Moink Balls... To a select few of us, the perfect food. I have done my best to entice newbies to the MOINK fold, but to date, I have not seen any new takers. I have done a pretty comprehensive post with a history, link to the Creator, and baking instructions for those not willing to grill them (and I have a photo of my last grilling session.. seems like a lifetime ago). Click HERE for my post on ... Cajun/New Orleans Super Bowl Party Snack Idea - What I am Taking. In yesterday's post on Caribbean Pineapple Jerk Chicken Wings, I made a new sauce to use on wings that worked terrific... So of course, I was excited to see what the ultimate food would taste like with the ultimate Caribbean sauce!And I was not disappointed...
BUT FIRST, I have a question...
Yesterday, there was an international mind meld happening when my favorite Singapore blogger, Ju from The Little Teochew blog did a post on an Asian style chicken wing with a post on Nam Yee (Red Fermented Beancurd) Chicken Wings. Of course her photos (among the best on the web) and Nam Yee (Red Fermented Beancurd) Chicken Wings . Of course her photos and descriptions made me want to try her version, but she also made an off hand remark that got me considering...
I would then freeze them for later use. They come in handy when you have unexpected guests or when you just want to get food out of the way on busy weekdays (I am sure many mommies know what I am talking about).So, it got me thinking... You have heard me bemoan the price of food here in paradise. 2 pounds of wings cost me $6. TOTALLY worth it, but when you combine that withe the price of pineapples and jerk sauce, I could have gone out for happy hour and paid just a shade more for the original inspiration. BUT, I found a bargain in the frozen food section... 10 pounds of wings for $8. Now, 10 pounds is more than even I could eat in a sitting. I would like to make and freeze my Caribbean wings. But something does not sound right... I thaw the wings, sauce and cook them, then refreeze and thaw a second time. Sounds... odd, maybe salmonella dangerous? Someone smarter than me help me out please... Is it that simple?
OK... Back to Caribbean MOINK Balls...
1 package frozen meatballs
1 package bacon
the Caribbean Pineapple Jerk Sauce I made yesterday (Click HERE)
I marinaded the meatballs for 2 hours in the sauce prior to assembling for cooking. Wrap 1/2 of a slice of bacon around one of the meatballs...
Skewer the bacon wrapped marinated balls and suspend the skewers between the sides of a baking dish...
I scooped the bottom of teh bowl and added what I could to the tops of the skewered bacon wrapped meatballs and baked at 350 for 35 minutes
I served these over rice, with a Pina Colada!See my post at A Kansas Foodie in the Virgin Islands, for my Pina Colada recipe!
...
My opinion about thawing and refreezing is not that it would necessarily be dangerous - except to the taste. If it were me, I'd portion the frozen wings into ziploc bags or freezer ware with marinade added. When you thaw, they'll marinade during the thaw process.
ReplyDeleteAs for moink balls - they sound as sinful (and delicious) as Chris' bacon wrapped tater tots.
Meatballs wrapped in bacon? What's not to love about that? Sign me up.
ReplyDeleteFreezing and heating - both can kill bacteria..I think what you would lose is the consistency of the sauce..might separate liquid from solids a bit.
ReplyDeleteBacon wrapped meatballs sound delicious to me-whats not to love?
ReplyDeleteFreezing the wings would be safe, but it might change the consistency of the sauce or alter the flavor a bit. I'd try it with just a few to see how it does, before you decide to freeze a large portion.
Sweet and Spicy meatballs wrapped in bacon, sounds a little like a dream I had recently.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great appetizer these would be! I'll have to remember these!
ReplyDeleteHoly Cow Dave, those look great! And I love how you suspend them in a baking dish...very clever.
ReplyDeleteAbout thawing and re-freezing, I think you are okay. It's not like the wings are sitting out for long periods of time. I would thaw them in the fridge, make the wings and re-freeze them and I personally think you are safe. I used to thaw meat on the counter, but with all the nutrition classes I've taken they all say its bad, so now I think ahead and thaw in the fridge.
AND, look how much money you will save!
Meatballs and bacon? What's not to love?
ReplyDeleteI buy huge boneless turkey breasts, partially thaw them in the fridge, quarter (or cut in thirds), season, wrap and refreeze. I've done this for a decade and have yet to manage to poison anyone. So, only partially thaw those wings, and you should be fine. I believe the issue is changes in the texture of the meat rather than disease, especially if you thaw in the fridge.
My husband loves meat, and wrapping it in bacon will make him delighted.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Jenn. Thaw the wings in the fridge. Then cook the wings the way you want and portion them into meal size bags. Once they are cooked refreezing is not a problem. It is only if you refreeze uncooked meat that the consistency changes. The moink balls look delicious.
ReplyDeleteYou can safely refreeze things after cooking, but I think Vickie at #1 has the best idea. Freeze them in small batches and then thaw as needed.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I love the sound of bacon wrapped meatballs. But I doubt anyone is surprised. Heh.
I also agree with Jenn. I have thawed wings, cooked them the way my family likes them and refroze them in meal size portions many times with no ill effects to anyone. And your moink balls look wonderful! We love most any meat wrapped in bacon! :)
ReplyDeleteIf we ever have a blogger get together we're definitely having moink balls - in fact we'll have everything wrapped in bacon!
ReplyDeleteYou've sure been cooking up some great stuff here this week! Great drinks and lots of fun happening at your other blogs this week too! Enjoy! Cheers! :-)
Moink Me! Those meatballs wrapped in bacon sound WONderful. Scolding accepted, so will try to make these soon. I wouldn't think it dangerous to refreeze, I would think flavor would be compromised or texture of the meat?? Now go drink some more rum.
ReplyDeleteMy two cents worth - I'd make only what's needed for the event or meal at hand, especially in a tropical climate. Your moink balls look delicious.
ReplyDeleteMoink Moink! Those look delish!
ReplyDeleteHmmm ... my granny has thawed frozen wings (in the fridge), repacked them with seasoning and refroze them. I think it's important that the meat is still chilled if you want to refreeze.
BTW, I saw this here:
http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/questions/FAQ_freezing.html#1
Q: Can food be refrozen if it has thawed?
A: Foods can be refrozen if at least one of these two conditions are met: 1) Foods have only partially thawed and still have ice crystals in the package; 2) The freezer temperature has remained at 40°F or below. Before using, check to see that color and odor of the food are good. Quality of the food will be lower.
Oh, Master of Bacon, thanks for bringing in the meatballs! Food porn at its best - thanks for sharing:) Looking forward to your next post......
ReplyDeleteStephanie
"Jerked MOINK balls" just sounds so wrong, doesn't it?
ReplyDeleteI mean the flavors work, it's just the phrase itself sounds...well you know;)
I think freezing, thawing cooking and freezing sounds like a recipe for disaster. I don't know, I'd be afraid of bacterial growth.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, yay for moink balls! I still haven't tried them, but I'm already a fan. I know I'd like em'. This version looks and sounds wonderful.
ReplyDeleteNow about the wings, Vickie had a good idea about adding the marinade and then re-freezing. But if you've already cooked them and then re-freeze, then re-heat again it's not dangerous. I'm curious if there would be a taste or texture quality issue, but otherwise it's safe. You don't know til' you try...let us know if you do. It would save time and money (if you're getting the wings for a steal.)
Hi, this is my 1st time here, hop over from Ju's blog, I just realized that we are common in:
ReplyDeleteAstrological Sign: Pisces
Zodiac Year: Rooster
Glad to found someone has two common sign! will visit you more oftem, and I love grill foods.
YUMMY! As long as you cook them before freezing, you're okay, but only once. I do some wings from an old family recipe similar for freezing, but I marinade them in the sauce and freeze without cooking. I cook them fresh each time.
ReplyDeleteThese are on my must-makes; ole Sweetie-Pi would be mad for these and I certainly wouldn't refuse. So perfect for a family get together we're planning.
ReplyDelete