Topic: Freezing chicken in the marinade?

[Willyeckerslike]

Hi I was wondering if this would be possible.  I would like to freeze the Lasaan tandoori marinade and Blades tikka marinade with the raw chicken in it.   This is because I am a part time Gypsy in the summer months and space is at a premium in my fridge due to beer n wine ;D..  Really its just for ease so I could make up a few batches & stick them in the freezer so I dont have to take all the ingredients with me.  Then let them defrost overnight & stick them on the barbie the next day.  I have done it with cooked curries but am unsure with a marinade & raw chicken or lamb.

cheers

Will

[Malc.]

You shouldn't have any trouble doing this. I have done this on several occasions and it works fine. I often do this with my Turkish Kebab recipe and recently with CA's Tikka marinade recipe.

I use a resealable sandwich bag with a sliding nylon fastener. Add about 2 chicken breasts chopped in the marinade and flatten out to remove as much air as possible. Seal and then straight in to the coldest freezer section, laid flat.

[peterandjen]

Lasans tandoori freezes really well, it doesn't lose anything in flavour for it either.
I actually made up 12 thighs and 6 legs of it yesterday, halfs coming camping with me in a freezer bag the others staying home.

[Razor]

It's a great question.

Axe, would you freeze after the chicken has been marinated or, will the meat continue to marinate when frozen?

I wouldn't have thought that it would continue but then again, I'm no Heston Blumenthal either ;D

Ray

[Malc.]

I freeze as soon as possible i.e. before marinading. It continues to marinate in the bag until frozen and again during the thawing process. Of course the beauty of having it in a bag means that you can leave it out without worrying about it or pop it in the fridge to continue the marinading process, without it stinking the fridge out.

I can only guess that perhaps marinating prior to freezing, would produce a slightly better result purely due to the changes that take place in the freezing and thawing process. But I am also not a Heston Blumenthal either.

[Cory Ander]

Freeze it in the marinade.  It will continue to marinate.  Albeit more slowly.  Perfect.

[Willyeckerslike]

Thanks for the replies.

I will be a happy camper ;D
I do use the freezer bags when freezing chicken anyway.  I will be freezing them in a marinade now to take with me in a few weeks.

thanks again

Will

[peterandjen]

I usually marinade for 24 hours in the fridge and then freeze, tastes great.

[Willyeckerslike]

I usually marinade for 24 hours in the fridge and then freeze, tastes great.

Hi Peter

do you parboil the chiken as the recipe states, then marinade & then freeze?

cheers

Will

[Domi]

I'd be careful parboiling chicken then marinading in the fridge for 24 hours, Willy. I would think it better to either marinade raw and freeze or cook all the way through and freeze. Afraid I'd have to err on the side of caution.