In the “Ask the chef” section, we received the following question:
“I have cooked pork ribs sous-vide and would like to freeze them. Can I do this after cooking? Can they be frozen directly in the same vacuum bag?”
This was our chef’s answer:
“Hello,
Yes, you can freeze food after cooking it sous-vide, but it is very important to carry out the chilling process correctly.
When we cook under vacuum and want to preserve or freeze the food, chilling must be carried out as quickly as possible. In professional kitchens, it is advisable to use a blast chiller, as it allows the temperature of the product to be reduced quickly and in a controlled way before transferring it to the freezer.
Once properly chilled, the product can be frozen. This can be done in the same vacuum bag, provided that the bag used is suitable for freezing and designed to withstand those temperatures.
It is also important to bear in mind that, if we cook sous-vide with the intention of preserving or freezing the food, the product must have reached a temperature of at least 65 ºC at the core of the product for at least 15 minutes in order for the product to be pasteurized (download the pasteurization guide here).
After chilling, the product must be stored at a stable temperature of -21 ºC to ensure optimal storage conditions.
That said, remember that time and temperature parameters are regulated by the food legislation of each country, and complying with them is essential to ensure product safety.
I hope this answer is helpful.
Best regards.”
