Pepperoni is a delicious and popular deli meat, most common in America, and it is a variety of salami, made from a mix of beef, pork, paprika and sometimes other types of pepper. But, normally, pepperoni can only be found in large quantities and you may need to store them to use later. So, in this article, we will give you the best tips on how you can freeze pepperoni.
This deli meat can be normally found in pizzas, but also in sandwiches, macaroni, salads and as a topping in many more recipes.
But, most people end up buying large amounts of pepperoni without really needing to use them all at once or in a short period of time or without considering the shelf life of it, which may lead them to need to storage the ingredient to avoid food wasting.
With that being sad, find out in this article how to freeze pepperoni.
Pepperoni shelf-life
Pepperoni will last for around a month in the fridge, since it has salt in its composition, which makes the shelf-life a bit longer than other food dishes, and has also some preservatives, like nitrites, that makes it also resistant to bacteria development.
So, you can purchase the pepperoni in grocery stores and supermarkets normally and have them stored for a few months before they go bad. If you do not open the pack and keep it in the fridge it will last even longer, since there will be no contact with oxygen and bacteria.
But every pepperoni package will have an expiration date, which will be your guide to know when to freeze. Also, pay close attention to the pepperoni appearance, texture, color, flavor, and smell to see if it is still good – the expiration date is an indication, but external factors can contribute for the pepperoni to spoil faster than normally, especially if left in room temperature.
If you see a drastic color change from the normal reddish color to a brownish one, a sticky texture, and a funky smell, that means your pepperoni is not good to be consumed anymore and should not be eaten by anyone, since this can lead to a bad food poisoning.
How to freeze pepperoni
Since pepperoni does expire and go bad after a few weeks left in the fridge, the best way to preserve to last longer is by freezing it.
Freeze the whole pepperoni stick is not recommended, since you will need to defrost the whole stick, slice it, and put it back in the freezer again, which will make it spoil. And meanwhile to avoid the pepperoni to take too much space in the freezer you can store it in slices, this way it will be much easier to defrost and consume them later.
Slice the pepperoni stick, separate the slices into different batches – it can be a zip lock bag or any airtight compartment – and put them in the freezer. If you cut the pepperoni slices in different forms or thickness you can separate them according to that.
Do not forget to add the date on the bag so you can keep track of the time and avoid the pepperonis to go bad.
Even thought the freezing process is totally safe and will extend the pepperoni shelf-life, always keep an eye on the bags to see if the ingredient is still good. This is an important measure to take because the pepperoni could have gotten in touch with bacteria prior the freezing.
How to defrost or thaw pepperoni
It is important to only defrost or thaw the pepperoni bag you will need to use. That is why freezing them in separate compartments will be helpful. Do not take a whole batch of the freezer, defrost, use a few slices, and then freeze everything again. This is not recommended and will make your whole batch of pepperoni to spoil.
Take the bag with the slices that will be needed, put them in the fridge and let it defrost for one or two days, so plan ahead!
Do not defrost the pepperonis in room temperature, since this will make it come in contact with bacteria.
Final guideline
As mentioned before, the shelf-life of pepperoni can bigger than other deli meats since it has salt and preservatives in its composition. But, if you will need them to last longer, the freezing process can be a good solution, especially if you do not open it before the storage.
Depending on the fabrication and type, pepperoni can last for a few weeks in room temperature without any problem – but this depends also in where you live and how they will be stored.
If you do not open the pepperoni stick and keep it in the fridge it will last for around 3 months, since there will be no contact with oxygen and bacteria. But do not forget to check the expiration date.
Now, if you store the pepperoni stick in the freezer without opening the pack previously, it will last for around 10 months, for the same reason mentioned above: no contact with bacteria and oxygen.
Conclusion
So, as mentioned above in the article, you can freeze pepperoni without any worries. It is a simple and extremely helpful process that will increase the shelf-life of this delicious and popular deli meat.
Having this easy access to pepperoni is an incredible option to those who like to cook or just have a quick ready-to-use meat. From the famous pepperoni pizzas, to sandwiches or just a wine and cheese situation, this deli is perfect for every occasion.
By paying close attention to the meat smell, texture, and flavor you can keep it in the freezer for many months and thaw it in the fridge as you need. It will be even better if the pepperoni stick you are going to freeze had not been open before and had no contact with oxygen and bacteria.
Let us know fi the article was any helpful to you and if the tips mentioned above were easy to put in practice.
