Freezing Cooked White Rice ...

[FiveRoooooers]

Can cooked white rice be frozen in individual portions, thawed, and still be somewhat appealing to a sick hound? I want to have some ready for those occasions when you need to serve it riteawayqwik. How about boiled chicken? Will that keep? TIA

[TheFullHouse]

Boiled chicken freezes very well. Bullitt is on a kidney diet and I freeze chicken all the time because I boil them whole to make chicken broth with no salt for him. I just shred it up and put it in freezer bags. Rice would probably freeze well. You might have to add some liquid and warm it up a bit before serving. Just looked it up and it said to freeze it warm so it retains it's moisture.

 

 

You can freeze it in actual meals. This is Bullitt's diet, ready for the week or to put in the freezer.

 

Edited March 12, 2013 by JillysFullHouse

[cleptogrey]

i freeze white rice all the time. generally a pot full- 2 dry cups of white rice will last for a week in the fridge. after 2 days or so, nuke the entire amount of rice w/ a tad of water. it seems to help keep the shelf life. but i have had containers or zip lock bags in the freezer, do add water when you bring it back to life. it's potatoes that do not freeze well.

[Batmom]

Yep, you can freeze it just fine. If it looks like it's dried out a bit when I go to thaw it, I nuke it with a bit of extra water and let that absorb (and cool) before serving.

[FiveRoooooers]

Excellent, thank you!!

[OwnedBySummer]

I freeze rice pilaf for myself and DH. It defrosts and reheats quite nicely, with the addition of a bit of water. I'm sure regular white rice for the dogs would be fine, too.

 

ETA: If a portion for freezing won't fill a container or if I need to save space, I use freezer ziplocs, zip it almost all the way closed, insert a straw and suck out the air, pull out the straw and quickly finish zipping it shut.

Edited March 12, 2013 by OwnedBySummer

[RaineysMom]

Boiled chicken freezes very well. Bullitt is on a kidney diet and I freeze chicken all the time because I boil them whole to make chicken broth with no salt for him. I just shred it up and put it in freezer bags. Rice would probably freeze well. You might have to add some liquid and warm it up a bit before serving. Just looked it up and it said to freeze it warm so it retains it's moisture.

 

 

You can freeze it in actual meals. This is Bullitt's diet, ready for the week or to put in the freezer.

 

You're a good mom to make his food!!

[RedHead]

Half of my freezer also contains dog food I have frozen rice before and it is fine. You do have to warm it up for it to get back its moisture/stickiness though, otherwise it is gross dry rice pellets!

[Guest tnchelle]

I have frozen both chicken & rice (brown & white) & have used it in our own meals.

I actually keep pre-cooked & shredded chicken in ziploc baggies in my freezer at all times for various human recipes.

 

I do my whole chickens in my crockpot, shred & keep all of the bones & skin & will cover everything with water & cook it down the next day to make my own chicken broth.

I also keep this in the freezer in quart sized mason jars.

[GeorgeofNE]

Two words: Minute Rice!!!!

[Guest june]

Two words: Minute Rice!!!!

Bwahahahaha!

[Blaidd49]

I have cooked up glutinous rice then measured it (usually 1/4 cup) into very lightly oiled muffin tins to freeze it. Once frozen, I sit the muffin pan briefly in hot water, pop out the "rice muffins" and bag them for the freezer. That way I can take out what I need to mix with whatever. I agree that adding a little water is necessary on defrosting.

[Guest memadeit]

Great rule of thumb:

 

If you can find it in the freezer section of your store, then it can be frozen. Its just a matter of the best way to do it.

[sobesmom]

If chicken and rice DON'T freeze well - please don't tell my family because I'm a freezer-cooking-mama and they LOVE chicken divan!

 

Seriously though - when my Sobe had cancer, I put him on a diet of cooked burger, rice, chicken, and sweet potato. I'd cook up a big batch, and freeze it in meal-sized ziplocks with some liquid from the cooking. Thaw in the microwave. Perfect. OK - maybe not human-quality perfect - but definately dog-perfect.

 

Better to cook and freezer than to panic and not have it on hand when needed. If you're doing just rice, or rice and chicken - add water.

[FiveRoooooers]

Better to cook and freezer than to panic and not have it on hand when needed. <--- This.

 

Thanks everyone for all the excellent tips!! I packaged cooked rice and chicken separately in ziploc baggies, froze them flat, and they keep, and thaw, really well. I add just a touch of water or chicken broth as they defrost in the microwave. Perfect.

[KF_in_Georgia]

I keep boil-in-bag rice on hand in the pantry; it's usually four bags in a box. Stick a bag in a 2-quart dish with 1 quart of water and you can cook it in the microwave in 10 minutes (and it doesn't boil over when it's the boil-in-bag stuff). Cook it a bit longer if you want it mushier. Then, hold the bag under running water to cool it down enough to feed it right away. I split one bag between my two dogs. For me, this is easier than trying to cook in advance, finding freezer space, and trying to remember to use the rice while it's still edible. (Pantry space I've got; freezer space is at a premium around here.)