The longer ham is frozen, the greater the chance the quality could suffer.
Whether you are freezing a left over ham salad or a freshly made ham salad, you must properly prepare it for the cold to ensure that it will be safe to eat later on. Almost any food can be frozen, with the exception of eggs in shells and canned foods, according to the USDA. As long as the ham salad is frozen at a constant zero degree temperature, it should be safe for consumption.
Instructions
1. Calculate how long ham salad has been in the refrigerator if you are freezing leftover ham salad. Ham salad in the refrigerator for more than three days may not be fresh enough to freeze. Freshly made ham salad can be frozen immediately.
2. Package ham salad in a freezer bag or freezer-safe plastic container. Add extra layers of freezer storage for the ham salad if you are planning on freezing it for a prolonged time. For example, put the ham salad in a freezer bag and then place the freezer bag in a freezer-safe plastic container.
3. Place the container with ham salad in the freezer and set the freezer at zero degrees Fahrenheit.
4. Follow USDA guidelines for freezing ham-based dishes. The type of ham, such as canned or cooked, in the salad and the size of the ham pieces can determine how long to freeze the ham salad before the quality may suffer. Most salads with fresh, cooked, canned or cured ham can be frozen for one to two months before the taste and quality of the salad could be compromised.
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