Salami is perfect for sandwiches, pizza, pasta dishes, and more! It comes with an added kick thanks to various herbs and spices and is a kitchen favourite worldwide. But whatās the best way to preserve it?
Can You Freeze Salami?
Yes, you can freeze salami for up to 3 months. You need to wrap it tightly to protect it from freezer burn before bagging it up and storing it in the freezer. Itās undoubtedly best when fresh, but it can be frozen with success.
Do Does Salami freeze well? Yes
Can you refreeze Salami? Yes
How to Freeze Salami
Freezing salami is a straightforward process.
If youāve bought salami from the supermarket and are yet to open it, you can place it directly in the freezer in its original packaging. This ensures it will be as fresh as possible when you thaw and come to enjoy it in the future.
However, if you have already opened the salami, here are the steps you need to follow to freeze it correctly:
- Slice (Optional): While itās perfectly fine to freeze an entire piece of salami if you prefer, slicing it into smaller portions is a smart move if you plan on using it for different dishes. You can either slice it into individual pieces or perhaps just section the salami.
- Wrap: When youāve decided how to portion the salami, itās time to wrap it tightly. This is an essential part of the whole freezing process. Place the salami in tin foil and double-wrap it, ensuring no gaps or tears.
- Bag Up: Once wrapped, place the salami into a freezer-safe bag. Push as much air out of the bag as possible before sealing it.Ā
- Label and Freeze: Finally, write todayās date and the use-by date on the front of the freezer-safe bag before placing it in the freezer. Remember, you can freeze salami for around 3 months.
3 Tips for Freezing Salami
Now you know how to freeze it, we’ve got our 3 top tips which we strongly recommend following when freezing salami to have the best results:
Freeze It Quickly
Although itās cured meat, itās still a good idea to freeze salami as soon as you can to preserve it long into the future.
The best way to do this is to keep it in its original packaging, unopened, as this will ensure itās delicious and fresh when you thaw it and come to enjoy it a few months down the line.
Keep it in the Fridge
Salami deli meat will keep for 3-5 days in the fridge, providing you have wrapped it tightly. Therefore, if you plan on using the salami within this timeframe, you donāt need to worry about preserving it in the freezer.
Slice It
While we mentioned that slicing your salami is optional, itās a good idea to slice it before freezing it. This is purely from a convenience perspective, as you can easily remove however much you need for your upcoming recipe.
This is ideal for adding small amounts of salami to pizzas or pasta dishes and means you donāt have to thaw the entire portion of salami at any given time.
How Long Can You Freeze Salami?
You can freeze salami for around 3 months.
While thereās nothing technically wrong with freezing it for longer than this, doing so will start to affect the taste and texture of the meat.
This is due to the ice crystals that form during the freezing process, so enjoying your salami within three months of freezing is important if you want to enjoy its full flavour profile.
Uncut salami will last for 5 to 6 weeks in the fridge. Once sliced, it will need to be consumed within 2 weeks.
How Do You Defrost Salami?
When youāre ready to defrost your salami, transfer it from the freezer to the fridge the night before you plan to eat it.
Although it will take several hours to thaw, this is the safest way to thaw any type of meat. You should never thaw salami at room temperature or in the microwave, as doing so may cause the meat to spoil.
As such, make sure you plan ahead before using frozen salami.
Can You Refreeze Salami?
While you can refreeze salami that has been correctly thawed in the fridge, doing so can cause the meat to dry out.
As such, we wouldnāt recommend it.
Instead of refreezing salami, itās better to slice it into smaller portion sizes before you freeze it in the first place, as this will allow you to take out however much you need at any given time.
Does Salami Freeze Well?
Salami freezes really well, providing you wrap it tightly and protect it from freezer burn.
If you allow the ice crystals that form during the freezing process to affect the meat, you will find that your salami has lost some of its taste and texture once you have thawed it.
Stored properly, salami freezes well for around 3 months.
Related FAQs
If youāve still got questions about freezing salami or salami in general, then these may help:
Yes, salami slices can be frozen but the thinner the slice, the greater the risk of freezer burn. Where possible, try to freeze it in large chunks.
Yes, packaged salami can be frozen. In fact, if you have not opened it then it can be placed directly into the freezer.
