How to freeze ground meat
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This is a handy kitchen tip which I learnt from my friend didally, and something which I have been doing for years. The best way to freeze ground or minced meat is to measure the exact portions which you are using in your recipe (because once thawed, the meat should not be refrozen).
See Also: Potato and Pork Stir-fry Recipe
Place the meat in individual freezer bags and flatten the bag with your palm. The flattened package thaws quickly and evenly, in about 10 minutes. You also save precious freezer space as the flattened packages are stackable. If you are not already freezing ground meat in a flattened package, try this trick next time and I am quite sure you will never do it any other way again.
In the past, when I was freezing a chunk of ground or minced meat, the thawing is uneven (the middle of the meat gets thawed the slowest) and it takes forever. I have tried using the microwave for fast defrosting before, and I absolutely hated that because I almost always ended up cooking the exposed minced meat in the process. This tutorial will work for any type of ground meat (chicken, pork, beef, turkey, mutton) and any amount (as long as the meat is packed a flat layer).
Benefits of freezing ground or minced meat in a flat package
- meats freezes and thaws much faster due to increased surface area
- meat thaws in 10 minutes
- meat thaws evenly
- flattened bags can be stacked in the freezer, saving space.
Printable Format |
How to freeze ground meat |
Measure and bag required portion used in your recipe. For me, I usually pack them in 50, 70 and 100 grams portions. | |
Flatten the bag with your palm as much as possible. | |
Seal the plastic bag (alternatively, use a freezer ziplock bag). Thaw the meat by placing bag in a bowl of cold water for about 10 minutes. |
Neat trick! Now how about writing on keeping vegetables fresh in the fridge? I never seem to be able to get that
good idea too…
Great tip! Always appreciate practical advice like these!
How long can u keep the meat in the freezer? I would also like a post about keeping vegetables fresh in the fridge!
I freeze minced pork using the same way too, flatten it as easy to defrost..
Great tip! Even I store bacon in the shape of rolls, I’d try to make them stackable.
Great tip! I don’t buy a lot of ground meat at one time unless I have a planned dish to cook that uses lots. But surely I can use this tip when the time comes. :)
Absolutely useful tip. Now why did I not think about it. Mine is usually a big lump, exactly as when I bought it from the supermarket.
I always throw a whole piece of meat in the freezer and it took a long time to thaw lol, gonna try this next time :)
Thanks for the tip! I keep mine in bags too. Mince pork, pork bones, pork chops etc.
How long do you keep yours for? Or when is the maximum amount of time you would keep your frozen meat? (Sometimes I go 2 months or so before I use them all…)
I have kept for 2 months before (still edible), but nowadays I try to use it within 2 weeks for maximum freshness, and no problem for me because I do marketing frequently.