We Asked 12 Chefs To Tell Us The Most Unexpected Thing They Keep In The Freezer

What treasures does your freezer contain? An iced-over pint of ice cream, perchance? Or maybe there lies a pile of frozen fruits and veggies that were purchased for a recipe now long forgotten. For many home cooks, the freezer is mostly a repository for microwave meals, frozen desserts, and bagged veggies. This is really a shame, as it is one of the most useful tools in your kitchen. Your freezer can help extend a food item's shelf life by months at a stretch, and it might just be the most under-utilized tool in your kitchen.

So, to better understand the full capabilities of the humble, frigid freezer, we reached out to 12 chefs to find out what unexpected item you can find lurking in the frosty depths of their freezers. You'll find an assorted and odd mix of ingredients, snacks, candies, and cooking tools, each of which can help you to make the most of your precious kitchen space. And, hey, you might just find your new favorite cooking hack. So keep your mind — and your freezer space — open.

Let's start with something sweet. Chloe Hammond, head chef at Asana Lodge, likes to keep a little something special in her freezer: pastry scraps. While many bakers might toss their leftover dough, Hammond knows better than to throw away perfectly good pastry. "I know it might not sound particularly glamorous, but they're brilliant for whipping up something sweet at short notice," she said. "They come in handy for making quick little pastries, especially if someone fancies a treat outside of the planned menu."

Odette D'Aniello, CEO and cake designer at Dragonfly Cakes, likes to keep garlic and herbs in her freezer. Yes, though she is a professional baker, D'Aniello's unexpected freezer staple is more fit for a sauté or pasta bake than a layer cake. "I buy in bulk and end up wasting it," she noted. But rather than tossing the unused ingredients, she "decided years ago to mince it all and freeze in a resealable bag." You can also freeze whole cloves of garlic if you want less prep work.

Alan Thompson, who serves as head chef at Cassiobury Court, has a particular penchant for freezing his stock. "Most people are surprised I bother freezing them instead of buying ready made," he said. However, this choice is less surprising when you understand the full flavor impact of a good, well-made stock. According to Thompson, "a good stock is the foundation of so many dishes." So if you've taken the time to boil a good, hearty, and flavor-packed broth, you really ought to freeze it.

While that tough nub at the end of a Parmesan cheese wedge may seem like simple discard, think again! You really ought to hold on to your rinds, according to chef Kyle Taylor, founder of He Cooks, an online hub for all things foodie. "There's always a Ziploc bag of Parmesan rinds buried in the back [of the freezer]," he said. "I toss them into broths and sauces to add an umami backbone." Trust us, putting a Parmesan rind in soup is an absolute game changer.

Kimberly L., founder and owner of kitchenware company Fifth Fork, likes to keep mussel meat stowed away in her freezer. "I love that I can cook them from frozen," she said. "They thaw and turn out perfect every time." Another benefit? Keeping frozen mussel meat can help bypass that pesky prep process of shelling those tasty mollusks. "Frozen mussel meat is an easy way to make a winter warmer like a seafood stew, or to add something special to a quick weeknight pasta dish," she said. Of course, freezing mussels does change its taste and texture; so if you do freeze your mussel meat, try adding it to a recipe with a sauce to help bolster its flavor.

In a similar vein as frozen mussels, Brian Walter's surprising freezer favorite is lobster coral. "I serve a lot of lobster, and when I butcher them, there are sometimes lobster coral," said Walter, the executive chef at 87 Sussex. Before freezing, however, he combines the lobster roe with butter that has been brought to about room temperature. "[It's] great for pasta, risotto, paella, or any dish you want the true flavors of the ocean [to shine in] with a beautiful red color," Walter said.

So far, we've covered the freezability of meat and byproducts like stock, roe, and mussel meat. But what about fat? Well, Dagan Lynn, an executive chef at Beef. It's What's For Dinner, is big on freezing fat. In particular, Lynn likes to freeze up beef fat (or tallow). "[It] is an essential part of my kitchen, as it has a much higher smoke point than most oils," he said. "This makes it perfect to use for searing, frying, and getting a nice crust on a steak or roast."

Our next unexpected freezer find comes via chef Brandon Dorsky, co-owner of Yeastie Boys (a Los Angeles-based bagel chain) and CEO of Fruit Slabs (a company that makes THC-infused edibles). It's safe to say he knows a thing or two about good eats. "I think it's important to have a pop-in toaster hash brown on deck, because it is the perfect way to style a sandwich, breakfast, lunch, or snack with a little extra flare," Dorsky said. You can find these puck-shaped freezer hash browns many places; perhaps the most iconic is Trader Joe's fan favorite freezer hash brown, which is perfect for working into various snacks.

Speaking of snack finds and tasty munchies, distinguished pâtissier Adriano Zumbo likes to tuck a little something sweet into his freezer. He is particularly fond of freezing gummy candies. Doing so will change the candy's texture, making it a bit tougher and more similar to a hard candy. Freezing candy can help extend the candy-eating process, and may allow you to more fully enjoy the flavor. You can also soak your gummies in soda before freezing for a unique taste.

Chef Brad Johnson works as the director of food and beverage for The Queen Baton Rouge casino and entertainment center in Louisiana. In his work freezers, Johnson keeps a "Rapi-Cool Paddle," which he describes as "tubes filled with water that are kept frozen in the freezers at kitchens." These icy plastic tubes are used to cool down hot liquids before they're put in the fridge. This is an essential function for food safety purposes, as large batch items can sometimes take a long time to come down in temperature, and if not cooled quickly, may foster dangerous bacteria growth.

As the owner and chef at BATA Tucson, Tyler Fenton has a lot on his plate — but one of those things is always a bean and cheese burrito. "I keep two different options," he said. "One is from a drive-thru in Yuma called Mr. G's, and my new favorite is a company out of Phoenix called Bad Hambres." These burritos are an easy, quick-to-prepare comfort food that keeps impeccably well in the freezer. So consider keeping some on hand if you need a quick, hearty, and comforting meal.

Chef Christian J. Houston has a bone to pick with his freezer. Or, rather, he has a bone to put in his freezer. Houston is the executive chef at Rio Piedra Plantation, and when it comes to stocking his freezer, he likes to keep things functional. According to Houston, chicken bones and Parmesan rinds are a must-have. He notes that keeping these two often discarded ingredients in the freezer allows him to "throw together a quick risotto, soup, or sauce with more in-depth flavors."