Can You Freeze Marinated Shashlik? Freezing and Thawing Done Right

Can you freeze marinated shashlik?

Yes. Ready-marinated shashlik can be frozen raw and grilled as normal later. The marinade stays on the meat and keeps working while it thaws. What matters most is its condition when it goes in: freezing preserves quality, it does not improve it. Meat that goes in fresh comes out in good shape.

Freezing shashlik raw beats freezing it cooked. You can freeze grilled skewers too, but they dry out faster when reheated. If you already know when ordering that part of it is for later, freeze that part raw.

The best-before date is on the pack. Anything you won’t grill by then belongs in the freezer in good time: ideally right after unpacking your delivery, not on the last day.

How to freeze shashlik step by step

Here is how to freeze ready-marinated shashlik properly:

• Act promptly: decide while unpacking what you will grill and what goes into the freezer. The fresher the meat when frozen, the better.
• Portion it: divide the meat into portions for one barbecue evening each. With the rule of thumb of 400 g per person, you know how much goes into each bag.
• Pack it airtight: an undamaged, tightly sealed original pack can go into the freezer as it is. To portion, put meat and marinade into freezer bags and press out the air. Air in the bag causes freezer burn.
• Freeze it flat: lay the bags flat so the meat forms a thin layer. It freezes faster, takes up less space and thaws more evenly later.
• Label it: variety, marinade, weight and date in waterproof pen on the bag. After a few weeks, everything in the freezer looks the same.
• Cold enough: your freezer should hold −18 °C or colder. Put fresh bags in with a little space around them so they freeze through quickly.

How long can shashlik stay in the freezer?

At −18 °C meat stays safe, but it does not stay at its best for ever. Over time the edges dry out, and flavour and juiciness fade. How quickly that happens depends on the packaging, the temperature and your freezer. So plan frozen shashlik for your next few barbecues, not as a stockpile for some day.

The date on the bag helps you grill the oldest portions first. Grey, dry patches on the meat are freezer burn. It is not harmful, but it tastes like straw. Trim those patches off before cooking.

How to thaw shashlik safely

The most important step: thaw shashlik in the fridge. Not on the worktop, not in the sun and not in warm water. At room temperature the outside warms up while the inside is still frozen, and that is exactly where bacteria multiply. Here is how to do it right:

• Put the bag in a bowl or a deep plate so no thawing liquid escapes.
• Place it on the bottom shelf of the fridge so nothing drips onto other food.
• Allow time: flat portions usually thaw overnight, thicker packs take longer.
• Pour away the thawing liquid. Then wash the bowl, board and your hands thoroughly with hot soapy water.

Can you refreeze thawed shashlik?

No. Raw meat that has been thawed should not be frozen again. Bacteria become active again as it thaws, and every extra freeze makes the meat lose juice and dry out. So cook thawed shashlik soon.

That is why it pays to freeze portions for one evening each. Then you only thaw what you will actually grill. Cooked leftovers are a different matter: once cooled, you can freeze them promptly. When reheating, they must be piping hot all the way through.

Grilling thawed shashlik

Cook thawed shashlik just like fresh. Let excess marinade drip off so it does not fall into the embers and cause flare-ups. Never put the meat on the grill frozen: it burns on the outside and stays raw inside.

Pork and poultry must be cooked through. The German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) recommends at least 70 °C in the core for at least 2 minutes. A probe thermometer gives you certainty, especially with chicken. Use separate tongs and plates for raw and cooked meat.

How long the skewers need on the grill is covered in our guide to grilling shashlik. No barbecue to hand? Then have a look at shashlik without a grill.

Order smart: fewer leftovers, more barbecues

Best of all, don’t end up with too much in the first place. Plan 400 g per person as a main course. You will find a table for 2 to 20 people and a calculator in our guide how much shashlik per person.

The minimum order value is €49, and delivery is free from there. Especially for small households it makes sense to plan several evenings at once: for example “Work’s done. Grill’s on.” with 2 kg for this weekend and “Try Them All” with 1.5 kg for the next, well wrapped in the freezer. Together that comes to €64.49.

Single varieties such as pork shashlik come in packs from 500 g to 2 kg. Several small packs instead of one large one can be frozen and thawed individually.