How To Properly Freeze Fresh Dumplings
Offering the satisfaction of a home-cooked meal or snack using only a fraction of the time and effort, frozen dumplings are one of the most versatile and reliable freezer staples to have on hand. They're one of the best things to pick up at an Asian grocery store by a mile — and ever since the pandemic prompted a frozen dumpling renaissance, you can even find tasty frozen dumpling brands like Bibigo at Costco. It's never been easier to stock your freezer with delicious dumplings, ready to be enjoyed at a moment's notice, even if you don't have easy access to an Asian grocery retailer.
But despite the quality and convenience of pre-made frozen dumplings, you might find yourself wanting to prepare a big batch of fresh, homemade dumplings for long-term storage instead. Whether you're freezing your own from-scratch fresh dumplings, or a batch from a local restaurant or grocery store, it's important to know how to do it properly. You want the dumplings to maintain quality and freshness as much as possible.
The best way to freeze your fresh dumplings
When freezing fresh dumplings, you don't want to just throw them directly into freezer bags. That's likely to cause all sorts of problems with the dumplings sticking together and being difficult to separate into smaller portions when you need them — plus, they may not keep their shape while squished against each other.
Instead, you should prepare a baking sheet that'll fit in your freezer, line it with parchment paper, and then arrange the dumplings in a single layer, untouching, so they freeze individually. If they're freshly made dumplings, it helps to let them sit at room temperature to get rid of excess moisture on the dumpling wrapper, making them less likely to stick. Then carefully put the tray into the freezer — preferably on a top rack that you've cleared so that nothing else is touching the dumplings, either — and leave them until they're fully solid, typically about four hours.
Packaging the frozen dumplings for longevity
Once the dumplings are individually frozen, portion them out into whatever serving sizes you prefer, then transfer them to resealable plastic bags that are explicitly marked as freezer-safe. Try to remove as much air as possible before sealing the bags, as this helps prevent freezer burn by reducing the amount of airflow. Having the bags as air-tight as possible also helps in preserving the dumplings' flavors.
If you freeze fresh dumplings regularly, you'll probably want to clearly label each bag. Use a permanent marker to write down the type of dumpling as well as the date of sealing on each freezer bag — this will ensure that you can easily identify and track the freshness of the dumplings, allowing you to prioritize the older batches first. Properly stored dumplings will last in the freezer for up to 2-3 months before starting to lose freshness and start building up freezer burn.