Can you freeze deli meat?

Opened packs of deli meat only last three to five days in the fridge, and they support Listeria, which grows at refrigeration temperatures. Freezing stops that. Texture takes a hit: the higher the water content, the more the slices weep on thawing, so dry-cured salami freezes better than wet-brined turkey or ham. Separating slices with parchment before freezing means you can take out two rather than the whole pack.

How to do it properly

1. Divide into portions and interleave slices with parchment
2. Wrap tightly and press out the air, which prevents freezer burn
3. Freeze within a day or two of opening the pack, not at the end of its fridge life
4. Thaw overnight in the fridge and use within a day

What goes wrong

• Wet-brined meats thaw watery and limp
• Listeria grows at fridge temperatures, so thawed meat needs using promptly
• Refreezing after thawing costs a lot of texture

Other "can you freeze" questions

• Can you freeze cheese? It depends — Yes, and it stays safe indefinitely — but hard cheese comes out crumbly and soft cheese comes out wet.
• Can you freeze milk? Yes — Yes — leave headspace for expansion and shake it hard after thawing.
• Can you freeze eggs? It depends — Not in the shell. Beat them first, or freeze whites on their own.
• Can you freeze bread? Yes — Yes — freezing is the best way to store bread, far better than the fridge.
• Can you freeze bananas? Yes — Yes — peel and slice them first, because the peel turns black and welds itself on.
• Can you freeze cooked rice? Yes — Yes, and freezing quickly is the safest way to keep leftover rice.
• Can you freeze raw chicken twice? It depends — Only if it thawed in the fridge and never got above 4 °C (40 °F).
• Can you freeze breast milk? Yes — Yes — freeze it flat in bags, and use within six months for best quality.
• Can you freeze avocado? It depends — Yes, but only as a purée — frozen slices go grey and watery.
• Can you freeze soup? It depends — Yes for most soups; cream, milk and potato-based ones separate or go grainy.
• Can you freeze butter? Yes — Yes — butter freezes better than almost anything else in the fridge.
• Can you freeze cooked pasta? Yes — Yes — undercook it slightly and toss it in oil first, or it thaws into a solid block.