[sidediva]

1. I would like to make ahead a couple of casseroles for a friend and freeze to bring to her. The recipes have cooked meat (ground beef/sausage/chicken. Once I add the cooked meats and veggies/pasta is it best to bake cool down and freeze  or should I freeze before actually baking.

2. First time I am making salmon croquettes. I used can salmon, alaskan red, I noticed some small bones and skin mixed in. I removed most of it. Is this common? Also should I have left it in? The bones were pretty soft. 

Thanks so much…..

 

[panini]

@sidediva ,

Freeze before or freeze after. It's your choice. If you're helping out someone so they don't have to cook I would bake before. The important thing there is to cool down the casserole quickly and completely wrap and freeze. Put directions so that your friend takes the casserole out of the freezer and thaws it in the icebox. Then it's basically reheat, pretty easy.

If you freeze uncooked I personally think It's a little more work for the friend. Usually people will put the casserole in the oven before it's completely defrosted. Then they have to kind of babysit and checking for the center to be fully cooked.

If you make baked and frozen casseroles that have a topping, I think it's better to leave it uncooked. Then give directions to put the topping on 15 minutes before it's done. Makes a better casserole.HTH's and remember to write down explicit directions on how to cook.

Salmon? don't know. I wouldn't leave any bones in though, soft or not.

 

[pete]

My mom used to make salmon patties with canned salmon all the time.  The bones in those cans are so soft they don't present any issue, and in fact are hardly noticeable at all.

 

[chicagoterry]

Those bones are really good for you! As is the skin. The bones are very soft. That said, I still pick out the large backbone pieces and slide off the shiny, silver skin whenever I use canned salmon. Mostly an aesthetic decision.

 

[sidediva]

Thank you all….great help

 

[pepper grind]

Bones are my favorite part! I think it's a matter of preference. Mom always just mashed them all up to save work, so without that texture now, it just doesn't taste right. Sardines too, but I might be the only one who even buys those these days.

Also, I Always eat the skin on most canned fish and even some of the less tough fresh variety. Lot of flavor in there

 

[chicagoterry]

I love sardines! I eat those bones, skin and all, without batting an eyelash. Something about the size of salmon spinal bones is a bit off-putting to me, even though I know I should eat them.