How to Store Sauces
Follow these tips to ensure you're storing your sauces correctly.
Many of the recipes in this class create enough sauce for multiple dishes, but don't worry about them going bad sitting on your refrigerator shelf: most of these sauces are freezer-friendly. We think that for many of these recipes, it is worthwhile to make a larger quantity—often enough to make one dish now and save another dish for later.
General Rules About Freezing
In general, dairy-based sauces will not freeze well—the dairy curdles as it freezes, ruining the texture of the sauce. Delicate, emulsified sauces such as vinaigrettes and mayonnaise likewise don't take well to freezing. But gravies, thick simmering sauces, tomato- or meat-based pasta sauces, pestos, and more can be frozen for up to a month, making for quick and easy meals later on.
Be Mindful of Food Safety
Keep in mind that within the “danger zone” of 40 to 140 degrees, bacteria double about every 20 minutes. As a general rule, food shouldn't stay in this zone for more than 2 hours (1 hour if the room temperature is over 90 degrees). Never put hot, just-cooked sauces in the fridge to cool; this will cause the temperature in the refrigerator to rise, potentially making it hospitable to the spread of bacteria. Always cool sauces (and other foods) to room temperature (about 75 degrees) before transferring them to the fridge or freezer. The FDA recommends cooling foods to 70 degrees within 2 hours after cooking, and to 40 degrees within another 4 hours.
When a sauce is reheated, it should be brought through the danger zone as quickly as possible. Make sure that leftover sauces reach at least 165 degrees, using an instant-read thermometer to determine when it's at the proper temperature.
Label Your Containers
From a safety standpoint, food that is frozen properly and kept at a constant temperature of 0 degrees or lower will be safe to eat for a very long time. In our experience, however, “safe to eat” is not the same as “at its best.” Moisture loss and the activity of enzymes and other chemical processes that are slowed, but not stopped, by freezing cause the quality of frozen food to diminish over time, usually a matter of months. Exactly how much time depends on the freshness of the food when frozen; the age, efficiency, and type of freezer; how full the freezer is; the frequency with which the freezer door is opened; and various other factors. To avoid storing sauces past their prime, label and date them clearly with a permanent marker. For the best results, we recommend eating them within a month of storing.
Save Space with Bags
The simplest way to store stews or sauces for the freezer is to portion them into storage containers. But if your freezer is tight on room, try this method instead. Line a container with a quart-size zipper-lock freezer bag and pour the stew or sauce into the bag. Seal the bag, place it flat on a baking sheet, and freeze. Once the contents are frozen, you can stack the bags or store them upright wherever there is room.
