Using frozen chicken soup

PinkandYellow ↓

Mon, Sep 14 2009, 1:07 pm

I made yummy ckn soup for shabbos and now want to refreeze it and use for R"H. DH wants me to make a new one for chag, says it'll be 'fresh' that way. but then I know that most of the leftovers of my current one will go to waste. what do I do?

louche ↓

Mon, Sep 14 2009, 1:13 pm

Go ahead and freeze it, then erev YT add some canned or fresh chicken broth, veggies and sauteed onions and fresh seasonings. This is not leftover soup, it's fresh soup using prepared broth. Wink

Doesn't dh realize that fresh soup is never as good as soup that has mellowed for a few days?

PinkFridge ↓

Mon, Sep 14 2009, 1:14 pm

The only objection I can think of is that vegetables may be rubbery. Cook some veg. before Shabbos in the broth to absorb the flavor.

B"H my MIL loved her freezer so none of her kids have any hangups about frozen food.

ra_mom ↓

Mon, Sep 14 2009, 1:54 pm

Strain the soup, and freeze only the clear liquid. It tastes as good as fresh when reheated!
Freezing the veggies will ruin it. If you prefer veggies in your soup, cook up some fresh ones before serving. Sometimes I slice carrots really thin, and it takes just minutes for them to soften. Then I add them to the clear soup.
Or else you can just serve the clear soup with noodles or matza balls. Yum.

imasinger

Mon, Sep 14 2009, 2:55 pm

I freeze my soup all the time, and then freshen it up by throwing in a few new things when I make it for Shabbos or YT. I add water, a chicken neck, some baby carrots, and seasonings (salt and bay leaf especially). And I make fresh matzo balls each time.

↑ PinkandYellow

Mon, Sep 14 2009, 3:07 pm

Thanks, these are all great ideas and I think I will use them. Ironically, I dont think my husband really knows the difference, just has some pre-conceived prejudices about frozen foods and stuff.

BennysMommy ↓

Mon, Sep 14 2009, 3:13 pm

You can also make any chicken based soup for dinner this week. Some good ones are potato-leek, zucchini, and egg drop.

Use it as the base for any soup that includes chicken soup mix or chicken broth.

↑ BennysMommy

Mon, Sep 14 2009, 3:17 pm

PinkandYellow wrote:

Thanks, these are all great ideas and I think I will use them. Ironically, I dont think my husband really knows the difference, just has some pre-conceived prejudices about frozen foods and stuff.

My DH does too:) I usually don't tell him something came from the freezer until after he ate it. What they don't know can't hurt.

This reminds me of what I did this morning.
I make my DH a cup of coffee every morning. The other day he drank less than half the cup and ran out the door. This morning he had reheated leftover coffee:) He didn't even realize.

↑ PinkFridge ↓

Mon, Sep 14 2009, 3:31 pm

BennysMommy wrote:

PinkandYellow wrote:

Thanks, these are all great ideas and I think I will use them. Ironically, I dont think my husband really knows the difference, just has some pre-conceived prejudices about frozen foods and stuff.

That's nothing!
I substituted DH's normal cup of joe with Folgers. Watch out for the commercial Sunny

↑ geemum

Mon, Sep 14 2009, 4:26 pm

I swtiched his full fat milk for low fat milk. I told him after 1 week that I had done it. Now he drinks low fat without a problem.

sneaky but effective Twisted Evil

To get on to the topic at hand. I freeze my chicken soup all the time. I make a big batch and then freeze it in weekly portions. The vegetables do NOT freeze well they go mushy and rubbery.

If your family want veg just add fresh ones on Friday and let them boil in the soup to absorb flavour. It shouldn't take too long (slice the carrots into small slices and it'll go very quick).

There is no difference between fresh or frozen soup. I prefer frozen cos I can then take off the layer of fat from the top and then it's purer and less oily and fatty

Ronit

Mon, Sep 14 2009, 4:31 pm

ra_mom wrote:

I was gonna say the same.

I find though that if I'm gonna add the veggies anyhow then I'd rather just make a new soup & use the leftovers for chicken stock.

I usually put one 2lb container of clear soup in the freezer & add it to any soup I'm cooking during the week.

↑ louche

Mon, Sep 14 2009, 8:38 pm

there's a funny scene in Life With Father in which the father asks if the fish they're having for dinner is ...haddock? halibut? whatever...because that variety makes him ill. The mother says of course not, dear, we all know not to serve haddock. Of course it IS haddock or whatever, and dh only thinks it makes him ill. he eats it just fine when he thinks it's bass.

↑ PinkFridge ↓

Mon, Sep 14 2009, 9:36 pm

geemum wrote:

I swtiched his full fat milk for low fat milk. I told him after 1 week that I had done it. Now he drinks low fat without a problem.

There is no difference between fresh or frozen soup. I prefer frozen cos I can then take off the layer of fat from the top and then it's purer and less oily and fatty

When I make soup I refrigerate it for a day or two, then skim the fat, then freeze. If I want to make fresh soup, I make it Thursday, maybe Wed. for skimming before reheating for Shabbos.

queen

Mon, Sep 14 2009, 10:25 pm

about matza balls, just FYI- I freeze them all the time and they are more than fine. I just cover the balls (once put in container) in chix soup and freeze. This way once defrosted, or while defrosting- I put directly in chix soup pot-- together with ice (which is chix soup)

Tastes great, no one is any the wiser.

NativeMom

Mon, Sep 14 2009, 10:32 pm

really queen? I always wondered about the matzah balls. I freeze my soup but only the broth. I always end up throwing out whatevers left of the matzah balls and I feel bad Sad

I always end up making too many Rolling Eyes

Last edited by NativeMom on Mon, Sep 14 2009, 10:36 pm; edited 1 time in total

↑ ra_mom

Mon, Sep 14 2009, 10:34 pm

I freeze matza balls too. I drain then on a cookie sheet aluminum pan, and then divide them and freeze then (dry) in little baggies.
Same with small square noodles for the soup.
I find that as long as everything is frozen separately, and without liquid, they come our phenomenal.