Whether you are trying to batch cook for the busy working week, create an easy dish to make ahead of time, or need to preserve leftovers, grits are a great accompaniment to a range of dishes…
Can You Freeze Grits?
Yes, you can freeze grits for up to 3 months. You can freeze cooked grits in portions on a baking tray which can then be grabbed, one at a time, as a quick side dish.
Do Do Grits freeze well? Yes
Can you refreeze Grits? No
How to Freeze Grits
You can freeze both cooked grits and uncooked grits, making it a great ingredient to stock up on! Cooked grits will last for up to 2-3 months in the freezer, whilst uncooked grits can last years.
How to Freeze Uncooked Grits
Uncooked grits can last up to 5 years if stored correctly in the kitchen cupboards, but if you are wanting to freeze them, be sure to do so within 3 months of purchasing.
Freezing uncooked grits can be particularly helpful if you get through an opened box slowly, so itās worth portioning out the uncooked grits into freezer-safe containers and then storing them so they can be used as and when needed.Ā
How to Freeze Cooked Grits
If, however, you have cooked grits up and realised you’ve gone overboard (it’s easily done) then here is how to freeze them:
- Make Grits
Make your grits following your favourite recipe. Savoury grits, such as cheesy grits, make a great dish for freezing! - Grease a Baking Sheet
Spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray or grease the tin with butter/oil. - Spread the Grits
Scoop your cooked grits on to a baking tray and spread them out, creating a thin layer across the baking tray.Ā - Cover and Leave to Cool
Cover the baking sheet with aluminum foil and allow to cool to at least room temperature.Ā - Label
Itās important to label the food and the date of freezing to ensure that it doesnāt go past its ābest beforeā date.Ā - Freeze
Slide the baking tray into the freezer, keeping it flat, and freeze for up to a month.
4 Tips for Freezing Grits
Now you know how to freeze them, we’ve got our 4 top tips which we strongly recommend following when freezing grita to have the best results:
Try Using a Muffin Tin
If you want to freeze a cooked grits dish into smaller or individual portions that can be used quickly, try portioning out the grits into a greased muffin tin rather than a baking tray. This way youāll have perfect small portions for a quick meal or you can use multiple at once for a slightly larger batch.Ā
Wrap Individual Portions
If you are going to use the muffin tin method above, once the grits are frozen solid, take them out of the muffin holes and wrap them in cling film. You can then place them in freezer bags if desired, then store them in the freezer. This will ensure they donāt stick to the muffin tin or to each other.Ā
Keep an Eye on the Grits
If you notice any changes in colour, smell, or taste to your grits (whether they are cooked or uncooked), it is advised not to eat them as they have gone bad. Ā
Make Sure It’s Moisture Proof
If storing uncooked grits, make sure you do so in an airtight container that also has a moisture barrier to prevent damage.Ā
How Long Can You Freeze Grits?
Cooked grits will last well in the freezer for up to 2-3 months, so not the longest amount of time!Ā
You Can Freeze Grits for up to 3 Months
How Do You Defrost Grits?
If you are wanting to defrost uncooked grits, simply remove the container from the freezer and leave it to thaw at room temperature.
Do not open the container until the grits have come up to room temperature so that the moisture produced by the container sweating does not get into the grits. You can then just use previously frozen grits as if they were fresh and follow your favourite recipe.Ā
For defrosting frozen cooked grits, thaw them overnight in a fridge. Then, keeping the dish covered, cook in the oven at 180C/350F until the internal temperature of the grits is at least 75C/165F.Ā
Can You Refreeze Grits?
Itās not recommended to refreeze cooked grits. Freezing them more than once will cause the quality, taste and texture of the grits to deteriorate even more.
To prevent having to refreeze cooked grits, use muffin trays or even ice cube trays to make individual portions. This way, it will help prevent any leftovers since you can control how much you need to remove from the freezer at any given time.
Do Grits Freeze Well?
Cooked grits freeze well but they need to be stored correctly so that they donāt form ice crystals on top of themselves. They can be stored in a baking tray, muffin tin or in freezer bags, which will keep them from getting freezer burn.
Related FAQs
If you’ve still got questions about freezing grits or grits in general, then these may help:
Yes, you can freeze hominy. Hominy is just a type of grits variety so can be frozen in the same way as you would freeze grits.
Grits can be kept in a covered dish or airtight container for 2 to 3 days in the fridge before it needs to be thrown out.
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