Can You Freeze Fish Chowder?

How to Freeze Fish Chowder

Freezing fish chowder is pretty easy to do but you do have to make sure the chowder is airtight and be careful because fish spoils easily and can make you sick.

Follow this method to freeze your fish chowder.

1. Cool
   Let your fish chowder cool completely before you start to get it ready to freeze.
2. Divide into Portions
   Divide the fish chowder into suitable portions. You will need enough containers or freezer bags for the number of portions of chowder you have.
3. Portion Out
   Ladle the chowder into your containers. The best containers to use are freezer-safe containers with a lid that seals tightly. You can use freezer bags but you need to be careful that the chowder doesn’t spill in the freezer while it is freezing.
4. Leave a Gap
   Leave a gap of about one to two inches in the top of your container or bag. The liquid part of the chowder will expand as it freezes and if there is no space for it to expand into the container can burst and make a mess in the freezer.
5. Seal
   Seal the bags or containers tightly.
6. Label
   Label with the date and contents.
7. Freeze
   Put the containers of fish chowder into the freezer. You need to ensure the chowder is put into a place where the temperature remains constant. Fish chowder that is spilt can make you very sick so it needs to remain completely frozen up until you come to thaw it and eat it.

3 Tips for Freezing Fish Chowder

Now you know how to freeze it, we’ve got our 3 top tips which we strongly recommend following when freezing fish chowder to have the best results:

• Heat Slowly – Freezing chowder will change the texture of the sauce that goes with it. The sauce tends to be creamy which can end up in a grainy texture. To avoid this being a problem heat up your chowder slowly and stir thoroughly as it heats.
• Freeze Fresh – Freeze your fish chowder as soon as possible after cooking it. The longer the chowder is stored the more chance it has to spoil. If your chowder has been sitting at room temperature for more than a couple of hours then you should throw it out rather than attempt to store it.
• Stand Bags Upright – If you are using freezer bags but are worried about the chowder spilling into your freezer before it freezes then stand the bags upright into a large container first. This should keep the bags upright until the chowder has frozen. Once frozen then you can remove the container and keep the chowder in the freezer.

How Long Can You Freeze Fish Chowder?

As long as you have frozen your fish chowder properly and it has remained frozen at a constant temperature then you can freeze the fish chowder safely for up to four months. After this time you may find that the quality starts to deteriorate.

You Can Freeze Fish Chowder for up to 4 Months

How Do You Defrost Fish Chowder?

We wouldn’t recommend you try any fast method for thawing out fish chowder. It’s a tricky dish to get right and fish can spoil easily and make you sick. So to thaw out pop the chowder into a bowl and put it into the fridge to thaw out overnight.

Only heat up the chowder once it has fully thawed out and never leave your chowder sitting at room temperature.

Can You Refreeze Fish Chowder?

No, you should never refreeze fish chowder. This is a difficult food to work with and fish can easily grow harmful bacteria. This bacteria grows best when the food is sitting at room temperature and reheating, thawing and freezing multiple times give the food more chance to grow bacteria and spoil.

Does Fish Chowder Freeze Well?

Unfortunately, whilst you can freeze fish chowder it isn’t a dish that freezes well. The fish should be fine and won’t change too much in the freezer. The problem is with the sauce. Chowders tend to be made with cream and milk and dairy produce don’t freeze well. You may find that the sauce has become grainy in the freezer. If you find that your sauce is too grainy to enjoy then you could try draining the sauce from the fish and blending it to try and smooth out the larger grains. It will never be quite the same but it can still be enjoyable as long as you don’t mind the texture change.

Related FAQs

If you’ve still got questions about freezing fish chowder or fish chowder in general, then these may help:

Can You Freeze Clam Chowder?

Clam chowder is a variety of fish chowder and can be frozen in much the same way. We would advise being careful with shellfish, however, as it can be dangerous if frozen incorrectly. 

Can You Freeze Seafood?

Most seafood can be frozen but each requires a slightly different method. Fresh fish fillets and whole fish will freeze well. The issue is with shellfish which can become dangerous is frozen incorrectly.