When buying pre-packaged hamburger, notice how the meat always seems to have a big lump at one end from the way the machine extrudes it? Use your hands to flatten it and disperse the meat evenly in the package (being careful not to break the wrapping).
Alternately, remove the meat and place it in a 1-quart freezer bag. Then flatten and spread it to fill most of the bag, then squeeze out as much air as possible by zipping most of the bag, pressing out the last of the air through the open corner, and then completing the zip.
Either way, the packages will stack better in the freezer, take up less room, and defrost quicker and more evenly. And no more defrosted hamburger except for that last solid chunk inside the big lump!
By Mary from Hummelstown, PA
I have been doing this for years! Much better tasting dishes than precooking it. Those teflon coated trays they sell for defrosting meats are wonderful for these packages also. Takes little time to thaw. If you are going to fix chili, hamburger helper, goulash, etc. just throw them in a pan frozen, cover and they will be thawed in no time. (01/25/2009)
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