Are you a fan of delicious pizza and its perfect cheese and tomato sauce pairing? If yes, you might be a regular buyer of it and prefer storing it in the freezer. How about the instances when you thaw some amount and are clueless about what to do with the leftovers.
You might have decided to discard the remaining with a heavy heart. Instead, you can consider the easy alternative of freezing the pizza once more. But a question arises, is it safe to do so?
You can refreeze both store-bought and homemade pizza, and it will last in the freezer well for a few months. Ensure to cover it in freezer bags, allowing it to withstand the low temperatures. Uncooked pizza generally lasts for more duration than a cooked one. Avoid leaving it for long hours outside the freezer once you thaw.
The central part of any pizza is its crust, and it requires proper handling before you pop it back in the freezer. This article will explain all the dos and don’ts of refreezing pizza.
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Refreezing Frozen Pizza: Step By Step Guide
It’s an undeniable fact that we all have a pizza craving. The delicious flavors with a variety of topping options make it to the list of favorite fast food of almost all of us. But, it can be an easy target to spoilage, and you might not want that to happen.
You might have come across the situation when you bought a pizza from your desired food chain, and it thawed on the way back home. Mostly, you get frozen pizza in the market, and you have to keep it back in the freezer.
It is always debatable whether it is good to refreeze pizza. The answer is an absolute yes. You can refreeze pizza and store it for many months. However, it is crucial not to let your pizza stay in the open environment for too long once it thaws. Air contamination can work as a leading factor for your pizza to spoil.
Refreezing is a handy option to prevent your pizza from wastage. However, it might undergo a significant change in the overall quality and texture. The degree of change depends on the ingredients present in the topping. Some varieties might turn much mushier compared to others.
Despite the quality fall, pizza is still completely safe to consume. It possesses no health threat, and you can serve it to all the gathering members.
1. Homemade frozen pizza
If you love cooking, you might have experimented with creating a restaurant-style pizza. After all the family members gave it a thumbs up and enjoyed it, you might be dealing with some leftovers. The good thing is you can refreeze homemade frozen pizza as well.
If covered in proper safety packaging, it can last for a few months without perishing. However, it is better to use it as soon as possible as it can suffer a taste loss after some time.
2. Store-bought frozen pizza
Store-bought frozen pizza usually comes in the factory packaging that allows it to remain refrozen a little longer than the homemade version. If you have already opened the packaging, you can transfer them into an air-tight container or Ziploc bags.
The cheese might lose its waxy texture upon refreezing and can turn rubbery. If you are okay with it, you can keep your pizza refrozen as long as you prefer.
How Can You Safely Refreeze Pizza?
Freezing your thawed pizza is not as difficult as it seems. You can store it and increase its shelf life by following an easy process.
The steps to refreeze pizza are listed for you below.
- Firstly, if the cooked pizza is still warm, cool it down beforehand. The rapid temperature change can initiate freezer burns.
- Once it cools down, cover it in a freezer-friendly bag or container. You can also wrap it in an additional layer of aluminum foil to give an extra layer of protection.
- For a whole pizza, cut it into individual slices. It will make the refreezing much more effective.
- Next, take some plastic wrap and secure the slices in it. Ensure to fold all the edges well to provide full coverage.
- Now, wrap the individual slices again in wax paper or aluminum foil. It will prevent them from clinging to each other.
- Transfer them to a freezer bag and place them in a safe corner inside the freezer.
- Lastly, label the bag with the date of refreezing and store them for as long as you like.
How Long Can Pizza Stay Refrozen?
Pizza can stay refrozen for relatively longer if you consider a few things. If you have leftovers from a previously cooked pizza, you should refreeze them within three to four days. Extending the time further will make it prone to bacterial growth, and freezing will not save it from spoilage.
A defrosted pizza can refreeze for about five to six months if you do it correctly. Cooked pizza can remain intact for longer than a cooked one. So you need to keep this point in mind. Also, avoid leaving a cooked pizza frozen for more than a month as it can become soggy.
If your thawed pizza is exposed to open air for more than two hours, you should avoid refreezing it. Placing it in the freezer cannot reverse the bacterial formation, and ultimately you have to discard them. In such a situation, try to utilize your pizza and do not leave any leftovers.
The Right Way To Thaw Refrozen Pizza
Thawing your refrozen pizza might become a little tricky at times. There are many ways to soften pizza, and it is crucial to know which one will work the best for you.
The best out of all is defrosting it in a refrigerator. It allows the pizza to thaw slowly, decreasing the chances of uneven thawing. Also, it minimizes the outcome of change in the texture and keeps the flavors somewhat intact.
If you don’t have much time and are in a hurry, you can implement the microwave option. However, once you microwave your pizza, you can no longer refreeze the leftovers. You have to consume all the quantities you possess and discard the remaining.
Similarly, you can also leave your pizza on the countertop for defrosting. Avoid leaving it for too long as it is prone to microbial infestation. Also, this method does not support refreezing. So, if you have no plan of refreezing your pizza again, you can try this out.
Can You Refreeze Pizza More Than Once?
As freezing any food item repeatedly can alter its overall quality, the same is the case with pizza. Refreezing once might be okay but exceeding this limit is a big no-no. After the second round of freezing, pizza is already in a vulnerable state. So, it is not ready to face the harsh freezer environment.
Even if you refreeze it again, the results will not be satisfactory. It will taste almost bland, and the texture will look unpleasant to eat. Thus, it is better to avoid refreezing pizza more than once.
To prevent food wastage, you should opt for the portion freezing technique. It will allow you to thaw only the amount you require and cut down the unnecessary step of constant freezing and thawing.
Conclusion
To sum up, pizza can tolerate low temperatures and remain in the freezer. No matter what kind of topping it has, refreezing will keep it secure for a decent time. However, the freezing span can be more or less depending upon the topping.
If you do not like eating soggy pizza, refreezing might not be an ideal option for you. It can mess with texture, and the original crispiness of the pizza crust can suffer to some degree.
Similarly, if you cannot keep up with the constant freezing and thawing cycle, you can go for portion freezing. It will also save you a lot of time.
Refreezing can work equally well for homemade/store-bought pizza and cooked/uncooked pizza. So, if you want to avoid throwing your delicious pizza away, you can store them in the freezer safely. But, do not freeze it again as food safety authorities do not recommend it.
