If you’ve ever wondered if baked beans can be frozen, you’re in luck!
Find out the best way to freeze baked beans so their delicious flavor and consistency is preserved.
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Baked beans are a flavorful side dish that you can prepare from scratch and then enjoy with your favorite foods, such as pork chops, hot dogs, sausage, and more.
An open can of beans should keep for up to three days if refrigerated in an airtight container. But if you know you won’t use them up in time, how about freezing?
If you’re a fan of low cost baked beans and regularly prepare them for family gatherings and holidays, you’re probably wondering if you can freeze the leftovers to get them to last longer.
Freezing is a fantastic way to prevent food waste from happening, allowing you to reduce waste, save money, and continue to enjoy your fresh, flavorful food.
Can Baked Beans Be Frozen?
The good news is, you can freeze baked beans after you’ve prepared them.
However, you cannot freeze unopened cans of baked beans. The contents of the can will expand during the freezing process, which can lead to a broken seal. Canned beans have a long shelf life and should stay good for a long time without the need for freezing (you can also store uncooked beans in the freezer, if needed).
Whether you’re freezing homemade beans from your favorite bean recipes or you have leftover store-bought baked beans to freeze, you’ll need to use the proper equipment to ensure that you’re keeping the beans as fresh and flavorful as possible.
You don’t want to put them in a random container with no lid because then your beans will dry out and will go bad.
So, the best way to store them is to put the beans in an airtight freezer-safe container or freezer bag before you even add them to your freezer.
Some glass jars are designed for freezing jams and such, and should also work fine, as long as you leave at least a half inch of space at the top before adding a tight lid.
Just make sure they are freezer-safe jars or another freezer-safe plastic container.
When the beans are stored properly and placed in the freezer, they’ll continue to stay fresh for up to six months, giving you plenty of time to decide when you’d like to thaw them out, heat them up, and enjoy them as a side dish with your favorite foods.
How to Freeze Baked Beans
For best results, it’s a good idea to follow these simple steps to avoid freezer burn and keep your frozen beans ready for next time.
- When you’re planning to freeze your baked beans, the first step is waiting for them to cool down to room temperature..
- Once they’re no longer hot, you can pour your pot full of baked beans into a large food storage container. Be sure to use an airtight container that will keep your beans fresh when stored in the freezer for lengthy periods.
- Leave some space at the top of the container to allow for expansion.
- After you’ve poured your beans into the container, label the container with the day’s date so that you’ll know when you stored them and how long you have to leave them in the freezer before you’d need to thaw them, heat them, and eat them!
- If you don’t have an airtight food storage container available to use, you can always pour your baked beans into a freezer plastic bags, making sure to seal it tightly after removing all the excess air from the bag. It’s a great way to save space in the freezer while continuing to store baked beans for as long as you might need.
How to Thaw and Reheat Frozen Baked Beans
When you’re ready to eat your baked beans, there are a few different techniques to follow for thawing them and reheating them.
If you think about eating the baked beans in advance, you can thaw them out overnight in the fridge and then reheat them on the stove or in the microwave, whichever you prefer.
Although many people reheat baked beans in the slow cooker, the FDA advises against this method. Instead, they recommend heating the food on the stove or in the microwave, then transferring to the Crock Pot on a low temperature to keep warm.
However, if you’re not thinking ahead and find yourself in the mood for those baked beans, there are other ways to thaw them.
- An easy way to thaw your beans from frozen at a fast pace would be to fill a basin with warm water. Place your sealed storage containers full of baked beans in the basin.
- The warm water will help break up the frozen pieces.
- After you’ve allowed the container to sit in the water for at least 30-45 minutes, remove them. Pour them in a pot on the stove, and then heat them over low heat.
- Feel free to add-in any extras, like more brown sugar or maple syrup.
- It doesn’t take long to go from having frozen baked beans to ready-to-eat hot beans! You can serve them with anything for a quick meal.
I’m also a fan of reheating leftovers in the Instant Pot. This is a great option for producing hot food without drying it out. This is the best option for smaller amounts of beans.
No matter how you reheat them, the most important thing is to ensure the temperature remains at least 140F. This helps to reduce the possibility of food poisoning.
What to Do with Leftover Baked Beans
There are so many great ways to use leftover baked beans to prepare tasty, flavorful meals.
First, you might want to spread the baked beans out on hot dogs in hot dog rolls.
If you’re not a fan of hot dogs, it’s no big deal. You can always eat the baked beans as a side dish with baked chicken, pork chops, or other meat that you enjoy.
Baked beans are also a great topping on rolls with shredded BBQ pork or chicken.
You can also make a sweet BBQ style chili with your leftover beans!
Freezing Baked Beans
Freezing baked beans is a simple, stress-free process that allows you to preserve your food for extended periods.
If you decide to freeze your baked beans, you can keep them frozen for up to six months!
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