The milanese is a fine steak, commonly meat, but that can also be chicken, fish, eggplant, or any other food, which is breaded to fry or bake then, and this time I will teach you how to store these breaded fillets.
The cooked breaded fillets should be kept in an airtight container inside the fridge for 2 or 3 days, or to extend its shelf life, you can freeze the breaded fillets for a period that fluctuates between 2 and 3 months.
You must continue reading to learn how to store the breaded fillets correctly.
Keep the milanese in the fridge
If you had a couple of breaded fillets left over, or you decided to prepare them in advance, you can store them in the fridge without a problem.
To store the breaded fillets in the refrigerator, you have to do the following:
- Step 1: Wait for the Milanese to cool completely.
If you fried the cotoletta, place it on paper towels to remove excess fat. If baked, it can be left on a plate until it cools.
- Step 2: Place them inside an airtight container or bag.
It can be a plastic container or bag, but it must be airtight to avoid exposing the breaded fillets to the air.
If you use an airtight bag, it is advisable to remove all the air inside, so if you have a better vacuum sealer.
- Step 3: Separate between layers.
If you store more than one breaded fillet, separate them with plastic, waxed, or aluminum foil. Then, it would be best to close the container or bag tightly.
- Step 4: Store in the coldest area of the fridge.
The coldest area of the fridge is at the bottom back, away from the door. If you followed all these steps, the meat, chicken, or eggplant breaded fillets could be kept in good condition inside the fridge for 2 or 3 days.
In the case of breaded fillets made of fish, it is not advisable to refrigerate them but to store them in the freezer.
To reheat, it will only be enough to leave the breaded fillets in the oven or microwave for a few minutes.
How to freeze the breaded fillets
Can breaded fillets be frozen? Yes, breaded fillets can be frozen, although some consider that the texture is not the same due to the thawing process.
To properly freeze the breaded fillets, you must follow the instructions that I leave you below:
- Step 1: Expect it to cool completely.
It is never good to store hot food inside a container or bag because the steam forms moisture, which would end up harming the consistency of the breaded fillets, and the humidity would lead to the appearance of mold.
- Step 2: Wrap each steak with aluminum foil.
The aluminum foil prevents the breaded fillets from suffering a frost burn.
- Step 3: Bag.
Place the fillets inside a bag suitable for freezing.
- Step 4: Tag.
Place the date of preparation to have the certainty the time has been frozen.
- Step 5: Save to the freezer.
If you follow all the instructions, the meat or breaded chicken fillets can remain frozen for 2 or 3 months. [1]
On the other hand, breaded fish and eggplant fillets may be frozen for 4 or 6 months.
To defrost, you can use the microwave or the oven directly. You can also leave it at room temperature and then fry it again a little.
Can you keep the breaded fillets raw?
No, it is not recommended to store uncooked breaded fillets, mainly by the egg, which is one of the steps needed for breading. However, you can keep meat or vegetable as it is regularly made and then overflow before cooking.
How to keep packaged breaded fillets?
In food stores and supermarkets, there is a wide variety of frozen food; among them are breaded fillets, and you should keep them in the freezer as long as possible.
So here are some tips when buying and storing one of these frozen breaded fillets:
- Select the breaded fillets with the closest elaboration date or the furthest expiration date, so you know they will last a long time.
- Please do not take the package out of the cold until you pay to avoid interrupting the cold chain.
- Bag well. It is advisable to carry an airtight bag to put the frozen package of breaded fillets, especially if you do not plan to return home soon.
- Store the breaded fillets in the freezer without uncovering. Milanese may be frozen until the expiration date, even after that, but it is advisable to consume before six months.
How do you know if the breaded fillets are bad?
To determine if the Milanese spoiled, they must have one or more of these signs:
- It has black or green spots, which is a sign of the presence of mold, so it should be discarded immediately since if ingested, it could intoxicate the person.
- If it has a rancid or sour smell or taste, it is indicative that the cotolleta is spoiled.
How long do breaded fillets last?
| Product | Duration |
| Breaded fillets (chicken, meat, eggplant) refrigerated | 2 – 3 days |
| Frozen Breaded fillets (meat, chicken) | 2 – 3 months |
| Frozen breaded fillets (fish or vegetables) | 4 – 6 months |
| Frozen packaged breaded fillets | Until the expiration date |
What is the best way to store breaded fillets?
In short, you should eat the breaded fillets freshly made. However, it is not always possible, there may be leftovers, or due to lack of time, it is required to prepare the food in advance.
Having that in mind, I would recommend using the fridge to store the breaded fillets.
However, when it is necessary to extend that period, or you bought frozen breaded fillets, or they are made with fish, there is no doubt that storing the breaded fillets in the freezer is the most convenient.
If you are interested in food preservation, this website has many related topics.
[1] https://www.ksre.k-state.edu/humannutrition/foodstorage-documents/Virginia348-960_pdf.pdf
