How To Avoid Freezer Burn On Your Ice Cream

There are few down sides to ice cream. Seriously, the only one that comes to mind is when you open the container and find a layer of ice crystals coating the top of all that frozen goodness.

Fortunately, there's a very simple solution to that occasional problem. And no, I'm not going to suggest eating it all in one sitting although that is sometimes a possibility. The solution, according to those ice cream gurus at Ben & Jerry's, is to store the ice cream container upside down.

What? Upside down? Yup, upside down. Here's how it works.

What we're really talking about is freezer burn. When you open the carton a small amount of moisture escapes from the ice cream, joins the ambient air in the room, then refreezes on the ice cream surface. The longer the container is open the more pronounced the effect. What Ben & Jerry's suggests as a solution to the ice crystals forming on your ice cream is to store it upside down. This way the partially melted ice cream will drip onto the lid and any freezer burn will take place there. Just be sure the ice cream isn't too melted or you'll have another problem on your hands.

Other ways to keep your ice cream fresh and tasty are to keep it in the back of the freezer where it will be less likely to melt when you open the door to grab something else from the freezer. The ice cream maker also says it's important to make sure your freezer is cold enough, the ideal temperature is zero degrees or below.

Another good tip is to make sure that the lid fits as tightly as possible to the container as any air leaks will allow freezer burn to creep in. If your lid doesn't fit as tightly as you think it should you can take a sheet of wax paper, place it over the container, then press the lid down on top of that for a better seal.

Of course eating your ice cream in a timely manner is always the best way to avoid freezer burn.

Bon appetit!