Can you Freeze Gochujang?: Gochujang is a popular paste used mostly in South Korea for most of their recipes. It is a fermented chili paste that has a different taste than other pastes. Starting from soups to different curries, gochujang is used for almost every meal.
If you are living in a region where you cannot find gochujang every time in the supermarket, then you surely need to plan out for its freezing. If it is right, check out our article, to know if can you freeze gochujang, how long can you freeze it, whether can you refreeze gochujang or not, and many more are provided.
- Can you Freeze Gochujang? How Long Can You Use Frozen Gochujang?
- How to Freeze Gochujang?
- Tips to Freeze Gochujang
- How to Defrost Gochujang?
- Can you Refreeze Gochujang?
- Benefits of Freezing Gochujang
- Is it possible to eat gochujang raw?
- How to decide if gochujang has turned bad for usage?
- For how long can you freeze gochujang paste?
- Can you use gochujang paste for marination?
- Can gochujang paste be used as a preservative?
Can you Freeze Gochujang? How Long Can You Use Frozen Gochujang?
Yes, you can freeze gochujang for months. You can use frozen gochujang for up to 1 year when you place it in a sealed container or in a freezer bag. But always make sure the bags are sealed because if the air passes through them, there are high chances of gochujang causing freezer burn. Freezer burn will change the taste and flavor of gochujang when you use it for fresh recipes.
Check out the below-mentioned process, along with the tips to freeze gochujang paste at home.
How to Freeze Gochujang?
Freezing gochujang is simple and straightforward. You need to follow a few steps. Gochujang is made up of gochu-garu paste which is sweet, savory, and spicy in taste. Gochujang is also quite expensive in other nations.
Therefore, you can think about freezing gochujang for months.
- The first step towards freezing gochujang is to collect all the things in a place. Collect a spoon, the gochujang paste, the fillers, an ice cube tray, and some plastic bags.
- Collecting all this equipment beforehand will help you in making your gochujang freezing process easier.
- Use the plastic wrap to line up the ice cube tray, where you will be freezing the gochujang paste for months. This technique is applied so that the tray does not smell of gochujang even after you use up all the frozen paste.
- Take the ice cube tray and portion the gochujang one by one. The small portions of the gochujang will help you prevent wastage. This sauce is spicy and sweet, and you require a very small portion in everyday Korean meals you cook. You can also add this paste to other recipes of your choice.
- Once you fill up the paste in the cubes for freezing, please tap the trays so that the paste is settled down. Tapping helps in placing all the paste in the base.
- After filling, pre-freeze the cubes.
- Take the ice cube tray into consideration and then put them in all the freezer bags. Since trays take up a lot of space in the freezer, transferring them into the freezer bag will allow additional space in the freezer.
- When you place the frozen cube paste in the bag, make sure you pull out as much air as possible.
- Put the label above the bag and mark the starting date so that you have noticed when the paste-frozen cubes are going to expire. Try to use the frozen gochujang cubes before the due date.
These are the steps to be followed for freezing gochujang for months in the freezer.
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Tips to Freeze Gochujang
There are certain tips to follow for freezing gochujang for months. Even though you know the process, it is better to find out the tips and apply them for better results.
- When you are freezing gochujang paste, try to tap the tray before placing it in the freezer. This tap is important to pull off all the bubbles from the paste. If there are bubbles in the past, then the moisture will remain intact during freezing.
- Do not allow air to remain inside the freezer bag once you transfer the pre-frozen cubes from the tray to the bag. The air inside the bag will disturb the freezing process. The moisture build-up inside the bag will decrease the flavor of the gochujang.
- Most of the time, we choose to add some water to solid items when minced well for ice cube frozen items. However, while freezing gochujang, try to avoid adding any water to the paste.
- It will make the paste silkier, and the freezing process will be hindered. Gochujang paste is already liquid, and adding water will destroy the texture and flavor.
- Make sure that the freezer bag is sealed well when you transfer the bag into the freezer for months. Ensuring the seal will help you in getting well-frozen gochujang cubes.
- Moreover, if you do not seal the bag well, then the other items in the freezer will smell like gochujang. The smell is strong and will destroy the flavors of other items in the freezer.
How to Defrost Gochujang?
The gochujang defrosting process is very simple. Since you have frozen the paste in cubes, you do not need to take out all the cubes at once. You can simply open the seal of the container or the freezing bag and take out only the required frozen gochujang cubes. This way, you can prevent the rest of the frozen cubes from getting spoiled.
You do not have to defrost gochujang cubes overnight or for hours. You can directly take the cubes and add them to the pan along with other vegetables. Make sure you heat up the frozen cubes properly in the pan because hot oil will cause a violent effect when ice cubes meet directly.
One of the best ways to add frozen gochujang to the pan is to first add other veggies or herbs to the pan along with oil. Following these items, you can add the frozen gochujang cubes. This manner will not split oil on your face and everywhere on your kitchen tiles.
Can you Refreeze Gochujang?
Yes, refreezing gochujang is possible. You can refreeze gochujang cubes if they are extra for your recipes. The paste of gochujang is made up of oil and water, which makes it okay for refreezing.
However, if you ask us about how well gochujang freezes, then the answer will be moderate. Gochujang does not freeze well. But, for any reason, if you want to refreeze them, it is possible. In order to get the exact taste and flavor, try to take out only those frozen cubes that are required. This method will help in not wasting the paste.
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Benefits of Freezing Gochujang
Studies show that gochujang is used for breaking down fats from your body. Apart from this, the other advantages of freezing gochujang are as follows.
- You do not have to visit the supermarket every time to buy gochujang paste. You can simply take frozen cubes from the freezer and use them whenever you need them for cooking.
- When you freeze gochujang paste at home, you are likely to save your time shopping for one single ingredient. You do not cook recipes with gochujang every time. So going out to buy gochujang paste takes a lot of your time. The time you need for shopping can be used for doing other activities.
- Additionally, freezing gochujang paste is also helpful for increasing the metabolism of a person. Overall, the paste comes with several health benefits. Therefore, you can use this paste for daily recipes.
FAQs on Freezing Gochujang
1. Is it possible to eat gochujang raw?
Many individuals choose to eat gochujang raw, along with dried slices of meat or roasted veggies. However, you should add this paste with other items while cooking a dish. The flavors are better when gochujang paste is cooked with other vegetables or meat.
2. How to decide if gochujang has turned bad for usage?
There are several ways of deciding gochujang expiry. You can find it out through the strange smell, the broken structure of the paste, as well as the texture. If any of these parameters are bad, gochujang paste has come to its expiry date.
3. For how long can you freeze gochujang paste?
Gochujang paste can be used as frozen cubes for almost 12 months if you follow the proper process and tips. If you buy gochujang paste from the supermarket, it can last up to 2 years when kept in the fridge.
4. Can you use gochujang paste for marination?
Yes, gochujang paste can be used for marinating meat or vegetables for roasting. You can simply use a spoonful of gochujang paste for almost every meal you cook if you love its flavor and texture.
5. Can gochujang paste be used as a preservative?
No, gochujang paste cannot be used as a preservative for other recipes. The paste included fermented items and natural ingredients. You can choose to add the fresh paste with pickles and recipes when you are about to eat them.
Conclusion
Gochujang paste is the fundamental ingredient for any sort of Korean recipe you cook. If you want to have a Korean meal this Christmas eve, try to freeze some gochujang paste for your ease. For any updates on the freezing and preservation of other vegetables, please refer to our website.