With the festive season fast approaching, many families will be looking to plan ahead and budget before the big day. Making the decision to do your Christmas Day big shop early will not only save you from the last-minute rush, but it also helps spread out the cost over a few weeks. The only challenge is keeping your food fresh until Christmas Day. To help, we’ve put together a guide for preserving your food items ahead of Christmas Day, so you can stock up early to beat the rush and find the best price for your items.
Preserving meats
There are a few handy tips for preserving meat at home. One common technique is freezing meat before it’s cooked to prolong the shelf life. You should portion your meat, slice sections off and place these into tightly wrapped plastic or freezer bags so you can save sections for later dates. Always write the date your meat was frozen to keep a reference for use-by dates.
Curing is another method that works well for meat products such as sausages and ham. Curing involves salting or smoking meats to extend their shelf life. To add some flavour when preserving, consider marinating meats in a mix of herbs, spices and oil before refrigerating them in airtight containers. Additionally, vacuum sealing meat removes air, significantly reducing the risk of spoilage and freezer burn. These tips help you to maintain the quality and flavour of your meats for longer periods, ensuring they remain fresh and delicious to eat.
Brining a turkey before Christmas is an excellent way to preserve and enhance its flavour. The process involves soaking the turkey in a solution of water, salt and herbs, spices and citrus. This brine helps to tenderise the meat by breaking down some of its muscle proteins, ensuring it remains juicy and flavorful throughout cooking. To brine a turkey, submerge it in the brine solution for 12 to 24 hours, making sure it’s fully covered and kept cool in the refrigerator. After brining, rinse the turkey thoroughly to remove excess salt, pat it dry and store it in the fridge until ready to cook. This preparation method not only extends the turkey’s shelf life but also infuses it with more depth of flavour.
Preserving vegetables
Many vegetables emit ethylene gas as part of their natural growth and ripening process. Ethylene is a plant hormone that regulates various developmental stages including: fruit ripening, leaf dropping and flower wilting. While this gas is essential for maturing and ripening produce, it can also accelerate the ageing and spoilage of fruits and vegetables. Wrapping certain vegetables like broccoli in tin foil allows ethylene gases to escape slower while retaining moisture, keeping it fresh.
If you are looking to keep your carrots fresh for up to a month, you can try washing them. Start by cutting off any greens from your carrots, then store them in a jar of water, inside a fridge. The airtight container and water combined will keep carrots crisp and fresh until you’re ready to cook them.
Looking to buy potatoes in advance to prepare the perfect spuds? Potatoes last the longest in a dark, cool, well-ventilated place like a cupboard. You should avoid keeping potatoes in airtight containers, as this can lead to sprouting, so use a netted bag or paper bag instead. Adding an apple to your potato sack can help extend their shelf life, as the ethylene from the apple preserves the potatoes when stored in a ventilated container.
To keep all vegetables fresh for longer in the run up to Christmas, you should avoid washing them until you’re ready to eat. Pre-washing vegetables prematurely can leave residual moisture that accelerates mould growth and causes rot.
You can also freeze any herbs you might need for christmas day well in advance. Place your herbs in an ice-cube tray with water and simply defrost when ready for use.
Preserving fruit
Bananas are nutritious but can cause issues when stored near other fruits and vegetables due to the ethylene gas they emit, which speeds up ripening. To keep bananas fresh longer and prevent this gas from affecting nearby produce, wrap them in plastic. This slows down the ripening process and contains some of the ethylene gas emitted.
Berries can also be prolonged with a handy tip. You can rinse berries in water with added vinegar solution to preserve them for significantly longer. Be sure to mix one part vinegar for every 10 parts water to not overdo things.
Preserving cheese
To keep any festive dairy products fresh, you should always store them on the top shelf of the fridge. A handy tip for preserving cheese is to re-wrap it in parchment or cheese paper to allow it to breathe and last longer. When cheese is wrapped in plastic, it can’t take in oxygen, which can impact flavour and promote bacterial growth. Additionally, rubbing a bit of butter or oil on the cut surfaces of cheese can help prevent it from drying out in the fridge.
Preserving baked goods
For preserving mince pies made before Christmas Day, you should prepare and cook your pies first and allow them to fully cool before storing. Make a small cut in each pie top to allow steam to escape and decorate as desired. Once cooled, you can flash freeze the assembled pies on a baking sheet until they are solid. Transfer to a freezer-safe container or bag, then label and store.
For Christmas cookies you can also prepare your dough in advance and freeze it. This way, you can bake fresh cookies whenever you need them, saving prep time and keeping the cookies fresh. Freeze the dough in sections to allow you to make different batches when the time suits. You should make sure to label the wrapped dough with the date before freezing. You can bake your cookies within six months of freezing for the best quality.
Preserving desserts
To preserve and enhance the flavour of your pudding, soak it in alcohol before sealing it in an airtight container. This will keep it fresh until you’re ready to steam it for warmth and moisture before serving.
For cream-based desserts, incorporate a bit of gelatin to help maintain their shape and prolong freshness. When storing mousses, portion them individually and separate layers with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure they stay fresh.
Preserving sweets and chocolate
To prevent candy canes and hard candies from becoming sticky, store them in a container with a small amount of uncooked rice. The rice absorbs any moisture, keeping the candies crisp and fresh.
To preserve the quality of chocolates, store them in a cool, dark place and avoid refrigeration, which can cause condensation and affect their texture. Additionally, placing food-safe silica gel packs in the storage container can help absorb moisture and prevent the chocolates from becoming sticky.
We hope these tips help you to get the most out of your Christmas food shop and store essential foods in the run up to Christmas Day. If you’re looking for home storage, our secure, easy access storage units are perfect for creating more space in your home. You can click here to find out more or go online and get a quote in 30 seconds