Can You Freeze Croquettes?

How to Freeze Croquettes

When it comes to freezing potato croquettes, you should freeze them before you cook them. This allows you to fully cook them when you thaw them out and means they will taste just as good from frozen as they would have done if you had eaten them when they were freshly made.

To freeze well and so they don’t freeze together in a big clump, follow this method.

1. Make Croquettes
   Make your croquettes using your usual recipe. If you have uncooked croquettes you bought from the shop, then you can also freeze them using this method.
2. Line Out on a Baking Tray
   Once you have formed the croquette shape and covered them in breadcrumbs (if you are using breadcrumbs), then you need to lay them out onto a baking sheet that has been lined with parchment paper. Place them carefully onto the baking sheet individually and avoid any of them touching. You want them to freeze separately at this stage.
3. Flash Freeze
   Place the baking sheet into the freezer carefully. Make sure nothing is going to squash or damage the croquettes. Leave them in the freezer for an hour or two. You want them to be solid before moving onto the next stage.
4. Bag Up
   When the croquettes are frozen, solid take the baking sheet out of the freezer. Transfer the croquettes into a large freezer bag or container.
5. Seal
   If you are using freezer bags, squeeze out any excess air and seal the bag tightly. If you are using a container, pop the lid on and make sure it is sealed tightly.
6. Freeze
   Label the croquettes with the contents and the date and put them into the freezer.

How to Freeze Meat Croquettes

You can make delicious meat croquettes using leftover cooked meats, and the best news is that you can also freeze them! You can even use the same method already outlined above. Make sure you freeze the meat croquettes before you cook them, or you will end up with overcooked croquettes when it comes to thawing and reheating them.

3 Tips for Freezing Croquettes

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

• Freeze Leftovers – If you have leftover croquettes that have not been frozen at all yet, then you can also freeze these. Use the same method outlined in this article. However, be aware they may not taste quite as good because you are in danger of overcooking them when it comes to you reheating them.
• Try Freezing in Containers – Whilst freezing croquettes in bags works well, if you want to be doubly sure they are airtight and won’t get damaged, while in the freezer, choose a large and hard container that seals tightly with a lid.
• Label Type – If you have frozen different types of croquette, such as beef, ham and potato, then make sure you freeze them in their own bags and clearly label them with the type of croquettes. 

How Long Can You Freeze Croquettes?

How long you can freeze your croquettes will depend on the ingredients you use. A general rule of thumb is that you can freeze potato croquettes for up to about a month. Meat croquettes can be frozen for up to two months without any change in taste or texture.

You Can Freeze Croquettes for up to 2 Months

How Do You Defrost Croquettes?

In most cases, when it comes to heating up and eating your croquettes, you won’t need to defrost them at all. If you are deep-frying, you should be able to fry them from frozen, and the same is true if you plan to put them in the oven. Just make sure that you adjust your cooking times to ensure they are cooked all the way through before eating.

If you would prefer to defrost the croquettes before cooking, which is recommended for meat croquettes, then take them out of the freezer and put them into a bowl in the fridge overnight so they can thaw out slowly.

Can You Refreeze Croquettes?

When it comes to leftovers, if you have already frozen your croquettes once, then you should not try to refreeze them. This is when you are in danger of allowing the food to spoil and degrade too much to be enjoyable.

Do Croquettes Freeze Well?

As long as you are freezing croquettes before they are fried or oven cooked, then yes, they do freeze very well. You shouldn’t notice too much change in taste or texture. If you notice any change at all. By the time they are cooked, they will be as tasty as when you first made them.

Things do become a little different when you start freezing cooked croquettes. These will have some changes in texture and may not be quite as nice as their freshly cooked versions.

Related FAQs

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

Can You Freeze Jamon Croquettes?

Most types of croquette can be frozen, and this applies to jamon (or ham) croquettes. They can be frozen for around 2 months, and the same rules as above apply to ham croquettes. 

Can You Freeze Baked Croquettes?

Generally, croquettes are given their crispy outer layer through deep-frying, but for a healthier alternative, some are baked. The cooking technique doesn’t impact whether or not they can be frozen.