this page using the following resources:
What’s the best way to freeze raw hog testicles