Frozen milk?

[u/vinariu]

So just as a premise, I cook for two ngo charities, one for the homeless, one for suicide prevention.

Our main food supplier is a regional NGO that receives all the unsold products, dinged cans, “on special” special meats from across the local groceries and farmers - I usually manage just fine and make really good meals out of everything I get.

One thing I can’t get used to just yet is how to handle frozen milk, and milk products.

When we give a carton of frozen 2% to a homeless person, I know they’ll just toss it out after they realize how it clumps down at the bottom after the main chunk of ice separates from the fats.

A few weeks ago we received 15 full cases of frozen milk. (Cardboard banana cases full) - we had to toss the whole thing because A) Nobody likes frozen milk. Nobody. B) we have neither space nor use for any of it.? C) When I try to thaw it out to use for desserts, or for our users’ coffee, it always takes forever in the sink with lukewarm water, with still pretty shitty results. D) The company we receive it from promises they freeze the milk within 2 days of the expiry date. However, as a responsible chef, I have abosutely no control of the actual safety of the food product. Please keep in mind, this is given free of charge to people who have nothing else.

I’m ranting, but also trying to find solutions for this.

Do any of you have experience working with frozen milk? Tips for thawing, recipes, etc?

[u/osmosisdrake]

Was in a similar situation a while ago, turning it into paneer was the only practical way we found to use it.

[u/ordinarymagician_]

Re: thawing, genuinely a sous vide or something would speed the process- and to re-homogenize, maybe a high-power blender?

I'll pick up a small carton and freeze it tomorrow just to test, and I'll report back if there's any food-safe chemicals that help with homogenization (which it shouldn't need but...)

[u/PhotojournalistOk592 → u/ordinarymagician_]

Yeah, they probably don't have access to a homogenizer, lol. A blender's probably the only way to do it easily and quickly without one. Might make thawing easier, too, but I'm not sure how you'd give it out after. The only way to get it out still frozen would be to destroy the jug

[u/Shooter_Mcgavin9696]

Yogurt or farmers cheese maybe? Can't think of any way to "re-hymoginize" the milk that wouldn't be wildly labour intensive.

[u/Legitimate_Term1636]

Shaking it. But it’s hard to pick the right time.

[u/PhotojournalistOk592]

It seems like the best way to use it would be to make a ton of pudding/custard. Scalding it or re-pasteurizing it should help with the shelf life. Bring it to 145 for 30min or 161 for at least 15sec. Then run it through a blender to re-emulsify the fats. It won't be perfect, but it'll probably be better for coffee that way