Do you love dumplings? Dumplings may not be the most filling snack but these appetizers are so delicious. These juicy, delectable Chinese appetizers are widely available in Chinese restaurants as well as local supermarkets near you.
But if you want healthy dumplings, you can also make these savory morsels at home using fresh, high-quality ingredients. Homemade dumplings will always be superior to store-bought ones simply because you can control the quality and quantity of the ingredients.
Regardless if you’re storing store-bought or homemade dumplings, you can store them in the fridge to keep them fresh for a day or two. But if you’re wondering how can you freeze dumplings for long-term storage, it’s much easier than you think.
Unlike other dishes, dumplings will survive freezing with little to no changes in flavors and textures. However, certain steps have to be considered to prevent moisture loss and freezer burn. As you know, moisture loss and freezer burn are two of the most common cause of flavor or texture changes in many frozen foods.
Freezing leftover dumplings allow you to enjoy a tasty snack whenever the craving hits. When kept in the freezer, dumplings will last for 3 to 6 months. Here is a step by step guide on how can you freeze dumplings:
How to Freeze and Reheat Dumplings?
Freezing the dumplings will depend on whether or not you made them from scratch or you bought them from a restaurant. Either way, you have to give the hot or warm dumplings a few minutes to rest. This way, you’ll freeze the dumplings when they are completely cooled.
Once the dumplings have cooled at room temperature, get a baking sheet lined with plastic wrap or parchment paper. Place the dumplings onto the baking pan one by one. Give each dumpling its own space, the dumplings should never touch one another or their delicate wrapping will be ruined when they are defrosted!
If you are freezing homemade dumplings, give the dumplings a light spritz of cooking oil to protect the covering during freezing and prevent sticking. Cover with plastic wrap then stick the whole pan in the freezer. Make sure to level the pan so the dumplings won’t slide off during freezing. Leave the dumplings to freeze for two hours or until they are frozen solid.
Once the dumplings are completely frozen, get several freezer-safe, resealable plastic bags and transfer the dumplings one by one into the plastic bags carefully. You can also use a rigid plastic container with an airtight cover instead of the resealable plastic bags. Get a marker, write the label, and date on each container. Stick the whole thing back in the freezer and you’re done.
How to Defrost and Reheat Dumplings?
Now that you know how can you freeze dumplings, how about defrosting and reheating? To defrost the dumplings, just transfer the frozen dumplings from the freezer to the fridge. Leave the dumplings to thaw for a few hours. Do note that you can reheat completely frozen dumplings directly, no thawing needed.
As for reheating the dumplings, there are two ways to do this. One is to steam the dumplings using a steamer or two, boil the frozen dumplings. To steam the dumplings, simply prep the bamboo steamer and place the dumplings in one by one, make sure they are not touching each other so the dumplings won’t stick together. To boil the dumplings, heat a large pot of water over high heat. Add as many frozen dumplings as you like and then cook until the dumplings float.
Summary
Freezing, defrosting, and reheating the dumplings the right way helps retain the original texture and flavors of the dish. We hope that this guide has helped you prepare the dumplings properly for long-term storage.