Who can resist some freshly made homemade croquettes? If you prepare croquettes in large quantities and are not going to consume them immediately, it is best to freeze them to have them on hand when you have guests at home or you lack time to cook. This way you will only have to take it out of the freezer, fry it and that’s it. Following our advice, you can prepare, freeze, and store homemade croquettes to maintain all their flavor and quality.
How to freeze homemade croquettes
To freeze homemade croquettes you must take into account a series of factors so that both when preparing them, when storing them, and when defrosting them, they are perfect. You can do it in two ways: either freezing them without frying or doing it once you have fried them.
How to freeze croquettes without frying
Once you have the croquettes ready, let the dough cool to room temperature so that when it is tempered you can freeze it. If you don’t know how to freeze croquette dough, we tell you that you can freeze the entire dough or make the croquettes and freeze them in portions.
If you prefer to freeze the entire dough, our recommendation is to transfer it to a plastic dish with some depth and cover the dough with transparent film (without air between the dough and the film), this way you will avoid The dough may dry out when frozen.
To freeze the portioned croquettes without frying, our advice is that you give them the desired shape so that when you defrost them they already have the shape of a croquette. To do this, you can do it following the traditional method of portioning with a soup spoon, or get a practical croquette mold and fill it easily by placing the dough in a pastry bag. If you do it without a mold, you must take into account that there is a separation between the croquettes so that they do not stick together when defrosting. To separate them, just place small strips of baking paper between the croquettes.
How to freeze fried croquettes
If you didn’t know it was possible, we confirm that fried croquettes can be frozen and that in fact it is an excellent option when you are in a hurry or surprise guests show up.
Once you have fried and drained the croquettes well, let them cool completely on absorbent kitchen paper. Then you can place them on a tray (separate from each other and without stacking them on several floors). This way they won’t stick together during the freezing process. We recommend that you cover them with transparent film to prevent the formation of frost . After a couple of hours you can transfer the croquettes from the tray to an airtight bag so that they take up less space in the freezer.
How to store frozen homemade croquettes
The task will be very simple if you follow the step by step to store frozen homemade croquettes in the most efficient way.
Transfer to freezer bags
Once you have the croquettes frozen, remove them from the tray and place them in airtight freezer bags. We recommend removing as much air as possible before sealing to prevent frost from forming inside the bag.
Check the freezer temperature
Once you have placed the bag in the freezer, you must make sure that the freezer temperature is -18ºC (which is the correct temperature). In this way, you can keep the croquettes in perfect condition for up to three months.
Label
By labeling the croquettes you will not only know what you have prepared them from, but it will also allow you to know how long you have had them in the freezer so you can consume them before they start to lose quality.
Tips for freezing homemade croquettes
By following our advice for freezing homemade croquettes, we assure you that when you defrost them they will maintain both their flavor and texture.
1. Separate the croquettes before freezing them
2. Use a mold to freeze separate croquettes
3. Cover the croquettes to prevent them from drying out and frost forming.
4. Check the freezer temperature
5. Label the bags with the preparation date and type of kibble
How to defrost croquettes
If you freeze them ready to fry, you will not need to defrost them first, but you can fry them in very hot oil directly frozen. Of course, a few at a time so that the temperature of the oil does not drop and you get a light and crispy fry.
If you opt for already fried and frozen croquettes, the reheating process is essential. To do this, you have two ways to do it: in the preheated oven at 200 ºC for 10 or 15 minutes, or by placing them in the air fryer at 180 ºC for 8 or 10 minutes. A simple trick is to use an oil sprayer so that they are more golden and crispy when baked.