Black pudding is black sausage filled with pork, dried pig’s blood, and suet. It may not sound that appetizing but many people enjoy it. In the UK, it is a very popular component of a fried breakfast. It can also be eaten as an appetizer with scallops (see also Can You Freeze Scallops?), made into kebabs with halloumi, or added to a pasta dish.
However, what do you do if you have leftovers and don’t think that you will want to eat it within the next few days? The answer is simple. You can freeze black pudding so that you can enjoy it at a later date. In this article, we will tell you how to freeze it and how to defrost it.
How To Freeze Black Pudding
You can either freeze your black pudding whole or in slices. If you decide to freeze it whole, keep it in its original packaging and just put it straight in the freezer. Put a label on it saying what date you put it in the freezer.
How To Freeze Black Pudding Slices
If you have opened your packet of black pudding, you will need to freeze it in slices. This takes a little time but it is worth it as you will then be able to remove as many or as few slices as you want for a meal. This is the way to do it:
1. Slice the black pudding.
You will want to cut the slices the same size as you would normally eat.
2. Flash freeze the black pudding slices.
Get a baking tray and line it with a sheet of greaseproof paper. Lay out the black pudding slices, making sure that they aren’t touching each other. This ensures that they don’t stick together when they are bagged up. Put the tray in the freezer and freeze for around four hours or until the slices are frozen solid.
3. Put the black pudding slices in a freezer bag or airtight container.
If you are using a freezer bag, make sure that you squeeze out all the air from the bag so that freezer burn doesn’t occur. The black pudding will still be safe to eat but it will lose taste, texture, and even color. Put a label on the bag or container with the date you put it in the freezer and the contents.
4. Put the bag or container in the freezer.
Tips For Freezing Black Pudding
- If you have an unopened packet of black pudding, put it in the freezer as it is.
- If you are freezing black pudding slices, flash freeze them so that they don’t stick together, and you can remove only the number of slices you need. This avoids wastage.
- Squeeze out all the air from the freezer bag so that freezer burn doesn’t occur.
- Don’t cook the black pudding frozen as it can end up dry and tasteless.
For How Long Can You Freeze Black Pudding?
You can keep black pudding in the freezer for up to four months, although the quicker you eat it, the better it will taste. If you keep it in the freezer for longer than four months, the black pudding will start to lose taste and texture, and eventually it will begin to spoil and you could become sick if you eat it.
How Do You Defrost Black Pudding?
The best way to defrost black pudding is to defrost it overnight in the fridge. This method retains the taste and texture and keeps all the nutrients intact.
If you are in a hurry and have a whole black pudding to defrost, you can speed up the process although we don’t think that it turns out as tasty as if it were defrosted in the fridge. There are two options. You could put the bag of black pudding in the sink containing room temperature water. Alternatively, you can put it in a pan over a low simmer to thaw it out. Make sure that the water doesn’t boil as you don’t want to cook the black pudding. You just want to thaw it out so that you can slice it and then fry it. Don’t try microwaving the black pudding, not even on the defrost function. It will dry it out.
If you have frozen black pudding slices, don’t cook them from frozen as they will dry out.
Whether you defrost a whole black pudding or black pudding slices we suggest that you plan in advance and defrost slowly in the fridge.
Can You Refreeze Black Pudding?
We recommend that you don’t refreeze black pudding. The whole freezing, defrosting, and refreezing procedure can ruin the taste and texture of the black pudding. You will probably find that the black pudding will lose moisture and dry out. In addition, it is an open invitation for bacteria to develop. All types of meat are prone to this if you refreeze them, so it is better to be on the safe side.
Is It a Good Idea To Freeze Black Pudding?
If you follow our instructions and don’t refreeze black pudding, you should have good results. Purchasing a good quality black pudding from the butchers rather than the store, will probably ensure that your frozen black pudding tastes as good as fresh. It is also a good idea to freeze your black pudding when it is fresh rather than after it has sat in the fridge for a few days. If you do this, the black pudding will taste fresher when defrosted.
Frequently Asked Questions
Hopefully you now know all you need to know about freezing black pudding but in case you are still curious about black pudding we have answered a few questions here.
How long can you keep black pudding in the fridge?
If the black pudding is unopened, you can keep it in the fridge for as long as its use-by date. However, if you have opened the packet, you can keep it in the fridge for up to two weeks. Make sure that it is wrapped in cling film and store it in an airtight container. You don’t want air to get to it as this can decrease its shelf life. Air can cause bacteria to develop.
What can you serve black pudding with in a cooked breakfast?
Good choices are sausage, bacon, eggs, tomatoes, baked beans, mushrooms, and hash browns. If you want a real fry-up, add some fried bread. If you want to be health conscious, have some toast with your cooked breakfast.
Can you freeze white pudding?
White pudding is made from either oatmeal or barley, pork or beef suet, breadcrumbs, and white pepper. It doesn’t contain pigs’ blood. You can freeze it and you can use the same method as for freezing black pudding.
What can I do with my defrosted black pudding?
There are so many things you can do with black pudding. Make potato mash extra special with diced black pudding pieces. This dish goes well with roast pork and apple sauce (see also Can You Freeze Yorkshire Pudding?). Make potato cakes, top with slices of black pudding and finally, an egg. Serve with tomato chutney. Another delicious dish is potato rosti with apple, Brussels sprouts (see also How To Freeze Brussels Sprouts), and black pudding. Cumin and garlic boost the flavor and a fried egg on top completes the dish.
