Have you ever wanted to freeze baked beans but are not sure how they’d turn out. Perhaps you’ve had left over baked beans or purchased them in a bulk quantity and wanted to save a portion for later. Regardless of your reason for the solution, the answer to can you freeze baked beans is yes. We’ll show you how to properly freeze them for the best quality results.
Which Beans Can You Freeze?
Actually, you can freeze all baked beans, whether they be baked, cooked, grilled, canned, homemade, store bought or whatever the case may be.
When Freezing Baked Beans Makes Sense?
Freezing baked beans makes sense on many occasions, the two most prominent times being when you have leftovers from a meal that you don’t intend to use right away, but still can use later.
And the other time when it makes sense to freeze baked beans is when you buy a large bulk sized can of beans and need to prolong the shelf life of a portion of the extra quantity for later.
Do Baked Beans Freeze Well?
Yes, baked beans freezer very well. However, in our opinion, beans straight from the can or freshly made beans taste better than ones who have been frozen.
Can You Freeze Baked Beans with Bacon, Sausage, or Other Meat?
Sure, freezing baked beans with meat such as sausage or bacon works perfectly well without compromising quality.
Can You Freeze Canned Baked Beans?
Yes, you can freeze baked beans that have been purchased at the grocery store in a can. However, you shouldn’t freeze them directly in the can.
Baked beans in a can have a long shelf life, and in many cases last longer than 1 year. Check the can’s expiration date. And unopened cans of baked beans tend to last weeks or months past their expiration date.
Once they’ve been opened, they need to be eaten, frozen, or thrown away.
How To Freeze Baked Beans
Freezing baked beans is quite straightforward and a simple process that gives good results. Here are our step-by-step instructions for how to freeze baked beans which includes canned baked beans, cooked baked beans, and freezing homemade baked beans.
1. Cool to room temperature. If the baked beans have been freshly cooked, you’ll want to allow them to fully cool to room temperature before moving forward with the freezing process.
This will keep condensation from forming when you get ready to freeze them. To speed up the cooling process, you can also place them in the refrigerator uncovered until they’re cooled.
2. Portion the beans. You’ll want to divide the baked beans out into the portions you intend to use after they’re frozen. That way you won’t have to worry about how to get the portion out of the whole larger frozen chunk when you get ready to use it.
So, if you plan to use beans for two, portion out beans for two before freezing them. And if you’re using a hard plastic freezer safe container leave about one inch of space around the top to allow for room for expansion.
3. Seal the containers or bags. The third step is to seal the freezer safe containers or zipped freezer bags. If using bags, remove any excess air from the bags to minimize freezer burn.
4. Date and label. Use a pen or Sharpie marker to date and label your beans. The date you use should be the date you’re putting them into the freezer. You can freeze them for 3 to 6 months.
5. Freeze everything. Once you’ve completed these steps, you’re ready to freeze your baked beans.
When using freezer bags, remove any excess air from the bags and freeze them flat for two reasons, so they store better in the freezer and so they defrost faster when you’re ready to thaw them.
5 Tips For Freezing Beans the Right Way
Freezing baked beans allows you to lengthen their storage shelf life, while maintaining quality for future use. Here are our top 5 tips for how to freeze baked beans.
Don’t Overheat. When you’re cooking your baked beans the first time, be careful not to overheat them or cook them too long. You want their shape and structure to stay intact. When they’re overheated or cooked too long, they tend to turn to mush.
Keep The Texture. Don’t let your baked beans sit in a warmer such as a crockpot or saucepan for too long. This can alter the texture of your beans and compromises the quality.
Cool Completely. Allow the beans to cool completely before you package them to put them in the freezer. This is important to help maintain their quality as well.
Give Them Some Space. When freezing baked beans, give them some space. We recommend leaving 1 inch of space around the top so that the beans and liquid mixture can expand when it freezes without causing the container to explode or break.
Reheat Slowly. When you’re reheating baked beans, you’ll want to reheat them slowly so that they don’t burn, turn to mush, or compromise the quality. Stir beans gently and regularly when reheating them.
How To Defrost Baked Beans
Now that you know how to freeze your baked beans, you’ll want to know the proper way for how to thaw baked beans for the best quality and for food safety. Here are our tips for defrosting baked beans.
Takes time so plan ahead. Thawing your frozen baked beans takes time, so you’ll want to plan ahead. For the best results, allow 24 hours in advance for your frozen baked beans to defrost.
The bigger the container the longer. The larger the container of frozen baked beans, the longer it will take for them to thaw out.
Overnight in the fridge. Our number one choice for thawing baked beans for quality and food safety is to thaw them overnight in the refrigerator. Simply transfer them from the freezer to the refrigerator and allow them to defrost overnight in their container or zipped freezer bag.
Microwave. If you’re in a pinch for time, you might prefer to defrost your baked beans in the microwave because this method can be done quite quickly comparatively speaking.
We recommend using the defrost setting and covering your beans with a paper towel to prevent splattering. The amount of time it takes for your baked beans to defrost in the microwave will depend on the quantity of beans and the power of your microwave.
On the stovetop. Defrosting beans on the stovetop can work well, especially if you plan to serve them right away. The process will naturally heat the beans.
To defrost beans on the stovetop, transfer them to a saucepan and heat them over medium to low heat, stirring regularly until they’re completely thawed.
How To Reheat Frozen Baked Beans
There are multiple methods that can be used to reheat frozen baked beans. Feel free to use whatever your choice method is based on convenience and preference.
If your baked beans have already been cooked, you can use any of these reheating methods below.
Stovetop. Place your thawed or frozen baked beans in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring regularly so they don’t burn. Heat them until they’re warmed through.
Oven. To reheat baked beans in the oven, use an oven safe baking pan and cover with a lid or aluminum foil. Bake at 350F degrees until they’re warmed through. Check occasionally and stir if needed.
Microwave. Use a microwave safe bowl and cover with a lid or paper towel to keep your baked beans from splattering. Microwave for a few minutes at a time and remove from the microwave to stir if needed. Warm until heated through.
Grill. One of our favorite ways to reheat baked beans is on the grill. If you have a cast iron pan, it works well for this purpose. Just transfer the beans to the cast iron pan, there’s no need to cover it, and heat it on the grill over medium heat until it’s warmed through.
Do Not Refreeze the Baked Beans
Once you’ve frozen baked beans and have thawed them for use, you should not refreeze them again. This is for food safety reasons and for proper handling as well as for the best quality of your baked beans.
Frequently Asked Questions
Following are frequently asked questions for can you freeze baked beans. If you have a question that’s not answered here, feel free to drop it in the comments box below and we’ll be happy to answer it.
Can you freeze already made baked beans?
Yes, you can freeze baked beans that have already been made or have already been baked.
How do you reheat frozen baked beans?
Baked beans that have been frozen can be reheated on the stovetop, in the oven, or in the microwave. Most likely your baked beans have already been cooked before they were frozen. If that’s the case, they simply need to be heated through.
How long can you keep baked beans in the refrigerator?
Baked beans can last in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Make sure the refrigerator temperature is maintained at 40F degrees or less.
Can I freeze the whole can of baked beans?
No, you’ll not want to take a whole can of unopened beans, or opened beans for that matter, and place them directly in the freezer.
Canned beans are typically canned in stainless steel which will crack or explode. Instead of freezing them in the can, transfer them to a freezer safe container.
Can I get food poisoning from eating frozen baked beans?
You are not at risk of getting food poisoning from eating frozen baked beans, if they’re handled properly and are frozen before they’ve spoiled.
How do I know the frozen baked beans are good?
To know if your frozen baked beans are good, you’ll want to date, label, and freeze them for up to 6 months.
Can you freeze baked beans in a freezer bag?
Freezing baked beans in a freezer bag is one of the best ways to freeze them.
Can you freeze baked beans after you make them?
Yes, freezing baked beans whether cooked, homemade, or baked works perfectly well.
Get Started with These Recipes:
Smoked Baked Beans
VanCamp’s Pork and Baked Beans Homemade
Heirloom Beans and Rice With Smoked Turkey
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How To Freeze Baked Beans
Equipment
- freezer safe container optional
- zipped freezer bag optional
Ingredients
- prepared baked beans
Instructions
- Cool to room temperature. If the baked beans have been freshly cooked, you’ll want to allow them to fully cool to room temperature before moving forward with the freezing process.
- This will keep condensation from forming when you get ready to freeze them. To speed up the cooling process, you can also place them in the refrigerator uncovered until they’re cooled.
- Portion the beans. You’ll want to divide the baked beans out into the portions you intend to use after they’re frozen. That way you won’t have to worry about how to get the portion out of the whole larger frozen chunk when you get ready to use it.
- So, if you plan to use beans for two, portion out beans for two before freezing them. And if you’re using a hard plastic freezer safe container leave about one inch of space around the top to allow for room for expansion.
- Seal the containers or bags. The third step is to seal the freezer safe containers or zipped freezer bags. If using bags, remove any excess air from the bags to minimize freezer burn.
- Date and label. Use a pen or Sharpie marker to date and label your beans. The date you use should be the date you’re putting them into the freezer. You can freeze them for 3 to 6 months.
- Freeze everything. Once you’ve completed these steps, you’re ready to freeze your baked beans.
Notes
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