As a busy mother of several small children, and now as our family is growing, I have found precooking meat in bulk to be a lifesaver when it comes to getting meals to the table.
I’m not the best at meal planning. In reality, I go in spurts, sometimes having a plan, and other times not. Whether I have a plan for a specific meal or not, I often I prepare my meals based around the meat. Having precooked meat in the freezer has saved me countless times when I need to throw together a meal quickly, or forgot to take a frozen package of raw meat out to that the day before.
Since the cooking has already been done, meat prepared in bulk only needs to be reheated and can often be defrosted in the microwave or under warm water. Most often I add it frozen directly into whatever I am making with no thawing or defrosting required. If you don’t cook in buik already, this method will change your life!
TIMESAVING TIP: I have reusable square freezer containers which hold approximately one pound (2 cups), and work PERFECTLY for freezing meat. You can find them HERE. The square shape allows me to pop a frozen cube of precooked meat from freezer to pan in just a few seconds without thawing. You can also use freezer ziplock bags, a vacuum sealer, or glass containers.
Below I am going to share with you a few of my favorite cuts of meat to prepare in bulk and freeze for future use.
Ground Beef
Hamburger can be one of easiest food to always have on hand and ready to use. It freezes well and thaws quickly, making it the prefect candidate for bulk preparation and freezer storage. Rather than precooking your ground each time you make a meal, you can skip a step by having some already prepared when you cook you meat in bulk.
Here’s What I Do…
Buy Meat In Bulk
Purchase ground beef when it’s on sale. A lot of it! Our grocer sells their ground in 10 pound tubes, or I have the locker package it in two pound packages if we buy a quarter cow. Either way, to make this the most beneficial use of your time, doing a large batch is the way to go. I like to do 6-10 pounds at a time for our family of 5.
Cook Meat In Bulk
Select a large skillet. I use cast iron, but any pan you typically use to brown your meat is fine. If I’m doing an exceptionally large batch I run two pans at a time, other times I just do several batches back to back in the same pan.
Divide meat into your pan(s), salt or season, if desired, and cook.
TIMESAVING TIP: I often times cook a first batch of ground beef for the meal I’m currently preparing and continue with subsequent batches which the meal is cooking.
Drain & Package
Drain the fat by transferring the meat into a sieve or colander placed over a large bowl. I do not recommend draining the fatty cooking juices down your drain! Dispose of the fat by allowing it to cool and solidify, then transfer to the trash.
Finally, allow cooked ground beef to cool slightly, then package your meat in desired size freezer safe containers. Label accordingly, and transfer to freezer.
Using Precooked Beef
When a recipe calls for ground burger simply remove ground beef from freezer and use. If you need to thaw before use, put in the fridge overnight or run under warm water.
Here are a few ways I use my beef that I have precooked in bulk:
Chili – Mix together all chili ingredients in a large kettle or crockpot. Heat until warm.
Spageti – Place frozen beef in the bottom of a saucepan, cover with a jar of your favorite pasta sauce. Heat.
Tacos: Place frozen meat in a saucepan with a lid, add a small amount of water to cover the bottom, add seasonings, cover with lid. Turn on medium heat, and allow the steam to thaw your burger. Once heated, stir and serve.
That’s not all! Use in soups, sloppy joes, taverns, chili dogs, hamburger helper, or your favorite recipe.
Grilled Chicken
See my recipe post for Italian Grilled Chicken.
Shredded Chicken
Shredded chicken is perfect to keep ready and on hand for chicken salad, BBQ chicken, casseroles, or soups.
Here’s What I Do…
Buy Meat In Bulk
I find it easiest to buy frozen chicken breasts in 2-3 pound bags and cook a couple of them up at a time. However, I have seen frozen chicken breasts available in 10 pound bags and other large sizes. You certainly don’t have to use frozen, and could also use fresh chicken breasts which are often available in large weight “family packs” . I prefer not to hassle with the bones when preparing in bulk so I use boneless skinless chicken breasts, but you could cook up bone-in breast with this method. It will just require more work in the final steps to remove bones or any other undesirable parts when you shred the muscle.
As for how much meat you should purchase, I suggest buying according to the size of your slow cooker. Since my method takes several hours, it is not easy to do back to back batches in one day, so consider buying an amount that can be prepared in one batch. I can fit approximately 6 pounds in my standard size crock pot, but if you are using a large roaster or Instant Pot you can adjust accordingly.
Cook Meat In Bulk
First, empty two bags of frozen chicken breasts (2-3 lbs each) into a crock pot (or as much meat as your cooker allows).
Cover with lid and cook on high for 4-6 hours or low 8 hours, or until meat is tender and easily pulls off the bone.
Drain & Package
Once meat is tender and pull apart, drain off excess liquid. (I like to save my drippings from chicken to make gravy).
Shred the chicken breasts using forks, and divide into quart ziplock bags or freezer containers.
Label and freeze.
Using Precooked Shredded Chicken
Chicken Pot Pie Gravy and Biscuits
Chicken Noodle Soup
BBQ Shredded Chicken Sandwhiches
Chicken Salad
Ham
Ham can easily be frozen for later use in soups and casseroles. Depending on the type of ham you purchase from the store it can be frozen in slices or cubes.
Whenever I cook a large ham and have extras from that meal, I cut off portions and freeze them in square freezer containers or freezer ziplock bags. They’re great for recipes like ham and potato soup, a baked potato bar, or egg bakes.
BBQ Shredded Pork
I cannot tell you how many times I’ve purchased a giant pork butt roast, for a really good deal and then gotten it home and wondered how big of an army that slab of meat could feed. Seriously, last week I pulled a 12 pounder out of the freezer and had to cut it in half just to fit it in my crock pot.
Meat cuts like that are totally unpractical to cook and consume in one meal, even for a large family. So unless you’re hosting the next big get together, how about freeze some of that meat for future use?
Here’s what I do:
Buy Meat In Bulk
Buy a big pork roast. (Preferably one that fits into your crockpot or pressure cooker. If not you can cut it in half and do one piece today, and refrigerate the other half to make tomorrow….that makes TWO suppers already planned. You’re welcome!)
Cook Meat In Bulk
Place the cut of meat into your slow cooker. Set on high for 4-6 hours, or low and slow for all day 6-8 hour cook time.
TASTY TIP: Season at the start and at the end! I like to add some BBQ sauce and maybe a dash of Worcestershire sauce or some dry minced onion or onion powder to my raw meat before cooking. Salting raw meat is much more beneficial than adding it at the end.
Drain & Package
Once meat is well cooked, and pulls apart. Drain the excess liquid cooking juices. Shred the meat using two forks.
Season with more BBQ sauce and stir to combine.
Divide into quart freezer bags. Label and transfer to freezer.
Using Precooked BBQ Shredded Pork
To use, simply thaw and reheat in a pan on the stove.
We serve our BBQ pork on buns with pickle slices and cheese.
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