Can you store tofu in the freezer?
Posted by okprairiemom on Jul 20, 2008 · Member since Jul 2008 · 8 posts
I have to shop at a healthfood store 75 miles from home to get my grains, tofu, etc. The local stores around here don't carry it. I can only go shopping once a month due to fuel expenses. I would like to buy a month's supply of tofu and freeze it so that I am not running out a week or so after my shopping trip.
I have read that tofu can get grainy textured and not taste very good once it has been frozen, yet there are some recipes that suggest freezing the tofu before using it in the recipe.
The tofu I buy most is the silken and the extra firm.
Thanks!
Okprairiemom
I've forgotten tofu before in my freezer for months and it was ok to use. I personally like the texture of tofu better after it's been frozen and then thawed. I don't think freezing is good for the silken variety though. I've never tried it....i take that back. I used some silken for the fudgesicle recipe on here and let me tell you it freezes hard as a rock. Hopefully someone can give you a better answer about the silken kind. I've only used it the one time so don't have much experience with it.
i like freezing regular tofu, not silken, but some containers can leach chemicals into the tofu if its frozen and makes the tofu taste like bleach. happened to me. sucked. but you can take the tofu out, put it in a freezer safe bag and freeze it that way. i think that would work really well for stocking up. then you just thaw it the morning you want to use it and press it for 30 minutes before cooking and it tastes DIVINE!
silken tofu will change texture if you freeze it. it won't stay silken. some "fish" recipes use, it gets really "layered" and you can tear is up like how you can pull some meats apart. its strange. i'm not sure how i feel about it.
Really?! :o That's news to me.
silken tofu will change texture if you freeze it. it won't stay silken. some "fish" recipes use, it gets really "layered" and you can tear is up like how you can pull some meats apart. its strange. i'm not sure how i feel about it.
Really?! :o That's news to me.
Yeah. I use silken a lot for the un-chicken strips, it's funky, but i like it.
So you freeze the silken tofu, then thaw it, then go about your business with it?
yup!
I wrote an article about tofu and freezing it: http://carrotjuice.org/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=29
When you think vegetarian, most people think tofu. When you think tofu most people think bland white rubbery substance. This makes people think that vegetarian food is bland or must be bland. A lot of people are put off by tofu because they buy a package of it and their first experience cooking and tasting it is bad. It is bland and gross - how do people eat this crap?
I am telling you now that tofu is a wonderful white glob of protein rich substance and it can taste good. I have been cooking with it for a long time now and I am going to share with you my most intimate secrets.
No not those kinds of secrets - tofu cooking secrets!
So you are asking yourself, tofu - that must mean a lot of stir frys right? Right. But there are so many other things you can do with it. First let me tell you that the fact that it is so bland is to your advantage. Why you may ask? (Why?) Well because it will take on the flavor of whatever you are cooking. And it makes a great item to marinate as well.
My favorite thing to do is to freeze the tofu over night and then thaw it out in the refrigerator. This is going to change the texture on the tofu. The texture on the firm and extra firm is going to be more sponge like and when you cook it will give it more of a "meaty" feel. The freezing process will slightly yellow the tofu. Do not be alarmed - this is normal. If you do the same with soft tofu this will give it a flaky fishy texture.
The second tip is if you purchase the tofu that comes packaged in water is to take the tofu and squeeze the water out of it. I find the best way to do this is to put the tofu in between a couple of those disposable Ziploc food storage containers , flip them so the open side is down in the sink, place a plate on top and then a gallon jug of water for a few minutes. What this will do is dry out the tofu so when you cook it will soak up all the flavors of your spices, veggies, and sauce.
I have found that when cooking tofu as a meat substitute I get best results when I treat it like I would meat. Usually I will cube or triangle the previously frozen and drained firm tofu and then put it in a plastic container, add a bit of olive oil, red pepper flakes, black pepper, salt or soy sauce, and sometimes a drop or two of toasted sesame oil. I will toss the ingredients together and then put in a hot oiled wok or pan and cook it until the edges brown. After the tofu has browned I will then add fresh garlic if the recipe needs it, cook a bit more and then add the veggies and finish as normal.
Another awesome way to prepare tofu is to take the frozen drained tofu and marinate it over night. I will take a full cube of tofu, put it in a plastic container and then fill it with my favorite marinade. I also like to take one of those marinating needles you can get at your local grocers, fill it with the marinade and then poke and fill the tofu with the marinade to ensure it will marinate the whole cube. Once the tofu has been marinated I will drain the tofu trying to keep as much of the juice as possible, cook the tofu as above and use the marinade for the sauce.
For a yummy "fish scampi", I will get a piece of aluminum foil and cup it, put a piece of thawed tofu in it, then add some lemon juice, lemon and lime rounds, a nice crisp white wine (optional), a bit of olive oil, salt, red and black pepper, green onions, fresh garlic, and a sprinkling of bread crumbs. Seal up the foil and bake in the oven at 350 for approximately 30 minutes.
Tofu can also be used to make a yummy mozerella like "cheese", puddings, or whatever the mind can imagine. I have created a new recipe category named Tofu (imagine that?) where you can find all the recipes that have tofu in them. If you have a favorite recipe, you are more than welcome to share it here. Tofu is a gift from the gods. With time and experience you will not look at tofu as just a mound of white rubbery blandness, but as a clean white pallet in which you can let your creativity shine.
Awesome article c0c0c0! ;)b I'm relatively experienced with tofu and I even learned a new trick!! Next time I make a scramble, I'm using your ziplock back technique. Checking out the rest of the site now.. thanks!
Thanks so much for all the information. My family (Husband, me & both little ones) are all lactose intolerant to one degree or another. I use the silken to make the fudgesickles, ice cream, and smoothies for the most part. You're right, it does get very hard in the freezer, but I just set the container of ice cream out on the counter for a few minutes before I serve it up.
I eat alot of the extra firm. Sometimes I marinate it and use in stir fry, but not very often. I have made the mock "popcorn chicken" nuggets and my 2 yr old loves them. When I bread them, I mix a bit of vegan no- salt added vegetable boullion to the bread crumb mixture. The flavor is awesome! Even my husband loves it.
Basically, I marinate the tofu in what ever meat free flavoring I happen to have around, then use it exactly as I would meat. I made my husband and daughter (both are meat eaters) a beef stew, I made myself a similar dish but substituted the tofu and used the vegan vegetable boullion to make a gravy to go over the veggies.
hey I don't get the draining process that some mentioned.
i usually just pressed the juices out ,what is this 30 mins pressing and what COCOCO mentioned
put tofu in between a couple of those disposable Ziploc food storage containers , flip them so the open side is down in the sink, place a plate on top and then a gallon jug of water for a few minutes.
sorry if im not comprehending how its done
There's quite a discussion of freezing/pressing/storing tofu in the Vegan Cooking FAQ thread at the top of the board. Along with discussions of beans and how to soak them, etc. etc. Very interesting thread, check it out and add anything you find useful in terms of techniques, tips etc.
There's quite a discussion of freezing/pressing/storing tofu in the Vegan Cooking FAQ thread at the top of the board. Along with discussions of beans and how to soak them, etc. etc. Very interesting thread, check it out and add anything you find useful in terms of techniques, tips etc.
I saw your post on the beans but nothing on the tofu in the FAQ
maybe I was looking at the wrong thing ,you were mentioning the Overnight method and the quick soak method...
I will browse around again and see if i come across it!
The post is called "What do I do with tofu?" but there are other snippets of advice here and there. And if you have the time you can do a search on the boards...there are several threads about freezing/pressing/keeping tofu.
Basically--if it smells or gets slimey or the water is cloudy, toss it. If not, you're OK. ;)b