Can jello be frozen? - The complete guide

As any sweet tooth will tell you, Jell-O can be especially appealing even at the most random of times. There’s something irresistible about jelly.

Even the most avid jello consumers might not be able to eat all of it before the expiration date, so what if you want your jello to last longer?

Can you freeze the jello? Yes. You can freeze both store-bought and homemade gelatin. If you are going to freeze homemade jello, make sure it is well curdled before putting it in the freezer. The gelatin will start to lose its flavor after a year of being frozen, so it is best to thaw it and eat it beforehand. We recommend using it within 6 months to obtain the best quality.

This may seem unclear now, so let’s explain it further. Be sure to keep reading as we delve into the gelatin freezing process and how best to approach it. In this way, you will be able to better understand how to proceed when you try it at home.

What is gelatin?

Most people confuse jellies with preserves, marmalades, and preserves . This is perfectly understandable, given the fact that they look very similar.

Furthermore, they are all cooked mixes made with a similar list of ingredients including fruit juices, fruit, sugar, and pectin .

With that said, we need to take a closer look at what sets Jello apart from the rest of these mixes. The difference lies mainly in the appearance, consistency and actual content of the mixes.

For example, you’ll probably notice that the jam has an incredibly thick consistency. It usually contains small pieces of pureed fruit mixed with sugar and cooked until soft.

Preserves are made in the same way, albeit using larger pieces of fruit, while marmalade is a particular type of preserve that uses the skin of citrus fruits, Seville oranges being the most common.

The jelly is a transparent and clear mixture. Instead of pieces of fruit, its main ingredients are fruit juice, sugar and pectin.

Like jams, they are often used to spread bread. However, they are also used as a filling in various types of pastries, including cakes and cookies.

Of course, the most distinctive feature of the jelly is its tender yet firm texture. Unlike the other mixtures mentioned, gelatin is capable of retaining its shape once taken out of its container.

The Complete Guide to Freezing Jello

Like all food products, jellies should be stored in the fridge or freezer for optimal shelf life.  The freezer is the best storage option if you want to effectively maintain the natural flavor and color of the gelatin. 

It goes without saying that storing gelatin in the pantry at room temperature is not a viable option. This is because the gelatin can go bad quickly.

Before long, you can run into fermentation and even mold. To avoid this, be sure to refrigerate promptly once the container is opened.

Frozen jelly has a shelf life of between six months and one year . Therefore, make sure to use it within that period of time.

If you store the gelatin in the freezer for more than a year, the flavors will be less intense. It is also likely to lose some of its character and consistency.

You can only thaw the gelatin once and you should not freeze it a second time. 

Freeze gelatin: what you should know

Freezing gelatin is a simple process. If done right, it can be as simple as putting the gelatin in a container and putting it in the freezer.

For optimal results, here’s what to keep in mind when freezing gelatin:

• Choose the right container: You don’t have to get too fancy when choosing the containers for the gelatin. Plastic containers can work well. Just make sure there are no leaks and that you can put a lid on the container to prevent freezer burn.
• Don’t overfill the container - When you put the gelatin in your chosen container, be sure to leave a little headroom from the top of the container. About half an inch should suffice. This is because you have to account for air expansion during the freezing process. Overfilling the container can cause it to burst.
• Freeze each layer individually - If you’re freezing a layered jelly, you need to make sure they chill and set properly before layering the next layer on top of the other. You want to prevent the various layers from slipping. So make sure you only freeze once all the layers have come together.
• Make sure the bowl is level – The last thing you want is to end up with an unsightly, lopsided jelly. So be sure to put the container on a level platform in your freezer. This is so that the gelatin does not move inside.

Does freezing homemade jello help it set faster?

At this point, we probably don’t need to tell you that jellies are incredibly versatile. They can be used in different ways, from drinks to desserts.

For example, you can make coffee-flavored gelatin snacks to give you that caffeine fix you’ve been looking for.

As with everything else in the kitchen, we believe that homemade gelatin will always be light years ahead of any store-bought product.

However, one of the biggest complaints from home cooks when making their gelatin is the long curing time.

Typically, most jellies need 2-4 hours to set when placed in a 41 degree Fahrenheit refrigerator. In some cases it can take up to 24 hours, especially for a large batch.

It goes without saying that the entire effort will require time and patience on your part. 

There are a number of factors that can affect the curing time of gelatin:

• If your gelatin has fresh fruit juice in it, its enzymes can prevent the pectin from doing its job as a binding agent.
• If your gelatin contains alcohol, you should know that this will hinder the curdling process and slow it down considerably. As a basic rule, a higher alcohol content will always lead to a longer curdling process. In fact, an excess of alcohol will completely prevent it from curing properly.

That being said, there are plenty of different ways to help get around the issue of long set time. The most effective solution is to help the mixture set by cooling it at a faster rate.

Here’s how to reduce the gelatin setting time:

1. Use a cold metal mold for your jelly. Results can be minimal with this option.
2. Use ice cubes instead of just cold water when mixing everything. Just make sure you control the proportions of water so it doesn’t affect the flavor of the final product. Remember that going overboard can result in a bland jelly.
3. Put the gelatin mixture in the freezer . Although not without risk, curdling the gelatin in the freezer will cut the curdling time in half at least.

Be careful if you decide to put the gelatin in the freezer, as you don’t really intend to literally freeze the mixture. Instead, you count on the freezer cooling it faster than the fridge.

However, you must pay close attention and periodically check the gelatin every few minutes . This is to make sure it doesn’t actually freeze. Once again, the size of your lot will be an important factor.

Freezing the gelatin before it sets will be detrimental to your efforts due to the chemical reactions it will cause , as premature freezing will end up preventing the gelatin from fully setting.

If you’re not careful , you’ll probably end up with something resembling frozen juice instead of jelly.

If you closely follow the process of setting the gelatin , you’ll end up with a tasty and pretty appetizer in a fraction of the time it would normally take to make it.

defrost the gelatin

Before you start defrosting, you must remember that you can only do it once. Freezing your jello a second time is not advisable.

This means that once your game is unfrozen, you will have to use it in the next two weeks.

There are two ways to thaw gelatin:

1. You can take your frozen jello out of the freezer and into the fridge. It goes without saying that the waiting time will be longer.
2. You can also put the container under the sink and thaw it under hot water.