Weaning- Can i freeze dishes made with frozen chicken stock? Post Reply

[sw11_]

Help! I am weaning my 6 month old, and just made a ton of lovely fresh chicken stock and put it in the freezer to make ice cubes... Only now do i read that Annabel Karmel says you shouldn't use this frozen stock to make her dishes if you then want to freeze the finished dishes...

I wanted to know whether any mums out there have a view on this refreezing of chicken stock issue? i guess there may be two schools of thought - one being that you should not do this, but the second being that lots of mum's have actually secretly done this for years and their children have not got ill. I'm hoping for more of the latter!

P.S. if you google this, there seem to be lots of people saying it is ok to do it as long as you boil the thawed stock thoroughly before combining with the new dish and refreezing. Any thoughts on that? I don't want to waste all this lovely homemade stock but my daughters health obviously comes first.

Thanks

[sw11_]

Any thoughts? There are so many mums on here - loads of you must have a view on this?

Thanks in advance

[Raspberry-Sorbet]

I didn't reply because I didn't know the answer! but I will ask my friend who is a chef.
I only used chicken stock for making purees for my little ones but I timed the puree making for post the stock making so the stock was never frozen. The stock can be kept in the fridge for a few days before you use it. The more you reduce it (it looks quite glutinous) the more nutritious it is. My own feelings would be not to re freeze it but I will check with my friend.

[2009Kat]

Well my little boy has had food made with re-frozen stock for over a year! Mind you I had no idea there was anything wrong with this until I read your post..... Mostly I suppose it was in casserole type food in which the stock would have been re-boiled. I reckon whatever he is fed at home isn't any more likely to make him ill than any of the nasty stuff he picks up off the common and shoves in his mouth....

[SavvyMummys]

Hey,

One of my best friends is a celeb chef. I know from spending a lot of time with him that what the actually do when they are at home is a lot differnet from what is always recommended.

I asked him this q re the stock and he said its ok. If it was actual meat you sholuldn't technically thaw and re-freeze this.

Sarah
http://www.savvymummys.co.uk

[Wfm]

My nanny does it all the time and it is the most delicious thing.I know because I often raid the freezer for the stock to use in my own dishes!

[harriedmum]

Hello there,

I am a devotee of Gina Ford and Annabel Karmel (obviously I must have skipped that bit in the book!) and have always made batches of stock, frozen it and then defrosted it to cook with it and then refrozen the cooked dish - I was utterly unaware that I shouldn't be doing this, as I have been doing it for myself and my husband for years as well. I have a very healthy five year old boy and equally healthy three year old girl, who have never been sick from food. The one thing I do do, which my mother told me, is that I boil the defrosted stock on a rolling boil for about ten minutes (you can always redilute it if it reduces too much).

Hope that reassures you!

[sw11_]

thanks that does reassure me. i guess i will do the same as you and boil it up thoroughly before combining with the new dish and refreezing. thanks everyone for taking the time to reply.

[mumtoafew]

I always did that and still do and also refreeze meat - and it's always fine. I'm quite careful and heat to good temperature, but it has never made any of us ill. The one thing I get a bit worried about is rice as you do hear horror stories, so am a bit more careful with reheating and freezing that.

[mummybunnybum]

It's fine - perfectly safe, just make sure you get it to boiling point for a good few minutes before you remove it from the heat and you will be fine, let it cool thoroughly & then freeze. I think its more the actual meat which obviously wouldn't be safe to then freeze and re heat for your baby.