XO sauce is a unique flavoured spicy sauce from Hong Kong. Itās commonly lauded for its umami flavour and is often considered at its best when itās as fresh as possible. If youāre making it in your home, you may be tempted to freeze a batch… But is this doable?
Can You Freeze XO Sauce?
Yes, you can freeze XO sauce for up to 1 month. Seal the XO sauce in an airtight container, and place it in your freezer. You want some of the oil to rise to the top before freezing it as this will act as a seal.
Do Does XO Sauce freeze well? Yes
Can you refreeze XO Sauce? No
How to Freeze XO Sauce
The first step to freezing a batch or two of XO sauce is to make the sauce itself. We recommend ensuring that the sauce is freshly made before you get to freezing it. Made it? Now freeze it:
- Add to Container: Pour the sauce into an airtight container or two. You may want to use small portion-sized containers. The sauce is likely to already be a little warm from the cooking process so allow it to cool.
- Press Solids: Once the XO sauce is entirely cool, we recommend pressing down any solids within the sauce until theyāre below the surface of the sauce – this goes for any solid at all.
- Don’t Remove Excess Oil: Once the solids are below the surface of the sauce, you should notice the oil beginning to rise to the top, creating an airtight layer that will prevent the top layer of the sauce from oxidizing in any noticeable way. Do not remove this!
- Seal and Freeze: After sealing the container, transfer it to the freezer, ensuring not to disturb the sauce too much. This will lead to the layer of oil moving or being broken, which is liable to lead to a level of freezer burn within the sauce.
3 Tips for Freezing XO Sauce
Now you know how to freeze it, we’ve got our 3 top tips which we strongly recommend following when freezing XO sauce to have the best results:
Ensure a Tight Seal
Many ingredients in XO sauce will stain and damage the inside of a freezer if they come out of the container. Therefore, we recommend ensuring that the container is sealed as often as possible – that will allow you to be sure that the sauce doesnāt leak.Ā
Adding Oil is Essential
The oil layer on top of the XO sauce is vital for maintaining the sauce’s flavour. It could be compared to the layer of oil that naturally forms on top of a jar of pesto. It prevents oxidation, which means that the final flavour isnāt compromised.
Don’t Worry About Freezer Burn
The texture of this sauce varies an awful lot over time and from recipe to recipe. This means that, in several scenarios, you donāt need to be concerned about freezer burn – the effect that freezer burn might have on XO sauce is negligible, considering the texture of the sauce itself.
How Long Can You Freeze XO Sauce?
You can freeze XO sauce for up to 1 month before the flavour compounds in the sauce start to evaporate to a noticeable degree.
In those instances, itās wise to avoid the sauce without reseasoning it a little – that should bring it back to life. Thaw it, reheat it and taste it so you can adjust the flavour accordingly. The base should still be fine to consume.
When kept in an airtight container, XO sauce will last from 3 to 4 weeks in the fridge.
How Do You Defrost XO Sauce?
The simplest way to defrost XO sauce is to transfer it to the fridge and allow it to thaw overnight. That way, it can be kept at a food-safe temperature and thaw with little external effort.
You shouldn’t reheat it from frozen as you’ll have an uneven reheating, which can ruin the sauce’s texture.
Can You Refreeze XO Sauce?
You technically can refreeze XO sauce, though we would advise against it. The rehydrated seafood elements of the dip could potentially be food unsafe if thawed and refrozen.
Does XO Sauce Freeze Well?
Yes, XO sauce does freeze quite well.
For a month of freezing, thereās exceptionally little actual damage to the flavour or texture of the sauce over time.
Related FAQs
If youāve still got questions about freezing XO sauce or XO sauce in general, then these may help:
Yes, XO sauce can be frozen in an ice cube tray so that it is in portions. Ensure that the top of each cube is sealed with a thin layer of oil.
We would not freeze XO sauce in a glass jar. The sauce might expand, and the glass jar may not have room for this expansion. This can lead to the jar cracking and leaving a mess in your freezer.
