Buzz
Freezing milk is a pretty handy solution! If you've stocked up on milk during a sale or want to freeze milk for emergency situations, knowing the right way to defrost it safely is important. Thankfully, defrosting milk is fairly simple, as long as you have the time to do it.
Steps
Defrost milk that has been frozen for up to a month.
The sooner you defrost and use milk, the better it tastes. When you drink milk that was once frozen, you may notice some curdling. This happens because the longer milk is frozen, the more the fat separates. To ensure the best taste, it’s recommended to defrost milk that has been frozen for no longer than a month.
- If you can't finish the milk within a month, don’t worry! You can freeze it for up to four months.
Defrost milk in the refrigerator overnight.
Allow the milk to thaw for 1-2 days for the best quality. There's no need to transfer the milk to a different container—just place it in the fridge! Thawing the milk at a steady temperature for 1-2 days will result in a smoother texture compared to quick defrosting.
Defrost milk in cold water.
Submerge frozen milk in cold water to speed up the defrosting process. If you forget to put the milk in the fridge, don’t worry! Fill a large bowl with cold water and submerge the frozen milk in it. Then, place the bowl in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. Change the water and return the bowl to the fridge for another 30 minutes until the milk is fully defrosted.
- This method works well for containers under 2 liters. For larger containers, you’ll need to wait several hours.
Place a small amount of frozen milk in the microwave.
Place a small amount of milk, the size of ice cubes, in the microwave to defrost quickly. If you only need a small amount of milk frozen in an ice cube tray, take a few frozen milk cubes and put them in a microwave-safe bowl. Then, microwave in 15-second intervals until the milk is fully defrosted.
- When defrosting milk in the microwave, you're heating the milk and encouraging bacteria growth. Therefore, drink or use the milk immediately rather than leaving it at room temperature or putting it back in the fridge.
Avoid defrosting milk at room temperature.
The USDA warns that defrosting milk at room temperature promotes bacteria growth. This is because bacteria thrive in temperatures between 4 and 60°C. Instead of leaving milk at room temperature, you should place it in the fridge, a bowl of cold water, or use the microwave.
Shake or blend defrosted milk before using.
Stir the defrosted milk to smooth it out. Most milk is homogenized, meaning the fat is blended with the liquid under high pressure, so you don't see fat floating on top. Unfortunately, defrosting milk can cause the fat to separate. To ensure the milk tastes good, you should stir, shake, or blend the milk until smooth.
- Drink the milk immediately after doing this, as the fat will separate again if left standing.
Consume or use defrosted milk within 2-3 days.
Label the milk with the defrost date so you know its expiration date. Since you can no longer rely on the milk's original expiration date, it’s important to remember to use the milk within 3 days of removing it from the freezer.
- You can only freeze milk once; so, use or discard the milk after it has been defrosted.
Use milk that is no longer smooth for cooking purposes.
Make baked goods or cook with milk that is slightly lumpy. If you find that the milk is not perfectly smooth after shaking or blending, don’t throw it out! Use the defrosted milk in recipes that require milk, and the lumps won’t be noticeable.
- You can also use defrosted milk in smoothies or milkshakes.
Tips
- Want to defrost plant-based milk like oat milk, almond milk, or soy milk? No problem! Follow the same instructions to safely defrost the milk of your choice.
