Frozen, then nuked-up food

Phil_aka_Pip

I've noticed it before with curry, and am noticing it again with today's chilli. On Tuesday I thought it was bland, but that one had not been frozen after making the batch, I'd just chilled it. I froze the rest, for later thawing & subsequent nuking. Today's portion from the same batch is a lot tastier. Has anyone else noticed similar?

Drew_TNBD

It's Ebola.

failed_astronaut

He should put it on an E-plate-a

FX_Munkee

That's kind of normal with most "stuff in sauce" isn't it? Not sure of the science behind it, but I've always been aware of it.

guitarfishbay

Curry almost always tastes better if you cook it, let it cool down, stick it in the fridge, and reheat it the next day.  The flavours infuse more.  Not really sure if the same thing happens if you freeze it though.

Drew_TNBD

Yeah but what bellend makes a curry and then doesn't wolf it down straight away?

jd0272

Wifey makes loads of stuff from scratch, so a lot gets frozen. Always found curries, chilli's, pasta sauces, and soups taste much better when reheated. No clue re the science but I know what me tummy likes.

Phil_aka_Pip

Drew_fx said:

Yeah but what bellend makes a curry and then doesn't wolf it down straight away?

The kind of bellend who makes a huge vatfull at the weekend because he knows he hasn't time during the week to make small portions. The kind of bellend who plans the tasks needed for self-maintenance, and tries to be prepared. The kind of bellend who knows it's more cost-effective to buy enough ingredients for a week's worth of workday lunches than smaller portions, and who also knows that cooking small amounts out of a larger quantity of ingredients is likely to leave the remainder to go off before being used.

I am that bellend.

roundthebend

It's universally accepted that leaving these things to mature will improve the flavour. So, it could be that leaving it to cool down before freezing is enough, and it's not the freezing process that improves the flavour.

Another theory I've just thought up is that freezing may cause some of the lumpier bits to split - much like freezing a lettuce will turn it to mush, and much like how potholes are created by water freezing in cracks of roads. So, perhaps freezing food does help it to break down and thus taste better.

I can't imagine that microwaving has a massive effect. Doesn't it just heat the water particles in the food to boiling point, and they heat anything else up by conduction?

Drew_TNBD

Phil_aka_Pip said:

Drew_fx said:

Yeah but what bellend makes a curry and then doesn't wolf it down straight away?

The kind of bellend who makes a huge vatfull at the weekend because he knows he hasn't time during the week to make small portions. The kind of bellend who plans the tasks needed for self-maintenance, and tries to be prepared. The kind of bellend who knows it's more cost-effective to buy enough ingredients for a week's worth of workday lunches than smaller portions, and who also knows that cooking small amounts out of a larger quantity of ingredients is likely to leave the remainder to go off before being used.

I am that bellend.

I admire you sir.

Every time we make a vat of curry, it lasts three days tops. We're addicted to the stuff.

Hertz32

roundthebend said:

It's universally accepted that leaving these things to mature will improve the flavour. So, it could be that leaving it to cool down before freezing is enough, and it's not the freezing process that improves the flavour.

Another theory I've just thought up is that freezing may cause some of the lumpier bits to split - much like freezing a lettuce will turn it to mush, and much like how potholes are created by water freezing in cracks of roads. So, perhaps freezing food does help it to break down and thus taste better.

I can't imagine that microwaving has a massive effect. Doesn't it just heat the water particles in the food to boiling point, and they heat anything else up by conduction?

Lettuce goes soggy when frozen for the same reason cells die in frostbite, moisture in the cells causes microscopic ice shards to form and puncture the cell wall and/or membrane.  Freeze/thaw weathering to roads is caused by cracks filling with water, which expand when they freeze and contract as they melt to water again. Not quite the same process, and I'm not sure how that applies to breaking up lumpy bits in curry? 

Microwaving wouldn't affect the taste of a curry unless you microwaved the Naan (Seriously, don't do that. it pretty much turns to rubber) 

Drew_TNBD

Hertz32 said:

roundthebend said:

It's universally accepted that leaving these things to mature will improve the flavour. So, it could be that leaving it to cool down before freezing is enough, and it's not the freezing process that improves the flavour.

Another theory I've just thought up is that freezing may cause some of the lumpier bits to split - much like freezing a lettuce will turn it to mush, and much like how potholes are created by water freezing in cracks of roads. So, perhaps freezing food does help it to break down and thus taste better.

I can't imagine that microwaving has a massive effect. Doesn't it just heat the water particles in the food to boiling point, and they heat anything else up by conduction?

Lettuce goes soggy when frozen for the same reason cells die in frostbite, moisture in the cells causes microscopic ice shards to form and puncture the cell wall and/or membrane.  Freeze/thaw weathering to roads is caused by cracks filling with water, which expand when they freeze and contract as they melt to water again. Not quite the same process, and I'm not sure how that applies to breaking up lumpy bits in curry? 

Microwaving wouldn't affect the taste of a curry unless you microwaved the Naan (Seriously, don't do that. it pretty much turns to rubber) 

You clever little shit.

hungrymark

It's basically marinating in the sauce, not so much when it's frozen but during the freezing and thawing process. Just leaving it in the fridge will have the same effect.

maltingsaudio

roundthebend said:

It's universally accepted that leaving these things to mature will improve the flavour. 

Didn't work with the missus or the christmas sprouts

jd0272

maltingsaudio;381983" said:

roundthebend said:

It's universally accepted that leaving these things to mature will improve the flavour. Didn't work with the missus or the christmas sprouts

Sprouts are better the day after fried up with bacon. Nom nom. And in a ham broth.

Col_Decker

I have left over chilli for tea tonight. I will conduct a highly scientific experiment this evening to ascertain its taste properties tonight versus those of yesterday, and I shall post my findings here tomorrow.

 

I may also compare my poos.

mike_l

jd0272 said:

maltingsaudio;381983" said:

roundthebend said:

It's universally accepted that leaving these things to mature will improve the flavour. Didn't work with the missus or the christmas sprouts

Sprouts are better thrown away.

There, that's more accurate.

ChrisMusic

Back when I were a nipper, my step mum cooked up a big batch of chilli as she was going away for a while.  She left it in the brick built larder, so I assumed it was an OK place to keep it. 

It was damn hot, but I don't remember if the flavour improved much over subsequent days of reheating and serving, but when I went into the larder for yet another chilli supper, I found it ready simmering and bubbling away on it's own, without the addition of heat :-O , so I guess it was time for something else for supper ! 

Hardy little sods, those bacteria, that chilli was nearly neat and could stun at forty paces when it was fresh, goodness knows how they thrived and survived.

Maybe she was trying to tell me something  :-S

Jalapeno

failed_astronaut said:

He should put it on an E-plate-a

Panama_Jack666

Phil_aka_Pip said:

Drew_fx said:

Yeah but what bellend makes a curry and then doesn't wolf it down straight away?

The kind of bellend who makes a huge vatfull at the weekend because he knows he hasn't time during the week to make small portions. The kind of bellend who plans the tasks needed for self-maintenance, and tries to be prepared. The kind of bellend who knows it's more cost-effective to buy enough ingredients for a week's worth of workday lunches than smaller portions, and who also knows that cooking small amounts out of a larger quantity of ingredients is likely to leave the remainder to go off before being used.

I am that bellend.

Very poetic!

Axe_meister

I assume you are making a meat curry. The ice expands helping to break down the fat which is a flavour enhancer it also breaks down any membranes in the meat tissue allowing the spices to enfuse into the meat.