But I soon learned there is a wise way to freeze your meat so that it's not only organized, but you waste less and you can stretch it more.
I will show you my method with my recent purchase of (3) 3lb-packages of ground turkey I got on sale (of course).
I gathered my supplies: small sandwich Ziploc bags, gallon size freezer Ziploc bags and a pen.
First, I divide my meat into 1/2 lbs. Since this tray is 3lbs of ground turkey, I would divide it into 6 equal sections.
Then after I have the meat divided, I take each section and place inside a small sandwich Ziploc bag. I do all sections at once, then I go wash my hands.
I then take all the bags of meat, seal them and place them in the large gallon sized Ziploc freezer bag. Usually about 3 lbs or 6 bags will fit per gallon sized bag.
I make sure to label each bag- what it is, when I froze it, and how much is in each bag.
And when I am done I have organized portions of frozen meat.
The advantages to freezing meat this way is that you can easily pull out the exact amount you need. For example, when I am making tostadas, tacos, or burritos, I often only pull out half a pound and add beans to fill in the rest. No one misses it and your meals are healthier. Not to mention your wallet is fuller, too!
I also pack other meats the same way.
Ground Beef: 1/2 pound per sandwich bag (like the ground turkey above)
Chicken Tenders: 4 per sandwich bag
Chicken Breast: 1 per sandwich bag
Turkey Sausage: 7 links per sandwich bag
Oh...and you probably already know this...but don't forget to sanitize your counter when you are done. I am the first to tell you, touching raw meat is kinda gross...but a girl's got to eat. :)
I hope my freezer meat organizational tips help you save not only time but some hard earned dough! How do you freeze your meat? Got any tips to share?
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8 Inspiring Comments (comment here):
That is an AWESOME idea! I have piles and piles of "chicken" and "pork" in the freezer, but no idea what cut they are. I shall go do this today, and continue on following the next 21 days! :)
Thanks LilBlossom! And welcome, glad to have you join us!! :)
I have never thought to store my meat like that! EXCELLENT idea, will definitly start it!
I always cook my hamburger meat and freeze it in plastic containers the size that I will need when I make spaghetti or tacos. That way it is already cooked and ready to go. It makes for a very quick meal too!
I have been using this method for ground meats for years. The only thing that I do differently is to flatten the meat so that it is very thin. This way, you can defrost it in a jiffy and they also stack well in the freezer. You have a fun blog. I love your humor and your organizing and cleaning tips. Aloha!
@Angela That's a great suggestion! I may have to give that a try! :)
Great tips. I do something similar but I use a flavor saver. Vacuum sealer for my freezer items. In my chest freezer I have my proteins sorted in rubbermade totes so they are easier to find. But this tip is great.
Ah...you inspire me!
Here is the honest ugliness of how I do it:
http://handfulofellers.blogspot.com/2011/09/freezer-cooking-my-way.html
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