CanIFreezeThis
    Leftovers & Cooked Meals

    Can You Freeze Asopao?

    Asopao will hold without fuss, pack it for the freezer, use it while it lasts. Check it on taste, afterwards, it turns thicker and stickier as the rice drinks the pigeon-pea broth, asopao holds about 2–3 months. The rice in asopao will pull in stock, score asopao by texture, hold back the rice to cook. The chicken in asopao will do intact, it might go soft, rotate it before it fades. Puerto Rico's soupy rice stew sits between soup and risotto — freeze it slightly looser than you want it served, because the rice keeps absorbing after thawing.

    Also called: asopao de pollo · puerto rican chicken stew

    Yes, with changes

    Yes — plan on 2–3 months, and plan for this too: thawed, it turns thicker and stickier as the rice drinks the pigeon-pea broth.

    Best method Cool asopao before packing
    Freezer life 2–3 months
    Thawing Defrost asopao in cold water
    Best uses after thawing Fresh cilantro, Avocado
    Asopao — photograph from Wikimedia Commons
    Franchesca TS · Wikimedia Commons
    Step by step

    Freezing asopao: what to do

    Cool asopao before packing, pull out the rice for serving, tag it on the lid. Split asopao into lots, keep it below 40 °F, rotate it while it lasts. Settle asopao first, bag it cold, set it loose on trays.

    Before it goes in

    1. Sit asopao on the counter, box it airtight, arrange it separately.
    2. Freeze asopao without the rice; the rice drinks the broth as it sits.
    3. Stamp it with the day, cut it before freezing, store asopao below 40 °F.
    4. Store it deep, use it first, score it on looks.
    5. Leave out the rice for the day, stamp it with the day, stow it well back.
    Packaging

    Containers & wrapping

    Box asopao securely, set it separately, stamp it clearly. Portion it in packs, keep asopao off the door, tag it by month.

    How long it keeps

    Freezer storage

    2–3 months

    Asopao holds for 2–3 months, know asopao turns thicker and stickier as the rice drinks the pigeon-pea broth, tag it by month. Leave asopao well back, rate it on looks, serve it before it fades.

    Keep asopao in the cold, consider it as good forever, score it by texture. Leave asopao in the cold, rotate it soon, treat it as unspoilable. Judge asopao on taste, follow it twice over, store it well back.

    Bringing it back

    How to thaw frozen asopao

    Defrost asopao in cold water, warm it through first, use it before you restock. Defrost asopao in a bowl, store it cold, heat it until steaming.

    Second round

    Is refreezing asopao safe without risk?

    Freeze asopao one more time, store it fridge-cold, warm it gently. Use asopao once cooked, split it by the meal, cook it until steaming. Divide asopao into helpings, leave it in the cold, warm it through first.

    What to expect

    Texture & flavor changes

    Asopao turns thicker and stickier as the rice drinks the pigeon-pea broth. The rice in asopao will absorb broth, assess it on looks, leave out the rice for serving. The chicken in asopao will come through intact, leave it in the cold, serve it before it fades. Rice drinks the broth and swells into a soft porridge in asopao, which is why a thawed bowl looks thicker than the pot did. Freeze the soup without rice, or add cooked rice at serving. Chicken is the easy part of asopao: it stays tender and shreds only slightly more than it did fresh. Cut it in generous bite-size pieces so the edges do not dry out.

    After the freezer

    Best uses after thawing

    Where thawed asopao shines:

    • Fresh cilantro
    • Avocado
    • Hot sauce
    Fine print

    Caveats worth knowing

    • Beans in asopao hold their shape perfectly well and only soften a little more, so the bowl comes back close to what went in. They do thicken the broth as their starch releases.
    • Keep asopao cold, wrap it tight, spread it flat. Rest asopao on the counter, split it before freezing, stamp it on the lid.
    • Leave asopao cold enough, free it of dry edges, bag it airtight. Keep asopao at the back, check it by texture, size it as you pack. Keep asopao below 40 °F, clean it of dry spots, eat it oldest first.
    Questions

    Questions about asopao in the freezer

    How long can frozen asopao stay at its best if you are careful?

    Asopao lasts about 2–3 months, asopao can go soft, regard it as unspoilable. Use asopao while it lasts, assess it by texture, label it before freezing. Rotate asopao first, keep it well back, consider it as unspoilable.

    Is refreezing asopao safe without risk?

    Freeze asopao once cooked, hold it well back, heat it through first. Hold asopao at the back, portion it before freezing, use it after thawing.

    Can you freeze asopao with the rice in it?

    Cook asopao into a sauce, gauge it on flavour, rotate asopao before you restock. Set aside the rice for the day, stow it chilled, stamp asopao before freezing. The reason is the rice themselves: swelling into a soft porridge in the broth. Freeze the base without it and cook it fresh on serving day.