Can You Freeze Shepherd’s Pie: Shepherd’s Pie is a classic dish that is made up of seasoned ground beef and potatoes with a heartwarming garnish of nuts, generally served on holidays or when guests are over. It is one of the most loved family favourite dishes that are full of flavour and extremely easy to make.
You must be one of those who love to take the easy route of making more of a dish at one go, freezing it and enjoying it slowly for a longer period of time which is why you have dropped by this article. In this article let’s learn in very simple words how to store shepherd’s Pie for a long time and consume them whenever desired.
- Can You Freeze Shepherd’s Pie Once Cooked?
- How To Store Shepherd’s Pie In The Freezer?
- Best Tips To Freeze Shepherd’s Pie
- How Long Can You Freeze Shepherd’s Pie?
- How To Reheat Frozen Shepherd’s Pie?
- Is it better to freeze shepherd’s pie cooked or uncooked?
- Does freezing a pie ruin it?
- Can I freeze shepherd’s pie in a glass dish?
- Can you freeze a pie with cream in it?
Can You Freeze Shepherd’s Pie Once Cooked?
Definitely yes, you can freeze your shepherd’s pie to enjoy it later if you have leftovers or want to make your shepherd’s pie in bulk. You can freeze the whole pie for later and make mini pies for freezing or you can also freeze individual serving slices.
However, if you are wondering if can you freeze shepherd’s pie with instant mashed potatoes then you must know that the game here can get a bit tricky. Mashed potatoes generally sometimes come with a different consistency once defrosted which changes the taste a bit. It can however sometimes help to freeze your shepherd’s pie before baking and improve its taste and texture inside the oven.
How To Store Shepherd’s Pie In The Freezer?
To store your Shepherd’s pie, follow the steps mentioned below.
- Step 1 – First, heat it down in a shallow pan or a cooking rack for about 20 to 30 minutes before putting it inside the freezer.
- Step 2 – Next, place your shepherd’s pie inside the refrigerator to make sure it is completely cold first.
- Step 3 – Now, you need to wrap your cooled shepherd’s Pie in a layer of plastic cling wrap first, followed by a second layer of heavy-duty Aluminium foil. Seal microwavable containers with their own airtight lids and if you’re using open, oven-safe containers, then wrap each portion in plastic film wrap individually.
At this point, you just also label it with contents and the actual date when it is cooked and then place it inside the freezer. Make sure none of your wraps is leaking in order to protect your pie from drying out and getting the freezer burnt.
Best Tips To Freeze Shepherd’s Pie
Now that you have learnt how to store your shepherd’s pie properly inside the refrigerator or freezer, there are certain key points that you need to keep in mind in order to not make any mistakes resulting in your shepherd’s pie turning bad. Let’s see what these tips are:
Freeze the elements separately
If your shepherd’s pie recipe needs some cheese garnishing on top of it, we always advise you to let this wait before placing it in the freezer and make sure you add it later on after thawing it.
Potatoes, cheese and other ingredients are opposed to retaining their initial shape if frozen along with the pie. So make sure you freeze them and defrost them separately. Additionally, if it is highly urgent for you to add cheese before freezing then make sure that your cheese is with high-fat content.
Cook From frozen
Yes, it is always best to thaw your shepherd’s pie in the refrigerator before reheating it and consuming it to ensure that it heats evenly. But, during times of energy, it is also possible to cook your pie from frozen to save time and energy.
While preprinting your shepherd’s pie specifically for the freezer, try adding one or more beaten eggs to the mashed potatoes. This process will help in binding the moisture in the potatoes, which in turn will improve the texture when the dish is baked.
One thing you must be careful of is if you freeze your shepherd’s pie in a ceramic or glass casserole, make sure to not place it directly into any preheated oven. Thermal shock can cause the frozen beaker to crack or explode, which at best will waste food and at worst will cause serious injury.
Last but not the least, thickening the shepherd’s pie gravy with potato starch, instead of flour or cornstarch, will help in improving the texture of the filling after it is reheated.
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How Long Can You Freeze Shepherd’s Pie?
Leftover shepherd’s pie stored inside the refrigerator can stay fresh for up to four days but always make sure that you have kept it in any covered heavy-duty plastic container with double or triple layers of protection.
However, we recommend storing your shepherd’s pie inside the refrigerator for up to two to three months to get the best quality. If you manage to store your shepherd’s pie at zero degrees Fahrenheit then it is definitely possible for it to remain safe indefinitely.
How To Reheat Frozen Shepherd’s Pie?
Defrosting a frozen shepherd’s Pie is not a very complicated task. First, you need to thaw your pie for about 24 hours inside the refrigerator. Then you need to make a preparation for the reheating process:
- For this first, you need to preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Next, you remove the aluminium foil and other layers of plastic wrap from your pi and then heat it for 20 minutes or until it has heated through properly, at about 165 degrees Fahrenheit approximately, measured by a thermometer.
- At this point, you may also see the potatoes have begun to turn slightly brown.
- If your shepherd’s pie is naked cold directly from the refrigerator then it may take slightly longer than if it was preheated initially.
- Next, you also need to cover your shepherd’s pie at the end if needed to prevent it from getting brown due to further oxidation.
If you are interested in knowing about freezing similar kinds of pie dishes do visit our article on Can You Freeze Cream Pies and clear your concerns.
FAQs On Can You Freeze Shepherd’s Pie
1. Is it better to freeze shepherd’s pie cooked or uncooked?
It is better to freeze your shepherd’s pie uncooked because cooking reduces the water content in it. If you have cooked it, make sure to freeze it as soon as possible to avoid having the liquid separate from the meat.
2. Does freezing a pie ruin it?
No, if your pie has been baked before freezing, then it can be frozen for 3 months before the crust gets too soggy due to condensation and freezer burn. Whereas, an unbaked pie can stay good longer because baking removes water from the pastry.
3. Can I freeze shepherd’s pie in a glass dish?
Yes, after cooling down your shepherd’s pie, you can split it into portions or freeze the whole in either a glass dish, container or foil tray.
4. Can you freeze a pie with cream in it?
The cream filling in your shepherd’s pie has high water content making it quite sensitive to freezer burns. Avoid freezing your pie with the cream and even if you do wrap it very well to not expose it to the freezer air.
Bottom Line
Wrapping everything up, you do not need to worry about your shepherd’s pie leftovers because it does freeze beautifully and can stay fresh for a good amount of time if stored properly. Make sure you keep in mind the tips mentioned in this article to keep your shepherd’s pie from drying out.
While freezing or reheating it, make sure you give good concentration on the temperature settings because a slight lack of attention there can spoil your delicate pie completely. We hope we were helpful and for more articles like Can You Freeze Lemon Meringue Pie do reach us.