Can You Freeze Tartar Sauce? A Chef’s Answer & Experience

Can you freeze tartar sauce? No, you can’t freeze tartar sauce as mayonnaise, which is the base ingredient, doesn’t freeze well and can separate. The only way to freeze tartar sauce is by freezing the other ingredients separately and adding the mayonnaise after thawing.

French cuisine is a true value where we can access every ingredient in this day and age. Foods and ingredients considered luxury items are now found in every grocery store and cooked in all homes worldwide.

One of the easiest yet most amazing French cuisines created is called Tartar sauce.

You’ll make the perfect sauce for practically any food with just the ingredients and a couple of hours. Of course, you’ll get it in every grocery store.

The most important thing to consider about food is how to keep them safe. When it comes to sauces, for example, we often end up with leftovers we would like to store in freezers. With the majority of sauces, it is a viable possibility.

This guide will explain the tartar sauce, why it can’t freeze in its completely ready state, and how tartar sauce can typically last.

Key Overview

• Tartar sauce is a cold sauce made from egg yolks, vegetable oil, and green onion, typically served with seafood, meat, and vegetables.
• Most store-bought tartar sauce contains mayonnaise, which does not freeze well and can cause the sauce to split.
• Homemade tartar sauce can be stored in the refrigerator for a few days but should not be frozen unless semi-prepared.
• Unopened bottles of store-bought tartar sauce can last up to a year if stored in a dry, airtight location.
• Opened bottles of tartar sauce can be kept in the fridge for 6 months.
• Look out for signs of spoilage, even if the sauce is past its expiration date.

What Is Tartar Sauce

The Tartar sauce can be described as a well-known cold sauce that originates from French cuisine. The principal ingredients are egg yolks, hard-boiled and hard-boiled, vegetable oil, and green onion.

Tartar sauce is a versatile condiment that goes well with various dishes. Some popular options include fish and chips, fried seafood, burgers, sandwiches, and vegetables such as artichokes and asparagus.

The process of making tartar sauce is like making mayonnaise. The majority of people prefer using mayonnaise as the base of the sauce.

If you want to avoid the extra calories that mayonnaise provides, mix egg yolks and vinegar (lemon juice instead) and salt and pepper. In the meantime, while stirring continuously, you can add vegetable oil to make an emulsion.

Add other ingredients like pickles, green onions, garlic, or other ingredients according to your preference, and voila!

Of obviously, tartar sauce can be bought from the supermarket already prepared; however, it is much more exciting to cook it at home. Additionally, tartar sauce made at home will have an incredibly rich and spicy flavor compared to store-bought ones.

The sauce that is cooked does not require complex ingredients. Thus, it is an ideal option to treat guests who aren’t expecting it because the food made with it becomes more refined and distinctive in flavor.

Can You Freeze Tartar Sauce?

As we mentioned above, in most cases, the tartar sauce sold in stores contains mayonnaise as a base ingredient. This means that the majority of sauces won’t be suitable for freezing.

In reality, most of the well-known brands which sell tartar sauce be labeled with an indication that it must not be stored in freezers.

What happens when you try freezing tartar sauce? Most of the time, the mayonnaise will split when it’s frozen. What you will see when you unfreeze the sauce is pretty disgusting, from my experience. The sauce will split into pieces, making it nearly impossible to make it look or taste good.

Rule of thumb in any cooking method, once the sauce or ingredient splits when there is cream or eggs involved, the flavor and appearance don’t look good. You can cause any egg or cream based items to split from overheating or freezing.

If you’re planning to keep some tartar sauce to store to use later on, you can make it at home on your own. Instead of adding mayonnaise to the making process, save it until you’ve thawed it later.

In this method, you can store the partially cooked tartar sauce, which is the only way to stop it from splitting.

So, that being said, it’s best not to freeze tartar sauce unless you happen to have too much of it.

How Long Does Tartar Sauce Last?

The tartar sauce you make at home will not likely last for more than a few days in the fridge. However, store-bought sauces are distinct from homemade ones.

Tartar sauce is usually sold in glass bottles and is made to last a long time on the shelves. If you have bottles not opened tartar, don’t put them in the fridge. Store the bottles in an air-tight, dry area within your kitchen pantry.

In most cases, it can be stored well for more than a year; however, it is also safe to consume after this time.

For unopened bottles of tartar sauce, you must store them in a sealed refrigerator. The standard rule for tartar sauce is that it can be kept for at least 6 months in the refrigerator, but there’s a peculiar note to mention.

If stored properly in the fridge, tartar sauce can be safe to use after the expiration date. However, it is important to look out for indications of spoilage.

FAQs

Summary

Tartar sauce is a popular cold sauce made from egg yolks, vegetable oil, and green onion and is typically served with seafood, meat, and vegetable dishes.

While it can be made at home with simple ingredients, most store-bought versions contain mayonnaise, which does not freeze well.

Trying to freeze tartar sauce can cause the mayonnaise to split, resulting in an unappetizing appearance and taste.

Tartar sauce made at home can be stored in the refrigerator for a few days and should not be frozen unless it’s semi-prepared.

Unopened bottles of store-bought tartar sauce can last up to a year if stored in a dry, airtight location, while opened bottles can be kept in the fridge for up to 6 months.

It is crucial to look out for signs of spoilage, even if the sauce is past its expiration date.