Why do homemade dumplings crack when frozen? How can I freeze homemade dumplings without them cracking?

As we all know, dumplings are a popular delicacy. There are many ways to make them. They are delicious and tasty. Many people make dumplings by themselves. If you can't finish the dumplings, you usually put them in the refrigerator to freeze. However, some people find that the frozen dumplings will crack. So why do the dumplings you make crack when you freeze them? Let's take a closer look!

Why do homemade dumplings crack when frozen?

Have you noticed that there are several types of dumplings that are prone to cracking: one is dumplings with more water, another is dumplings that are not frozen in time, and the other is dumplings that are frozen using the wrong method. These are the main problems that cause dumplings to crack.

Dumplings are too watery

Generally, when we make dumplings, we make meat dumplings or vegetarian dumplings with mushroom fillings or celery fillings. There is relatively less water in these dumplings because these fillings are not easy to release water. And we also need to be careful not to put too much water when making the fillings. This also makes it convenient for us to freeze them. Therefore, when we make such dumplings, freezing is relatively simple and the skin is not easy to break. This is also a good method of freezing. It will be much easier for us to freeze such dumplings.

However, for example, dumplings that are easy to release water, such as dumplings with leek fillings, radish fillings, or cabbage fillings, such fillings are easy to release water, and the leek filling will release more water in the later stage after adding salt for seasoning. For radish and cabbage fillings, more water is released when using salt to precipitate water in the early stage. The remaining water will make it more difficult for us to make the fillings, and if they are not frozen properly, they will easily crack. This is also because the moisture in the filling will penetrate into the dough when it is made. Therefore, if we are not careful when freezing the dumplings, the dumpling skin will crack, and the dumplings made will not be very good.

Not frozen in time

Another situation is that the dumplings we make are not frozen in time. Leaving them outside for too long will increase the moisture inside, so the dumplings are easy to crack. Moreover, if the dumplings are not frozen in the refrigerator for a long time after they are made, the outer skin of the dumplings will easily become soft, so the dumplings will easily crack when they are subsequently frozen.

How to freeze dumplings without them cracking

Don’t make the dumpling dough too hard

When we make dumpling dough, it is best to make it softer. If the dumpling skin is too hard, the taste will not be very good. In addition, a lot of water will be lost during the freezing process, causing the dumpling skin to crack, but this is only one of the reasons.

Pay attention to the temperature of dumplings when freezing

When we put dumplings in the freezer to freeze, the temperature of the freezer is not very low, so the dumplings stay in the freezer for too long. In addition, many freezers are now fan-cooled, which absorbs moisture from the dumpling skin during the cooling process, causing excessive loss of moisture in the dumpling skin, so the dumpling skin will crack. If you want to freeze dumplings in the freezer, you must set the freezer temperature as low as possible. If you are in the northern region, you don’t have to consider this problem, because the temperature in the north is very low, and dumplings can be frozen in a few tens of minutes outside, so there will be no cracks in the dumplings.

The storage method of frozen dumplings is very important

After we freeze the dumplings, do not expose them to the air. It is best to put the dumplings in a plastic bag. One plastic bag is not enough. We will seal the packed dumplings with two layers of plastic bags to prevent the moisture in the dumplings from evaporating, so that the dumplings will not have cracks.

The correct way to freeze dumplings

After making the dumplings, put them in the freezer of the refrigerator and freeze them immediately. When freezing, do not freeze the dumplings directly when they are just wrapped and are still relatively soft. If conditions permit, it is ideal to freeze the dumplings in a grid-like box. In this way, we can put the dumplings directly in the freezer and freeze them after wrapping them.

If this is not the case, you can first put a layer of good plastic wrap in the freezer compartment, then put the dumplings one by one on the plastic wrap, and then freeze them for an hour. In this way, we can freeze the finished dumplings directly. After they are formed, we put the dumplings in a plastic bag and continue to freeze them, and seal them. This will ensure that the dumplings are not exposed to too much air and will not crack due to too much moisture. In this way, the dumplings will not break when we cook them again. This method of freezing dumplings is very practical and can also produce good taste.

What to pay attention to when freezing dumplings

1. Put the wrapped dumplings on a flat plate and freeze them in the freezer. Don’t freeze them for too long, just until they are frozen solid.

2. After freezing, put them in food bags, tie the mouth tightly, and then put the bags into the freezer. Do not set the temperature of the freezer too low, minus ten degrees will be enough.

3. Don’t put too many dumplings in each bag. Put according to your appetite and try to reduce the chances of the frozen dumplings coming into contact with air.