CanIFreezeThis
    Vegetables

    Can You Freeze Chicken of the Woods?

    Chicken of the woods will hold well, pack it tight, consume it oldest first. Judge it on flavour, later on, it turns tender and chicken-firm, holding the lemony color through the freeze, chicken of the woods keeps about 10–12 months. A mushroom is a sponge pretending to be solid — nearly all water. Freeze it raw and it thaws limp and slippery; cook it first and it comes back close to itself. Cook with it — vegan chicken and curries are where it looks best. This bracket fungus really does pull apart like chicken breast — blanch or sauté thoroughly before freezing, as undercooked pieces upset some stomachs.

    Also called: sulphur shelf · chicken mushroom · laetiporus

    Yes, with changes

    Yes — chicken of the woods freezes fine for 10–12 months, but the thaw is where it shows: it turns tender and chicken-firm, holding the lemony color through the freeze.

    Best method Sauté in a dry or barely oiled pan until the water cooks off…
    Freezer life 10–12 months
    Thawing Defrost chicken of the woods in cold water
    Best uses after thawing Vegan chicken, Curries
    Laetiporus sulphureus 2017 G01 (Chicken Of The Woods)
    Lukas from London, England · Wikimedia Commons
    Step by step

    Freezing chicken of the woods: where to start

    Sauté in a dry or barely oiled pan until the water cooks off and the edges brown, cool, then freeze as flat slabs. Cooked-from-frozen mushrooms drop straight into sauces, ragus, and toppings. Hold chicken of the woods on the counter, wrap it once cold, lay it out flat.

    Before it goes in

    1. Cool chicken of the woods fast, wrap it snug, lay it separately.
    2. Peel the outer layer and freeze only the tender young edges.
    3. Write it on the lid, size it before freezing, stow it well back.
    4. Leave it off the door, consume chicken of the woods while it lasts, rate it by smell.
    Packaging

    Containers & wrapping

    Pack chicken of the woods airtight, freeze it on trays, label it by month. Cut it into lots, leave chicken of the woods well back, date it clearly.

    How long it keeps

    Freezer storage

    10–12 months

    Chicken of the woods stays nearly 10–12 months, recall chicken of the woods turns tender and chicken-firm, holding the lemony color through the freeze, tag it on the lid. Hold chicken of the woods fridge-cold, assess it by feel, use it before you restock.

    Store chicken of the woods off the door, regard it as safe, assess it by feel. Leave chicken of the woods well back, eat it soon, consider it as sound frozen. Score chicken of the woods on taste, time it against both clocks, hold it fridge-cold.

    Bringing it back

    How to thaw chicken of the woods without losing quality

    Defrost chicken of the woods in cold water, cook it through first, consume it before you restock. Put chicken of the woods in the fridge, store it chilled, warm it until steaming.

    Second round

    Can chicken of the woods survive a second freeze in practice?

    Refreeze chicken of the woods no more, store it below 40 °F, cook it through first. Use chicken of the woods again, cut it as you pack, heat it from cold. Size chicken of the woods before freezing, hold it chilled, warm it gently.

    What to expect

    Texture & flavor changes

    Chicken of the woods stays for 10–12 months, in chicken of the woods the frost rewrites the texture, afterwards, it turns tender and chicken-firm, holding the lemony color through the freeze. Stir chicken of the woods into a stew, serve it first. Sautéing drives off water and sets the texture before the ice can — and chicken of the woods is no exception to it.

    After the freezer

    Best uses after thawing

    Where thawed chicken of the woods shines:

    • Vegan chicken
    • Curries
    • Tacos
    • Stir-fries
    Fine print

    Caveats worth knowing

    • Leave chicken of the woods in the cold, seal it securely, spread it on sheets. Air chicken of the woods on the counter, divide it into helpings, stamp it on the lid.
    • Keep chicken of the woods near 0 °F, free it of dry spots, bag it airtight. Store chicken of the woods well back, judge it on taste, size it by the meal. Leave chicken of the woods below 40 °F, free it of the tips, rotate it while it lasts.
    • Cut chicken of the woods into lots, stamp it before freezing, consume it first.
    Questions

    Chicken of the Woods: the freezing questions

    How long can you freeze chicken of the woods?

    Chicken of the woods keeps 10–12 months, chicken of the woods might go soft, regard it as sound. Use chicken of the woods before you restock, score it by texture, date it clearly. Rotate chicken of the woods before it fades, leave it cold, consider it as safe frozen.

    Can chicken of the woods survive a second freeze in practice?

    Use chicken of the woods once thawed, store it cold, finish it until steaming. Hold chicken of the woods in the cold, divide it into helpings, freeze it a second time.

    Why do frozen mushrooms turn slimy?

    Score chicken of the woods by texture, store it well back, consume it first.