cold water bath does work but is messier than you need, i let mine cool to
room temp repackage and set servings in frig to finish cooling then into
freezer, you might want to leave the seal ajar if you are using plastic
containers to cut down on condensation o n the lid... another way to avoid
the whole food safety and condensation issue is to put it in the frig until
completely cool then portion and into the freezer, Lee
"Kalmia" > wrote in message
...
> OK - you've just slaved for hours and made a few large casseroles for
> future use.
> You wanna freeze the food in portions for two people. At what temp
> do you transfer it into containers for the freezer? When it's almost
> room temp, still darn hot, just a bit warm, or right out of the
> casserole? Once into the containers, do you let it cool some more, or
> stick into freezer?
> I want ti insure food safety but don't want to tax the freezer too
> much. What's your method?
>
> Does immersion in a cold water bath really speed the cooling process?
> I am definitely not a heating and cooling expert, yuh kin tell.