Can You Freeze Sandwich Meat (Deli Meat)?

You must likely have stocked up on meat one time at the store and have packed more than one meat, maybe two or even three – to make sandwich meat and other meat recipes. So now you wonder can you freeze sandwich meat so they don’t go to waste after you made them?

Fortunately, you can freeze them for about 2 months in the freezer. This article will tell you all you need to know about freezing sandwich meat when next you stock up on excesses.

What Is Sandwich Meat?

Sandwich meat is a type of meat that is gotten from turkey, salami, beef, poultry, etc. They come in different sizes, shapes, and intense flavors, and are available in cans, loaves, and sliced.

Sandwich meat can also be called lunch meat, sliced meat, cold-cut meats, cooked meats, and deli meat. These meat are either cooked, moderately processed, or highly processed for consumption. It is then packaged and sold in the stores and market.

What Are the Types of Sandwich Meat?

Sandwich meat is highly versatile as they come in different types. But the most of sandwich meat comes from turkey, ham, and salami. These are the types of sandwich meat we have:

Ham: This is gotten from the leg of pork, the meat is then cured and sliced into thin circles. It is rich in sodium and protein.

Salami: Salami is gotten from pork or beef that is cured and seasoned with salt, herbs, and spices. It looks somewhat like sausages and is rich in sodium, fat, and protein. It may interest you to check out: can you freeze salami?

Turkey: This meat is gotten from the breast of a turkey and is lean and low in calories. It is found in sandwiches and wraps.

There are other varieties of sandwich meat like pepperoni, chorizo, and many offers that are served and eaten any time of the day, some even raw. The meat has been cured and salted so that you do not have to season it again when making a dish. Bear in mind that all types of sandwich meat can be frozen.

How to Freeze Sandwich Meat?

Freezing sandwich meat is effortless. To answer the question of whether can you freeze sandwich meat, follow these easy steps to freezing them.

1. An unopened package of sandwich meat

To freeze an unopened package of sandwich meat, you should consider safeguarding it with another layer of aluminum foil or cling film. Wrap the layer around the package and put it in another freezer bag.

Lastly, label the freezer bag and place it in the freezer. Ensure you push excess air out of the bag before freezing if you didn’t, go do that now.

2. An opened package of sandwich meat

To freeze an opened package of sandwich meat, here are steps to follow:

STEP 1: You may want to slice up the meat or wrap it as a whole but we recommend slicing as this helps it to freeze well. If you choose to still store it as a whole, double wrap the meat and ensure it is properly covered.

If you chose to slice the meat, proceed with step 2.

STEP 2: After slicing the sandwich meat, use a tissue or paper towel to pat it dry and remove any moisture.

STEP 3: Next, place the sandwich meat in a layer of cling film and cover firmly. Ensure you push out excess air when wrapping. Consider double wrapping to prevent freezer burn.

STEP 4: Alternatively, you may place parchment paper under each slice of meat to keep it away from sticking together when frozen.

STEP 5: Next, add an extra layer of wrapping using the cling film to properly cover the sandwich meat having parchment paper in the middle of each slice.

STEP 6: Transfer the wrapped sandwich meat to a freezer bag and seal making sure you push out as much air as you can.

STEP 7: Using a marker pen, record the storage date on the freezer bag and place it in the freezer.

How Long Can You Freeze Sandwich Meat?

You can freeze sandwich meat for nearly 2 months in the freezer.

We recommend placing two sheets of parchment paper under each slice of sandwich meat. Also, consider double wrapping them with cling film to prevent freezer burn and keep the slices from sticking together when frozen.

5 Tips for Freezing Sandwich Meat

If you’ve been wondering how can you freeze sandwich meat, below are the best tips to freeze them properly for the best result.

TIP 1: Ensure you seal the freezer bag firmly to keep it away from air and water.

TIP 2: When placing sandwich meat in the freezer, keep it away from other food products that smell. This way it doesn’t take up the smell of such food products like onions, spices, etc.

TIP 3: Consider covering sandwich meat twice to keep it away from freezer burn and spoilage.

TIP 4: Alternatively, you can place wrapped sandwich meat in an air-tight container. Close the lid tightly and freeze in the freezer.

TIP 5: Remember to record the storage date on the freezer bag or air-tight container to know what date you froze them!

How Do You Defrost Sandwich Meat?

If you want to successfully defrost sandwich meat, you should unwrap it from the packaging and transfer it to the fridge overnight. This is the safest way to defrost sandwich meat. In doing this way, you keep sandwich meat away from any bacterial growth.

How to Tell If Your Frozen Sandwich Meat Is Bad?

The good news about sandwich meat is you can tell if it has gone bad. The texture and appearance of bad frozen sandwich meat are never wrong. To

tell if your frozen sandwich meat is bad, they give off these signs:

Slimy appearance and touch
Faded color or greyish
Vinegar smell
The formation of oil on top of the meat

If you notice all these, do not consume bad sandwich meat as this will lead to food poisoning with signs like vomiting and drowsiness.

Can You Refreeze Sandwich Meat?

Unfortunately, it is advised against refreezing sandwich meat. In general, refreezing meat is not advised as it leads to microbial and bacterial growth which poses contamination to the human body.

Does Sandwich Meat Freeze Well?

Sandwich meat freezes well when firmly wrapped twice and in an air-tight container or freezer bag.

Conclusion

The answer to “Can you freeze sandwich meat?” is a yes. Sandwich meat will stay in the freezer for nearly 2 months if wrapped firmly and in air-tight containers or freezer bags. Sandwich meat can be defrosted effortlessly and you can enjoy it for any meal of the day.

I hope you found this article helpful.

FAQs

What happens if you freeze deli meat?

When you freeze deli meat, you keep it away from going bad. But after 2 months in the freezer, deli meat begins to go bad, and its quality deteriorates.

What happen if you eat old sandwich meat?

This poses food poisoning as old and bad sandwich meat has bacteria in them. Eating them leads to vomiting, tiredness, abdominal pain, etc.

How long do sliced deli meat last in the freezer?

You can hold sliced deli meat in the freezer for nearly 2 months before it starts to go bad.

How do you defrost sandwich meat?

When you are ready to eat sandwich meat, unwrap meat from its packaging and transfer it to the fridge overnight.

How do you freeze sliced deli meat?

After slicing deli meat, you should pat the moisture from the meat dry by using a paper towel or tissue paper. Also, place parchment paper under each slice of deli meat to keep it away from sticking together. Afterward, wrap the slices with a cling film and put them in a freezer bag. Be sure to push excess air out of the bag before placing it in the freezer.