CWS4322
Chef Extraordinaire
I have about 1/2 lb of firm tofu left from a recipe I made today. Can I freeze it?
Tofu--can I freeze it?
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Andy M.
Certified Pretend Chef
I think freezing would compromise the texture.
OP
OP
CWS4322
Chef Extraordinaire
So--feed it to the chickens?
Andy M.
Certified Pretend Chef
...or use it up.
it's funny that you ask, cuz freezing the tofu is actually one of the million ways to process tofu in China. When you freeze the tofu, the ice crystals will expand and form large bubbles in the tofu, and the texture will become very spongy. This create a nice medium to suck in flavor, so it's used for soups and thin stews. When I was a kid I remember my parents putting big batches of tofu outside in the cold to freeze them.
Timothy
Head Chef
Tofu gets firmer each time it's frozen and thawed. It won't hurt it at all.
buckytom
Chef Extraordinaire
lol, tofu has texture?
of wet cardboard?
i does have a "r" value close to newspaper, though, but doesn't taste as good.
Andy M.
Certified Pretend Chef
Timothy
Head Chef
lol, tofu has texture?
of wet cardboard?
i does have a "r" value close to newspaper, though, but doesn't taste as good.
Countless millions, (even Billions), of Asians would strongly disagree with your opinion of tofu, Tom.
I love it myself. If cooked right, it has a very pleasing texture and flavor. Pound for pound, it has as much protein as any meat and is WAY better for you than any type of meat.
If tofu is frozen and thawed several times, it gains a texture much like a firm cutlet. Breaded and fried, it's really good and can be a worthwhile substitute for chicken in most dishes.
Greg Who Cooks
Executive Chef
That was very interesting to learn about freezing increasing the firmness. I vastly prefer firm tofu, and often bake tofu (marinated in soy sauce, ginger, etc.) because I like the extra firm texture and chewiness of the result.
I think of tofu is being a lot like chicken in that both have mild taste and are often dressed up in preparation to take on the taste of sauces or marinades. I wouldn't eat plain tofu any more than I would like a skinless chicken breast cooked with no added flavors (perhaps microwaved or steamed). No taste is no taste for more ingredients than just tofu.
Wet cardboard? I sense somebody who simply doesn't like tofu, not that there's anything wrong with that. I agree that millions/billions of Asians would disagree. Tofu is probably popular in America mostly among immigrant Asian populations, where mainstream Americans for the most part never encounter tofu unless they go out of their way to try it. Thus the lack of popularity of tofu among the general population in America.
I think of tofu is being a lot like chicken in that both have mild taste and are often dressed up in preparation to take on the taste of sauces or marinades. I wouldn't eat plain tofu any more than I would like a skinless chicken breast cooked with no added flavors (perhaps microwaved or steamed). No taste is no taste for more ingredients than just tofu.
Wet cardboard? I sense somebody who simply doesn't like tofu, not that there's anything wrong with that. I agree that millions/billions of Asians would disagree. Tofu is probably popular in America mostly among immigrant Asian populations, where mainstream Americans for the most part never encounter tofu unless they go out of their way to try it. Thus the lack of popularity of tofu among the general population in America.
Timothy
Head Chef
Actually Andy, Hyperion and I are saying the same thing. Tofu has a lot of water content. When it's frozen, it loses some water each time its defrosted and is more able to absorb flavors from marinades.
Here's some quotes from various sites discussing this very thing:
Freezing Tofu
you can freeze silken tofu and then thaw it to give it a more chewy, meat-like, and dense texture. After you freeze it for at least 48 hours, the texture should be similar to chicken breast, red meat, or a fish filet.
Freezing Tofu - How to Freeze Tofu – Tips on Freezing Tofu
Don't think freezing tofu is only for when you've got a block of firm or extra-firm tofu that you don’t want to use immediately. Freezing tofu removes excess moisture, making the tofu more able to soak up marinades or sauces in a stir-fry dish. Here are simple steps showing how to freeze tofu:
The Flying Vegan: Freezing Tofu
Freezing tofu is a very simple process that far too many people seem confused about. It changes the texture of the tofu and makes it absorb flavor much better. It also keeps practically forever which is good if you aren't cooking for too many people or if you don't use tofu very often.
Greg Who Cooks
Executive Chef
Not sure if on topic but just to add a bit more about tofu:
It's often advantageous to remove tofu from the container and water that it came in, put it on a flat surface, then put a plate or other item on top and add some weights to compress the tofu and drive out some of the tofu's internal moisture. You leave it sitting for an hour or two, and periodically remove any liquid if it puddles around the tofu.
Then when you remove the weights the tofu will want to expand and can be placed in a marinade where it is better able to soak up the marinating juices. This is always my first step in making marinated, baked tofu which I serve as an appetizer.
It's often advantageous to remove tofu from the container and water that it came in, put it on a flat surface, then put a plate or other item on top and add some weights to compress the tofu and drive out some of the tofu's internal moisture. You leave it sitting for an hour or two, and periodically remove any liquid if it puddles around the tofu.
Then when you remove the weights the tofu will want to expand and can be placed in a marinade where it is better able to soak up the marinating juices. This is always my first step in making marinated, baked tofu which I serve as an appetizer.
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I was first introduced to tofu, as "bean curd", back in the '70s. I was a vegetarian and used to joke that I liked "bean curd", but I didn't like tofu. That was because it was called "bean curd" in Chinese restaurants and dippy vegetarians called it tofu and couldn't cook it well to save their lives. At least, that was my experience.
Nowadays, I don't want to see tofu, or "bean curd" on my plate. It's made from soy and that's one of the foods I'm not supposed to eat for health reasons.
Nowadays, I don't want to see tofu, or "bean curd" on my plate. It's made from soy and that's one of the foods I'm not supposed to eat for health reasons.
Timothy
Head Chef
I make my own tofu and soy milk. Its too easy to resort to buying the nasty stuff in the plastic boxes.
There is light years between the taste and texture between homemade and the plastic boxed stuff. What a drag that you can't eat it. What does soy do to you, specifically?
My doctor says that estrogenic foods could cause me to have a stroke in my eyeball, which could lead to blindness in that eye! Weird, eh?
Greg Who Cooks
Executive Chef
"Bean curd" is a very unattractive and unflattering phrase, certainly sounds unappetizing to me. I can understand why such a description would put somebody off.
There are some health concerns (Google phytoestrogens+tofu) but in my opinion occasional consumption of tofu is more of a health benefit, and only very heavy consumption should be a concern for most people. Almost all foods have some kind of down side, and many foods are good for you when you consume them within reason but bad for you if you eat too much. Of course some people have greater sensitivity or other medical or genetic reasons to avoid particular foods.
I don't think that's weird at all. It's not that tofu is known to cause eyeball strokes. It's probably more that you have some hormonal situation (as a woman, perhaps as related to birth control or postmenopausal medication, or other medical conditions, problems or family history).
There are some health concerns (Google phytoestrogens+tofu) but in my opinion occasional consumption of tofu is more of a health benefit, and only very heavy consumption should be a concern for most people. Almost all foods have some kind of down side, and many foods are good for you when you consume them within reason but bad for you if you eat too much. Of course some people have greater sensitivity or other medical or genetic reasons to avoid particular foods.
I don't think that's weird at all. It's not that tofu is known to cause eyeball strokes. It's probably more that you have some hormonal situation (as a woman, perhaps as related to birth control or postmenopausal medication, or other medical conditions, problems or family history).
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Timothy
Head Chef
I've heard that some women are more susceptible to that problem than others.
Here's some information on the health aspects of tofu:
WHFoods: Tofu
Pretty interesting read.
buckytom
Chef Extraordinaire
my dad had a retinal occlusion, or the eye stroke of which you speak. it's no fun looking through a blood red lace curtain over one eye as he describes it, so be careful taxy.
Oh, I'm being careful. I had never heard of this until my doc told me to be careful. She told me to be careful because of a type of visual migraine I used to get.
