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It’s the height of winter and you’ve just made some delicious, hearty turkey gravy. You’re not sure what to do with it now that Thanksgiving is over. You could just throw it away, but that would be a shame. It would also be kind of gross considering how much time you spent cooking your feast for the holiday! Why not freeze it?
Can you freeze gravy?
Heck ya, you can freeze gravy!!!! You know, I’m sure there’s a few of you out there that are thinking “But won’t it get all icy if I freeze my gravy?” The answer is no. It will still be just as tasty!
It doesn’t matter if you’re trying to freeze:
- Chocolate gravy
- cornmeal gravy
- redeye ham gravy
- redeye roast beef gravy
- tomatoes gravy
- sawmill gravy
- shrimp gravy
- cream gravy
- salt pork and milk gravy
- chicken gravy
- hamburger gravy
- or chili gravy
You can freeze it all and it’s always going to be delicious! To be fair though, it will never be as good as fresh gravy, But honestly who’s got the time! Interestingly enough, by the way, All these gravies are real! Try em’ out!
So, Yes, you can freeze gravy and it’s still going to taste delicious. You have a lot of questions about this process right now that I can’t answer for you because there are so many different types of gravies out there. And the truth is, while they can all be frozen, some might fair better than others.
That being said, I can offer up some generic advice about freezing gravy properly.
Let the gravy cool down to room temperature.
Pour the gravy into a freezer-safe container with an airtight lid and be sure to leave about one inch of space at the top. This is so that it doesn’t expand too much during freezing, which can make a huge mess! The key here is to freeze the gravy in smaller batches if you’ve got a ton leftover.
This way when you’re ready to eat some fresh meatloaf, or shrimp ring, all you have to do is defrost whatever frozen portions are leftover from making previous meals – just pour them onto your hot meatloaf and eat as usual.
Just remember that gravies are an emulsion, when they freeze, the ingredients tend to separate out from each other. That’s not a huge concern as the act of warming it up and giving it a quick stir is usually more than enough to rejoin the combination.
If not, you can always give them a good shake in a gravy shaker bottle. If you don’t have one, you can always pick one up here, or just use anything that can close up. Just remember to burp it after a bit of shaking!
How long will frozen gravy last?
Now, how long does frozen gravy last? Well, it’s hard to say because so many things factor into its shelf life. What was the temperature of your freezer when you put it in there? Is the container airtight or could anything seep in from outside sources (like a leaky bag)?
The good news is that most frozen gravies will be safe to eat for about 12-18 months as long as they’re kept at a consistent low enough temperature where bacteria can’t grow easily. Its preferred to keep them at the bottom of the freezer (or back if it’s not a chest freezer) so they don’t hit warm air every time the freezer door is opened a little too long.
What’s the proper way to defrost/thaw frozen gravy?
By cooking it! Gravy is heavy stuff and it freezes really solid. Leaving it to thaw at room temperature long enough to be useable would be giving bacteria way too much time to set up camp. The best way to thaw it is in a pot of water and then bring the liquid back up to temperature over medium heat.
You can also just take the thing out of the bag (if it’s even in one) and plop it directly onto a small sauce pack on low heat. Let it melt a bit and cover the bottom and then slowly increase the heat a bit. This will prevent burning. Also, stir often and well, use a fork to help break up the block of frozen gravy.
Is there anything special you need for freezing gravy?
A freezer! And containers that are airtight or have leak-proof lids with no holes so nothing can seep in from outside sources (like a bag). It’s also recommended that you store your frozen gravy at the bottom of the freezer, on one side if possible to avoid bumping into warm areas every time the door is opened too wide.
Finally, be sure not to forget about how long your gravy has been in the freezer. Label each container with the date and time you froze it, as well as when to use by.
