Do not reheat

LovesDogsAndBooks

Some time ago I picked up a curry sauce in a jar from Aldi's (Specially Selected Dopiaza), and today I meant to use it on a big pan of stir-fry that I wanted to split up into several meals to freeze. When looking at the directions I noticed this "Do not reheat." Do they actually mean you can only cook it once and have to eat it all? I can't say I've ever noticed this on a food label before, so I'm a little stunned here. What could be in there that would turn it inedible when reheated?

amtyrell

Not likely inedible but the sauce might break.

LovesDogsAndBooks

Oh, I hadn't thought of something as simple as appearance, my thoughts went straight to poisonous, ha ha

rdix333

Instead of freezing, I've been vacuum sealing. Not for long term, but for a week or two. Seems to work for me.

rdix333

Btw some foods do not like being vacuum sealed. U should look it up before hand.

Unknown

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scarlett_k

A lot of things will say that and it's not because you can't eat it (I'm not dead yet!) - but I just assume it's because it won't taste very good when reheated; some things really don't but some things are fine (or at least within my own tolerance levels!)

LovesDogsAndBooks

I think I will just use individual portions of the curry sauce straight from the jar and then mix it in with each portion of stir-fry. It should stay good in the fridge for a week or so after opening. Thanks all!

madwells1

I think there may be a couple things going on.

First, if you reheat curry multiple times, it can actually taste pretty bad, and even spoil. The constant refrig/heat/refrig/heat....refrig/heat may break it down a bit so it may curdle, and in may spoil. Note when I say multiple times, this means 3-4 days in a row. Who actually does that--?

Second, there is a bunch of bad press on reheating rice, and the fact that it grows some lovely bacteria...which tends to make people sick. Honestly, I'm almost 50 and I lived most of my 20's (and then some) eating leftover chinese rice out of nasty take out containers without ever becoming sick. I am sure it happens, but it has never happened to me!

I make my own curry, but have used a jar of aldi stuff in the past. Always reheated it and nothing bad has happened. I don't eat rice anymore though, but if I did, even one day later if I reheated the rice and the curry separately, I wouldn't have any issues.

I am however, not an expert. Just numerous years of experience. I also have a stomach of iron because I grew up eating dirt when kids were allowed to play kick the can at 10pm in the dark without parental supervision.

LovesDogsAndBooks

Thanks, Madwells! I wouldn't have reheated it over and over, I would have cooked it once, frozen individual portions, then reheated those. I'm usually not concerned about food spoiling quickly, I eat certain things past due date, I leave things sitting on the counter for hours before I put them in the fridge etc. It was just that warning that got to me because I had never noticed that on a food label before.

DX2JX2

madwells1 wrote: »

I think there may be a couple things going on.

First, if you reheat curry multiple times, it can actually taste pretty bad, and even spoil. The constant refrig/heat/refrig/heat....refrig/heat may break it down a bit so it may curdle, and in may spoil. Note when I say multiple times, this means 3-4 days in a row. Who actually does that--?

Second, there is a bunch of bad press on reheating rice, and the fact that it grows some lovely bacteria...which tends to make people sick. Honestly, I'm almost 50 and I lived most of my 20's (and then some) eating leftover chinese rice out of nasty take out containers without ever becoming sick. I am sure it happens, but it has never happened to me!

I make my own curry, but have used a jar of aldi stuff in the past. Always reheated it and nothing bad has happened. I don't eat rice anymore though, but if I did, even one day later if I reheated the rice and the curry separately, I wouldn't have any issues.

I am however, not an expert. Just numerous years of experience. I also have a stomach of iron because I grew up eating dirt when kids were allowed to play kick the can at 10pm in the dark without parental supervision.

LOL - I absolutely believe in the fact that getting exposure to a little 'dirt' every now and then is a healthy thing. Humans were not meant to live in sterile environments.

I thought the bad press about rice was storing too long at room temperature? I think reheating it is fine as long as it was refrigerated in a reasonable amount of time after being cooked.

madwells1

http://www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/can-reheating-rice-cause-food-poisoning.aspx?CategoryID=51

You are right! Looks like storage is key.

czmiles926

I had the same curry sauce but in madras flavour and I froze and reheated portions of it and there was no problem. I never pay attention to those do not reheat labels.

yirara

I make those 'curries' every now and then. I do use the ones without cream though. Always a huge pot full of veggies and either chicken or paneer. I usually have enough to eat for 3-4 days from one jar, and leave one portion in the pot and freeze two more. No problem.