I cook up 10 pounds of ground beef at a time and then divide it up into one pound packages (our family's size). Then I freeze it. When I get home from work, all the hard stuff is done and I can make tacos, casseroles, or whatever quickly.
Add your voice! Click below to comment. ThriftyFun is powered by your wisdom!
I do the same, but also cook it with chopped onion and green peppers.
When your freezing ground beef flatten it out in your zipperd bag before freezing, (flat like a square pancake). It will thaw out in no time verses a block or a chunk.
I wss wondering do you add any seasonings at that time? I do the same but find I cook the ground beef with my usual onions and spices since it seems after the meat has been cooked the spices don't work in as well as they do when simmering in during the original cooking.
Been doing that for years. Actually my hubby fries up the meat with some chopped onion and then I portion out into freezer bags that I've marked with the date. It is so convenient and a real time saver!
You can divide your ground beef and freeze.You can spice the ground meat and make meatballs and freeze them.and when you want to use it thaw and add it to chutney or a beef gravy or add it to veggies. You can make cottage pie, mince kebabs and burger patties and freeze and use whenever you want too. You can make samoosa, fill and freeze, make pies and fill and freeze,cook curry and freeze.
Add the spices while cooking because the meat absorbs all the flavour from the spices and tastes good.
We brown the ground beef, drain it well, chill it, spread it out on a cookie sheet to freeze, then bag it. That way we can take out a little bit for a personal-sized pizza, or a lot for a hamburger casserole.
One thing I've learned is not to overcook it at this stage - just break it up and get it browned. It will finish cooking in the dish you're preparing, or when you reheat it to add to something like tacos.
Good ideas, all, but not all the 10 lbs.! Divide 5 lbs of raw hamburger into l lb. pkgs. and/ or make into thin, pre-seasoned patties for hamburgers.
We add 5 lbs of ground beef to three large chopped onions, and then cover just over the top with chicken stock. When it all cooks way down, we separate into four ziplock bags.
My co-worker several years ago gave me this tip:
Instead of cooking/frying the ground beef on top of the stove, use your roasting pan and its cover. I use my blue enamel roasting pan that I cook my turkeys in at 350 degrees. I add chopped onion while "baking" the ground beef. I stir it every 15-20 minutes and chop up any large chunks that might be there then re-cover. Then I use my colanders to drain the juices (onions leave their liquid) and then drain it some more on paper towels before freezing in portion sizes that I will use in my recipes. I have also used the disposable foil steam tray pans and cover with foil. This might not be "thrifty" but clean up is a breeze, especially when pressed for time.
I roll some out on a cookie sheet, (with sides) . I use a large cup (or you could use a rolling pin).
Add your voice! Click below to comment. ThriftyFun is powered by your wisdom!
