Poultry and pork freeze extraordinarily well, but can ring bologna be frozen? The different shapes and texture of ring bologna may lead you to believe that it’s best consumed quickly, but there are quite a few reasons why you should freeze ring bologna.
The fridge life of ring bologna isn’t exemplary, and if we threw away every sausage after eating a piece, we’d lose considerable amounts of money.
Can you Freeze ring bologna? Yes, you can freeze ring bologna in airtight containers or freezer wraps as long as the temperature of your freezer is precisely zero degrees; thawing it is even more straightforward, and it’s a perfect choice for dozens of breakfast and dinner meals.
Today, I plan to teach you how to freeze bologna, educate you about its freezer life, fridge life, and answer some of the most frequent questions regarding the process.
Does Ring Bologna Freeze Well?
Freezing ring bologna is a good idea because it does freeze phenomenally well. If you put it in a high-quality freezer bag and reinforce it with freezer wraps, ring bologna can outlive most poultry and beef products. It freezes as well as all other deli meats.
If you’re using heavy-duty freezer bags for meat, your ring bologna won’t suffer from freezer burn. Airtight containers will keep their structure more or less the same. By combining both, you’ll be able to preserve the original quality of your ring bologna.
How to Freeze Ring Bologna
In short, you should pick the type of container you want to freeze your ring bologna in, push the air out of the container, and set your freezer settings to zero degrees precisely. Let me elaborate on this a little further:
Choose the Type of Freezing Storage Container
Personally, I recommend heavy-duty freezer bags. They won’t damage the meat in any way, no matter how sturdy it is, and they’ll do a fantastic job at minimizing freezer burn damages. Airtight containers are just as suitable for fridge storage as for freezing.
Freezing Ring Bologna Slices without Original Packaging
You’ve bought ring bologna in a convenience store, opened the pack, and ate a few pieces. If you wish to freeze the remaining slices, stack them on top of each other and wrap them in freezer wrap.
To prevent cuts from sticking to each other, place the freeze-wrapped chunk in a sealed container before putting it in the freezer.
Set Your Freezer Temperature to 0 degrees
Ideally, your freezer settings should be at 0 degrees. However, all deli meat products will be fine up to 40 F (4.44 C). Essentially, the closer the ring bologna is to breaching the threshold, the worse it will freeze.
If your freezer isn’t handling temperatures with consistency, consider defrosting your ring bologna in no more than two months.
Place Your Ring Bologna in the Freezer
The final, straightforward step is placing the bologna in the freezer. You shouldn’t pay too much attention to the exact spot where you should put it; you can simply place it wherever it seems logical and practical.
How Long is Ring Bologna Good for in the Freezer?
Similar to freezing hot dogs, frozen ring bolognese retains its original properties (flavor, texture and bite) for two months. After that, it is still edible, but perhaps not as tasty.
Better freezer wraps, bags, and containers prolong not just its freezer life but the time during which it will remain suitable for consumption.
How do You Defrost or Thaw Ring Bologna?
Most people defrost ring bologna in a fridge, which I also recommend. Alternatively, you can defrost it in a microwave or fill a deep bowl with water and place it under a faucet.
Method 1: Thawing Ring Bologna in a Fridge
The natural and most common way of thawing ring bologna is in the fridge. Place the frozen ring bologna pack at the last bottom shelf to prevent it from soaking the rest of the refrigerator. Keep in mind this process can take a couple of days, depending on the ‘intensity’ of ice encasing the ring bologna.
It’s still the best way to do it, as it will ensure ring bologna taste remains the same.
Method 2: Thawing Ring Bologna in a Microwave
If you have a decent microwave with a built-in defrost setting, that’s the best and quickest way to thaw frozen ring bologna. If it doesn’t, keep the power settings at half and monitor the progress every 10-15 minutes.
Method 3: Thawing Ring Bologna in a Bowl
Fill the bowl with cold water. Place the ring bologna inside, and then place the bowl under your kitchen faucet. Let the water slowly drip from the tap to ensure even thawing. Refill whenever the thawed ice makes the water too cold.
Can You Freeze Koegel’s Ring Bologna
Koegel’s ring bologna comes in a vacuum-sealed container with the original packaging. If unopened, it can remain frozen for nine months, or even more if you have a high-quality freezer that can keep the temperature at a constant level.
Can You Freeze Berks Ring Bologna
Berks Ring Bologna is a premium product that freezes exceptionally well. You can keep it in the freezer for at least four months, and its quality will remain unchanged.
Although its chewiness may not be at its peak after eight to nine months of being in the freezer, you can store it even longer in better-quality freezers.
What can I use Ring Bologna for?
Ring bologna goes great with mac & cheese, in hot dogs, topped with beans, and pretty much everything aside from maybe vegetables or spices you may not like as much. I have three favorite ring bologna recipes, so let’s have a quick look:
Fried ring bologna in an omelet
Deli meat and eggs are just a perfect combination. Ring bologna is practically meant for frying, making it arguably the best-suited candidate for this simple yet delicious dish. If you need a quick, hearty breakfast, this is the way to go.
Ring bologna pizza crackers
Although this is more of a snack than an actual dish, it’s one of the best things you can make at home for parties and birthdays—line ring bologna slices and some vegetables on a toothpick, with a cracker being in the middle.
Ring bologna stew
Boil sliced ring bologna and add vegetables of choice. For me, I usually go with onions, carrots, and broccoli. If you keep adding other types of meat, you’ll end up making a goulash; if you stick with ring bologna as the main meat, you’ll get a delicious ring bologna stew.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does sliced bologna last in the refrigerator?
Unopened, ring bologna slices can stay in the fridge for a year. Once opened, its fridge life shortens down to less than a week (typically four-five days).
How long does ring bologna last in the refrigerator?
Same as sliced ring bologna when unopened; once opened, ring bologna can last seven days in your fridge.
How to cook frozen ring bologna?
If you ask me, you won’t cook frozen ring bologna; you should boil or bake it. This way, you’ll benefit from the superior taste and better meat texture.
How can you tell if bologna has gone bad?
If you’ve left it out of the fridge for a few hours, assume it’s bad and discard it. Ring bologna, just like most deli meats, becomes sticky hours before it turns bad. If you notice this, or if its scent changes (for the worse), you can be sure it has gone bad.
What happens if you eat old bologna?
If you’re eating preserved old bologna, nothing terrible will happen to you unless its use date has expired. Otherwise, you’ll most likely have a stomach ache. Eating expired bologna can lead to food poisoning, which can lead to dehydration and diarrhea.
By the way, we covered freezing bologna right here.
Conclusion
Once you’ve learned to freeze ring bologna, you can freeze most types of bologna as well. Be mindful of freezing sliced deli meat, as it’s a bit different and tends not to freeze as well. Consider fridge thawing your ring bologna unless you’re in a big hurry, as you’ll get the best taste and the chewiest meat as rewards.
I hope you’ve found my guide to freezing ring bologna helpful. If you’d like to add anything, you’re welcome to comment in the section below.
Feel free to check my other guides for more useful content!
