You can hardly find people who do not like chili con Carne. It is a stew-like dish prepared with meat, chili peppers, tomatoes, and kidney beans.
This dish is often prepared in large batches and is less likely to lend itself for just a portion.
It is a great choice if you are looking for easy snacks. However, you are less likely to finish it. Yes, just a batch of this can serve you easily with four to five meals. But, it means you have to store it somewhere.
But, how would you store it? Can you freeze chili con Carne?
Yes, of course, you can freeze it. Freezing is the only best option if you wish to enjoy its taste sometime later. Furthermore, freezing it can help you store it for as long as three months.
Before we get into how to freeze it, let’s take a look at what happens to the quality.
What Happens When You Freeze Chilli Con Carne?
Chili con Carne can be frozen quite well. It is one of the best dishes that you can cook in advance.
Over time a loss in taste and texture is inevitable. But you can reduce this to a minimum if you follow these tips:
- Freeze it as soon as possible after preparation.
- Don’t freeze it for too long.
- Defrost and reheat it slowly.
The result is a delicious chili con carne that is as good as freshly cooked.
How To Freeze Chilli Con Carne?
Here is how you should freeze your chili con Carne –
Step 1: Get Your Chilli Con Carne
To freeze your delicious chili con carne for later, you need chili con Carne! Either you can prepare it, or you can order it.
Step 2: Let It Cool
You cannot just put it in the freezer while it’s still hot. Instead, you need to let it cool at room temperature.
Freeing them while it’s hot will result in freezer burn because of ice crystals and deteriorate the dish’s standard.
Step 3: Make Portions and Pack Them
Once your delicious dish cools, you need to make quite a few portions out of it. Make the portions in suitable sizes, so you can easily defrost them at any point in time.
After making portions, transfer each portion into separate zippered freezer bags. Now, squeeze the bags to remove the present air and tightly seal it.
The goal is to prevent outside from coming in contact with the dish, especially when it’s freezing.
Step 4: Label Up And Freeze
Label up your freezer bags with the Date of Freezing and Use-By date, put it in the freezer.
The label will help you keep track of the time.
So, this is how you store your excess chili con Carne. It is simple, isn’t it?
How to Defrost Chili Con Carne?
As already mentioned the best approach is to let it thaw slowly. So the steps would be:
- Take the chili con Carne out the freezer the night before you plan to eat it.
- And transfer it to a bowl, put it in the fridge, and let it defrost overnight.
If it looks a bit watery, you may add a bit of cornstarch. It helps you thicken it. Finally, pinch some spices over it to revive its old, spicy punch.
To be honest, if I don’t have time, I put it in a pot with a little water and I place it right on the stove. This is quite fast and the loss of quality is acceptable.
How Long Can You Freeze Chilli Con Carne?
This delicious dish contains various ingredients and should only be frozen for up to three months.
If you store it beyond, there is a greater chance of it going bad or losing more of its quality.
Can You Refreeze Cooked Chilli Con Carne?
Yes, you can, but we do not advise you to follow the loop of cooking and freezing. When you refreeze a cooked dish, you are more likely to ruin its actual textures, Chili con Carne.
Instead, you should defrost only a portion at a point in time when you are sure of eating it. This way, you can prevent waste.
Freezing Various Chilli Con Carne Dishes
Here is how you should always freeze other variations of chili con carne dishes.
Can You Freeze Chili Con Carne With Kidney Beans?
Yes, you can freeze chili con Carne with kidney beans. Refer to the guidelines above, and it is done.
Can You Freeze Chili Con Carne And Rice?
Yes, you can freeze both chili con carne and rice. But, I prefer to freeze it separately for better quality.
We covered freezing cooked rice in another post, by the way.
Furthermore, you will also have the option of defrosting just the dish when you feel you do not need the rice.
Can You Freeze Vegetarian Chili Con Carne?
You can freeze chili con carne with almost anything you like. No other procedures are required to store vegetarian chili con Carne; you may follow the guidelines above to freeze it.
But, we still advise you that whenever you eat vegetarian chili con carne, eat the fresh ones.
Chili Con Carne Ideas
Here are some of our most loved chili con carne ideas –
#1 Chili Con Carne Burrito
If you wonder how to use the leftovers of con Carne, you can put some of it and make a burrito wrap along with desired toppings. And it is ready!
#2 Chilli Stuffed Peppers
You will be amazed to realize how incredibly peppers go with con Carne. Cut out your chili, mix your con Carne with some rice, and spoon some of the mixes into the peppers.
A light sprinkle of cheese over the peppers, bake in the oven, and ready to taste!
You might also have some frozen cheddar in the freezer that would be perfect.
#3 Breakfast Chilli
If you wish to have breakfast like never before, make this!
Prepare some wraps, fry some eggs, tomatoes, and guacamole, and you are all set to eat!
Instead of fried eggs, you can also use scrambled eggs.
Other Related Questions
Can You Microwave Frozen Chili Con Carne?
If you do not have the time, you can defrost your con Carne in your microwave for 3 minutes in defrost mode.
And then you know what to do. But, be sure to check it at regular intervals. You cannot let it overheat.
How Long Can You Keep Chili Con Carne In The Fridge?
If you plan on eating your leftover the next day or within a week, you may consider keeping it in the fridge.
Hopefully, chili con carne can last five to seven days in the fridge.
Can You Freeze Chili Con Carne After Cooking?
Yes, you can. But, we do not advise you to do so, as freezing a cooked chili con carne would deteriorate its quality and textures.
Conclusion
Now that you know that you can freeze chili con carne, you can treat yourself anytime you want.
When you freeze con Carne, you extend its shelf-life to three months.
Also, you need to freeze it the day you have prepared it and make sure you do the packing and sealing correctly.
So, the next time you try chili con carne, do not forget to try our chili con carne ideas; I bet you will love it. We hope this article was resourceful to you.
Happy Cooking!!
