Goulash is the perfect dish to prepare on a chilly winter evening, and it is also an excellent choice for times when you want to cook a large quantity of food but set aside some servings to eat at a later time.
If you make more goulash than you need, or if you have some leftovers and are looking for the best way to keep it fresh for a longer period of time, you might want to think about freezing it.
Is goulash suitable for freezing? Goulash is one of those dishes that keeps really well in the freezer; in fact, you can even freeze it! It is necessary to prepare the goulash before it is frozen in order to ensure that it maintains the highest possible quality after being frozen. Goulash can be frozen, which is an excellent way to keep it more fresh for a longer period of time and prevent it from going bad.
Continue reading to find out more information on how to freeze goulash and some helpful tips on how to freeze it properly to maintain the highest possible quality.
Should I Be Afraid To Freeze My Goulash?
It is not a problem to freeze goulash; in general, goulash is resilient when frozen, thawed, and reheated from the freezer.
Goulash is one of those dishes where it is really easy to make more than you can eat in one or two sittings, so it is likely that you will have leftovers that need to be kept fresher for longer. The best way to do this is to refrigerate the dish after it has been cooked.
It is also a wonderful dish to make in excess for the purpose of freezing; this way, you will always have a simple dinner option waiting for you in the freezer for those nights when you just don’t feel like preparing a meal.
Freezing the goulash is not a problem at all provided that it has been properly prepared and stored.
How to Put Goulash in the Freezer
The process of freezing goulash is not overly complicated, but you do need to ensure that you do it correctly in order to protect the goulash while it is stored in the freezer and maintain the highest possible quality of the dish.
Before you go ahead and freeze the goulash, you need to give some thought to the appropriate serving sizes for the individual portions.
If there is enough goulash for a meal for the whole family, you can freeze it all together in one container. If, on the other hand, you want single-serving portions, you can freeze it in this manner to create them. This will allow you to enjoy a small amount without having to defrost the entire quantity.
The following is the correct way to freeze goulash:
- After the goulash has finished cooking, put it on a cooling rack and wait for it to reach room temperature. You are not allowed to leave the goulash out for more than two hours, so if the serving size is large, divide it up into several smaller servings so that it can cool down more quickly.
- After the goulash has had time to cool, divide it into portions and store them in freezer-safe containers that prevent air from escaping.
- You should write the date that the container was frozen on it so that you can easily keep track of when it needs to be used. If you have quite a few frozen meals stored in the freezer, label one of them as “goulash.” This will make it much simpler to find what you’re looking for.
It is of the utmost importance to make sure that the goulash is stored in an airtight container so that the odor does not spread to other food in the freezer and so that other odors do not move into the container that contains the goulash.
The goulash will stay in better condition for a longer period of time if the container is hermetically sealed so that air cannot get in or out. This helps prevent freezer burn.
Advice Regarding the Freezing of Goulash
When you want your goulash to taste as good as it possibly can after being thawed and reheated from the freezer, there are a few things you should keep in mind that will help you achieve this goal:
- It is a good idea to freeze portions of goulash not in plastic containers but in freezer bags that can be sealed, and then to squeeze out as much air as possible before freezing the bags. These can be stacked one on top of the other and laid flat in the freezer to save space; additionally, they are simple to label.
- When portioning the goulash, make sure to leave an inch of space in the container because the liquid will expand when frozen; if the container is too full, it could burst in the freezer.
- There is a possibility that the goulash will become slightly drier after being frozen; therefore, if you are aware that you will be freezing the goulash, you should incorporate some additional liquid into the dish in order to prevent this from occurring.
When preparing goulash for freezing, using fresh ingredients ensures that the dish will retain its flavor for a longer period of time after being thawed and re-heated from the freezer.
Is There a Difference in Flavor When Goulash Is Frozen?
You might be concerned that if you freeze goulash and then thaw it, it will have a different flavor and not be as delicious as it is when it is fresh; however, goulash is one of the meals that actually freezes really well.
The freezing process does not have a significant impact on the flavor or consistency of goulash, so the dish should be just as good as when it was fresh. When it comes to freezing goulash, there are two things that should be avoided at all costs.
The first issue is that the goulash, if frozen, may become slightly drier after defrosting; therefore, you may want to add some additional liquid either before freezing it or after reheating it in order to compensate for this.
The second potential problem is that the potatoes may become grainy and slightly mushy after being frozen, but this shouldn’t be too much of a problem, and it shouldn’t be too noticeable either.
How long does goulash keep well when frozen?
It is helpful to have an idea of how long goulash can be stored in the freezer so that you can consume it before its quality begins to suffer to an unacceptable degree.
It is safe to store goulash in the freezer for up to three months; however, the flavor and consistency of the goulash will be at their peak if it is consumed within the first three months of storage.
After three months, the goulash will still be safe to consume, but it is possible that it will lose its flavor and begin to take on a different consistency as a result of an increase in freezer burn.
It is much easier to keep track of when the goulash needs to be consumed by if the container containing it is labeled with the date it was frozen.
The Preferred Method for Defrosting Goulash
It may take some time to defrost goulash, but defrosting it should be done slowly and at a lower temperature for the best results. Because of this, the most effective method for defrosting goulash is to place it in the refrigerator either overnight or for a few hours.
This allows it to thaw at a lower temperature, reducing the likelihood that bacteria will grow as a result of the process. However, prior planning is required, and the goulash must be allowed to defrost for a significant amount of time before it can be rewarmed.
If you don’t have the luxury of waiting, you can defrost the goulash in the microwave by placing it in a container that can be heated in the microwave and selecting the appropriate setting. The goulash should defrost more quickly as a result of this, but there is a possibility that it will become slightly drier.
The Preferred Method for Reheating Goulash
Reheating the goulash can be done either in the microwave, which will be the quickest option, or on the stovetop. Both methods are described below.
The following is a guide for reheating goulash in the microwave:
- Put the goulash into a bowl that can go in the microwave, and heat it for one minute at a time at the highest setting.
- After the timer beeps, take the goulash out of the microwave, give it a stir, and then set it aside for a minute.
- Put it back in the microwave for an additional minute, and continue doing so until the entire thing is hot again.
Reheating goulash on the stovetop should be done as follows:
- Put the goulash in a saucepan, and then place the saucepan over a heat source of medium intensity.
Keep stirring the goulash until it is completely heated through and there are no cold spots left anywhere in the dish. - After being reheated, the goulash should reach an extremely high temperature; therefore, it is important to stir it frequently while it is warming up to ensure that all of it reaches the desired temperature.
- When you reheat the goulash, it is possible that you will need to add some water or chicken broth to it in order to provide it with additional moisture and to prevent it from drying out as the temperature rises.
Is it Possible to Refreeze Goulash?
It is strongly advised that you do not refreeze goulash because the quality will suffer an unacceptable amount if it is frozen, thawed, and then frozen once more. Because of the fluctuations in temperature, it is also unsafe because it increases the likelihood that bacteria will grow in the goulash.
It is recommended to freeze the goulash in individual servings and only thaw the amount that will be consumed at one time. Goulash can be stored in the refrigerator for up to two days after it has been thawed, but once it has been reheated, it should not be returned to the refrigerator.
A Few Parting Thoughts
Since goulash freezes very well and can be kept for leftovers, it is a great meal to make in large quantities or keep for later consumption. Goulash that has been frozen can be prepared in a flash for either dinner or lunch.
You can keep goulash in the freezer for up to three months, but it is best to freeze it in appropriate portion sizes. That way, you will only need to thaw the amount of goulash that you will consume in one meal, and none of it will go to waste.
Questions that are Related
Now that we’ve covered everything there is to know about goulash, including whether or not it can be frozen and the steps required to do so, we thought you might have a few more questions, so here are the answers.
How long does goulash stay good when stored in the refrigerator?
As long as it is sealed tightly in an airtight container, goulash can be stored in the refrigerator for up to four days.
Is it possible to reheat goulash more than once?
It is not a good idea to reheat goulash twice because doing so raises the possibility of bacteria growth due to the rapid changes in temperature that are caused by the process.
If you let goulash sit overnight, does the flavor improve?
Since the flavors have had time to mature and become more seasoned the next day, many people believe that goulash, like many other soups (such as chili), tastes better after it has been refrigerated overnight.