How do you freeze mozzarella sticks?

What I love best about this recipe is that you can prep a big batch of mozzarella sticks, freeze them, and they're ready to fry them when you want them. Freeze them on a sheet pan first for 20 to 30 minutes. Then transfer them to a large freezer bag. Squeeze out the air and then keep them in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you're ready to fry a batch, you can fry them from frozen, following the instructions in the recipe.

Can you use mozzarella string cheese sticks?

You can, but I haven't tested this recipe with mozzarella string cheese. If the size of the sticks are significantly bigger or smaller than cutting a block of cheese, the cooking time will vary.

What's the best oil for deep frying?

I use vegetable oil, but any high smoke point oil will work, like peanut oil or canola oil.

Can you reuse deep-frying oil?

Yes, but it's a bit of a hassle, and there are quite a few things to consider before reusing it. Epicurious has a great article about reusing cooking oil if you want to learn more.

How do you dispose of deep-fry oil?

This is another reason I use a smaller pan to deep fry - there's less oil to toss out. Cooking oil can be recycled depending on where you live, and a quick Google search will let you know if it's available in your community. If you can't recycle it, the best way to dispose of cooking oil is to cool it, transfer it to a container with a lid (it should be non-breakable), and toss it in the trash. I use empty peanut butter jars. Don't pour cooking oil down the drain because it can cause all kinds of issues!

Homemade Mozzarella Sticks

Name: Homemade Mozzarella Sticks
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 40 min
Cuisine: Italian-American
Ingredients: 1 (16-oz) block low-moisture mozzarella cheese; 1 1/2 cups Italian-style breadcrumbs; 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese; 2 teaspoons garlic powder; 6 eggs; Vegetable oil, for frying (see note)

Homemade Mozzarella Sticks

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5 from 2 reviews

Hot and crispy homemade mozzarella sticks! This recipe makes a big batch of cheese sticks that can be frozen and fried in small batches whenever you get a craving. The mozzarella sticks are crispy on the outside with melted oozing cheese on the inside. They’re a must make for football season.

You will need a thermometer that hooks on the side of the pan for this recipe, which I discuss in the post along with lots of other tips and tricks, so be sure to check it out!

Author: April Anderson
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes (for 12 sticks)
Total Time: 40 minutes
Yield: 33 mozzarella sticks 1x
Category: Appetizers
Method: Deep Fry
Cuisine: Italian-American

Ingredients

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1 (16-oz) block low-moisture mozzarella cheese
1 1/2 cups Italian-style breadcrumbs
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons garlic powder
6 eggs
Vegetable oil, for frying (see note)

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Instructions

First, slice across the block of cheese so you have eleven 1/2″-inch thick slices. Cut each slice into thirds so you end up with 33 cheese sticks. See the photos and notes in the post for more tips on slicing the cheese.
In a shallow bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, cheese, and garlic powder. In a seperate shallow bowl, beat the eggs with a fork until uniform in color. Using one hand for the eggs and the other hand for the breadcrumbs, dip a cheesestick in the eggs to coat it. Transfer it to the breadcrumbs and coat it evenly. Dip it again in the egg, coating it evenly, and then coat it again in the breadcrumbs. Place the breaded cheese stick on a sheet pan. Repeat with the rest of the cheese sticks. See the recipe notes section for more tips about the breading step.
Place the sheet pan in the freezer for 15 to 20 minutes. This will allow the breading to firm up. While you wait, you can get the oil ready for frying.
I used a 3-quart pan to fry my mozzarella sticks (see note). Add enough oil to the pan so that the mozzarella sticks will be fully covered as they fry (about 24 ounces of oil). You can fry two to three sticks at a time with this set-up. If you want to fry more at a time you will need to use a bigger pan and more oil.
The ideal temperature to deep fry is between 350°F to 375°F. Use a thermometer to measure the temperature as it will fluctuate as you fry the sticks. Fry the mozzarella stick for 30 seconds to a minute or until the breading is golden brown and crispy. Transfer the sticks to a plate lined with a paper towel to absorb the excess oil.
Serve the mozzarella sticks with dipping sauce on the side.

Notes

I used vegetable oil for frying, but any high-smoke oil (not olive oil!) will work, like canola or peanut oil.
Breading tips: This is optional, but I like to start with half of the breadcrumb mixture and half of the eggs. That way, if the breadcrumbs get too wet from the eggs, I can refresh them with dry breadcrumbs, which makes it easier to bread the cheese sticks.
I usually fry six to twelve mozzarella sticks, so the smaller pan works well because I don’t have to use as much oil. I cook them in batches of three sticks. If you’re serving a crowd and want to cook more sticks at a time, you’ll want to use a bigger pan and more oil.
How to freeze mozzarella sticks for later: bread and freeze the sticks on a sheet pan for 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer the cheese sticks to a freezer bag, squeeze the to remove the air, and pop them in the freezer. They will keep well for up to 3 months. When you fry them, they will need more time to cook, so plan to add an extra couple of minutes for each mozzarella stick.
Note about nutrition: I did not include nutrition because depending on the amount of oil you use and how much the cheese sticks absorb, it’s almost impossible to measure.

Find it online: https://www.girlgonegourmet.com/mozzarella-sticks/