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Frozen Meals?

NoName

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NoName

NoName 16359

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Having a baby in the next few months - looking for some ideas for meals I can cook and freeze / have at the ready.

Know I am going to freeze some things like IP chicken chili verde and chili but looking for some additional things to add to the rotation.

Had folks recommend some of the freezer recipes from Pinch of Yum

 

 

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tx 3 putt

tx 3 putt 77122

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vaccum seal machine, the one from costco is great. 

ill freeze things in a square plastic ware, pop it out and vacuum seal it. itll warm up great. this is perfect for soups, chilis, green chili pork, beans.......

also, ill grill up a mess of meat. slice and vacuum seal portions, works great. 

Edited by tx 3 putt
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NoName

NoName 16359

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8 minutes ago, CooterBrown said:

Don't plan too many of these meals. It sounds like a great idea but both of you will tire of them very quickly.

yup, the plan is to mix things up. have like 6 or 7 different things to mix up and cook & freeze. hoping to add some additional ones to the list for this reason!

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irishtexan

irishtexan 11522

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First, congrats on the baby! Second, our resident grandma-fucker 3 putt is right. If you don't have a vacuum sealer get one. They're awesome.

I'd make a big-ass pot of bolognese and freeze a few portions. that way all you have to do is thaw and warm the portion of the sauce in a pot of water, and then boil up some good dried pasta. Walla!

I'd also make a pan of baked ziti. It freezes and reheats well and is easier to make than lasagna. And, imo, tastes better too. 

Can always make a big pot of pinto beans and freeze those. Then just get a pan of cornbread from central market and you've got yourself a meal.

Next, tell your friends to get you a shit ton of meal cards from restaurants you like that deliver. 

 

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NoName

NoName 16359

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1 hour ago, irishtexan said:

First, congrats on the baby! Second, our resident grandma-fucker 3 putt is right. If you don't have a vacuum sealer get one. They're awesome.

I'd make a big-ass pot of bolognese and freeze a few portions. that way all you have to do is thaw and warm the portion of the sauce in a pot of water, and then boil up some good dried pasta. Walla!

I'd also make a pan of baked ziti. It freezes and reheats well and is easier to make than lasagna. And, imo, tastes better too. 

Can always make a big pot of pinto beans and freeze those. Then just get a pan of cornbread from central market and you've got yourself a meal.

Next, tell your friends to get you a shit ton of meal cards from restaurants you like that deliver. 

 

bolognese is a great idea, adding to the list.

ziti is on it also - doing the kenji no bake version then freezing it in smaller groups then vacc sealing it!

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Texas St. Armadillos

Texas St. Armadillos 1381

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2 hours ago, tx 3 putt said:

vaccum seal machine, the one from costco is great. 

ill freeze things in a square plastic ware, pop it out and vacuum seal it. itll warm up great. this is perfect for soups, chilis, green chili pork, beans.......

also, ill grill up a mess of meat. slice and vacuum seal portions, works great. 

Which vacuum sealer are you referring to?  I see a bunch on their site.

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elfenix

elfenix 34326

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i sous vide a shit ton of boneless/skinless chicken in a marinade.  typical portion in a freezer bag is about 3 lbs.  once cooked, freeze flat on a baking sheet.  i've had something like 30 lbs of chicken frozen in my freezer, standing like books side by side.  to eat, defrost, pull pieces of chicken out of bag and cut using scissors into a skillet to heat/crisp.  serve in tortilla or with rice with whatever toppings you want.  i do fajita flavor, korean bbq, shawarma, vindaloo, etc.  depending on how fast you go through a bag you just defrost a bag every few days and you always have it available. 

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irishtexan

irishtexan 11522

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21 minutes ago, Texas St. Armadillos said:

Which vacuum sealer are you referring to?  I see a bunch on their site.

I have this one. No need to spend a ton of money on one.

https://www.amazon.com/NutriChef-Automatic-Sealing-Preservation-Indicator/dp/B01MXLTR09/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?dchild=1&keywords=vacuum+sealer+nutrichef+bk&qid=1632859225&s=kitchen&sr=1-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExNUpZMUowNVRNQ0pNJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNjA2NjcwMTNPUzA3NExIR1RXUSZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwOTU0MjExSFRVTkhGQU5YWTRFJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==

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elfenix

elfenix 34326

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also, get deli soup containers on amazon or from ace mart in various sizes (pint and quart at the very least).  so long as they're from the same brand the lids fit all the containers properly so you never have to hunt for a lid (but that's just a general kitchen tip that everyone should follow). 

 

651340797funny-kitchen-animated-gif-4.gi

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tx 3 putt

tx 3 putt 77122

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59 minutes ago, elfenix said:

i sous vide a shit ton of boneless/skinless chicken in a marinade.  typical portion in a freezer bag is about 3 lbs.  once cooked, freeze flat on a baking sheet.  i've had something like 30 lbs of chicken frozen in my freezer, standing like books side by side.  to eat, defrost, pull pieces of chicken out of bag and cut using scissors into a skillet to heat/crisp.  serve in tortilla or with rice with whatever toppings you want.  i do fajita flavor, korean bbq, shawarma, vindaloo, etc.  depending on how fast you go through a bag you just defrost a bag every few days and you always have it available. 

 

what time can i go pick up a plate  ?

 

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tx 3 putt

tx 3 putt 77122

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38 minutes ago, irishtexan said:

I have this one. No need to spend a ton of money on one.

https://www.amazon.com/NutriChef-Automatic-Sealing-Preservation-Indicator/dp/B01MXLTR09/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?dchild=1&keywords=vacuum+sealer+nutrichef+bk&qid=1632859225&s=kitchen&sr=1-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExNUpZMUowNVRNQ0pNJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNjA2NjcwMTNPUzA3NExIR1RXUSZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwOTU0MjExSFRVTkhGQU5YWTRFJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==

 

i have this same one. that's a GREAT price 

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Jerry Callo

Jerry Callo 8704

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Vacuum sealer is a must - I have one of the foodsaver's from Costco.  A few tips for vacuum sealing - (1) label everything, even when you think you'll remember what it is; (2) using more bags and sealing smaller portions give you more options (if you only need two chicken breasts you don't want to thaw out four or six), and (3) keep a freezer list of what you have, both cooked and raw - it makes it much easier to plan meals for the week if you already know what you can bring out of the freezer.

I mainly freeze cooked proteins as they usually take the most time to prep and make.  It's not too difficult to throw sides together.  Almost anytime I cook something outside on the grill or kamado, I make extra.  At any given time, I'll have smoked chicken wings, cooked burgers, pulled pork, taco meat, etc.  I can use a pound of pulled pork to make pulled pork sandwiches, carnitas, green chili pork stew, fried rice, nachos . . .

Planning and cooking over the weekend make dinners during the week much easier.  Congrats on the new baby!

 

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Etexhorn13

Etexhorn13 3052

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I am in the same boat, and made a bunch of different things to stick in the freezer. Let’s see…

enchiladas

red beans and rice (make rice fresh)

chili

chicken spaghetti 

i also smoked a brisket and pork butt and vacuum sealed lots of leftovers of that 

bolognese 

Some of these things we made just so we could have stuff to freeze, others were stuff we’d make on a Sunday or something and just double the recipe. 

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PhillyD

PhillyD 1257

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Vacuum sealer is the right answer.  Pair it with a sous vide and you can save a ton of good meals.  

Smoke a brisket.  After you're full, slice what you didn't eat, seal and freeze in small batches.  You'll lose the crispy bark but all of the flavor is there when you sous vide.

I also seal batches of gumbo and chili.  Really easy to heat up with the sous vide and serve on your schedule.

I would guess between a third and half our meals during the week are sous vide reheats.

 

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dcbc

dcbc 14492

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On 9/28/2021 at 11:03 PM, Etexhorn13 said:

i also smoked a brisket and pork butt and vacuum sealed lots of leftovers of that 

 

This is the reason I bought a vacuum sealer in the first place.  A few slices of brisket, sealed, frozen, reheated in a bot of simmering water in under 10 minutes is the way.

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Redneck Mutha

Redneck Mutha 8006

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Couple other ideas if you're smoking and sealing.  Take some of the brisket, freeze larger chunks for chili, and shred some for tacos.  Pulled pork also freezes well, and makes great bbq sandwiches, carnitas tacos.  You can also make and freeze some homemade tasso - pork roast cut into half to one pound chunks, cajun seasoned and smoked.  Tasso you can add to beans, jambalaya, red beans and rice.

And if you haven't already, I'd also suggest getting a really good slow cooker.  Lots of easy to prep recipes that take very little time.  Roast, stews, soups, red beans, pinto beans, beef tips, stroganoff, we've done pulled pork in it when I didn't have time to mind the smoker.  And get a slow cooker with all the bells and whistles, different settings, timer, etc., including the ability to use the pot on your cooktop. 

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Johnny Sack

Johnny Sack 8397

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On 9/28/2021 at 12:28 PM, tx 3 putt said:

vaccum seal machine, the one from costco is great. 

ill freeze things in a square plastic ware, pop it out and vacuum seal it. itll warm up great. this is perfect for soups, chilis, green chili pork, beans.......

also, ill grill up a mess of meat. slice and vacuum seal portions, works great. 

I vacuum seal like you.  I like doing it to brisket (cut into maybe 1.5-2 pound slabs or chopped/sauced and sealed for sangwiches/tacos). I also make big pots of venison chili and freeze in single serve plastic containers.

For lunches, I take a bunch of ground venison and cook it with a shitload of mushrooms, onions, and peppers.  Once brown, I add a can of tomato paste and Rao's marinara sauce and let it simmer about an hour or two.  I fill up single serve sized plastic containers about half way with cauliflower rice.  Then top with my venison/marinara/veg concoction.  I keep these on hand at work and eat them for lunch just about every day.  Top with a bit of fresh parm and some Louisiana hot sauce -- it's damn good.

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Mrs Whiggins

Mrs Whiggins 13050

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On 9/28/2021 at 8:00 PM, CooterBrown said:

Have any of you ever knocked up a woman? She’s gonna be tired, probably going to feel fat, and may have post partum depression. She’s gonna want grilled chicken, salad, and yogurt.

Unless you’re married to mama June, she’s not gonna want to eat like Steel Shank.

 

Have you ever breast fed a baby? Them lil ones will take every ounce of energy left after having labored for *checks notes* over 24 hours, not including if one has a C-section which adds to the overall fatigue and whatnot. That pregnancy weight melts off fast when nursing because baby eats constantly. So sometimes it's salad and sometimes it's a bag of burgers. The miracle of birth plays hell with the hormones that's for sure. I love pasta, so I froze home made meatballs in bags and dropped them in the sauce (frozen separately) in the pot on the stove so that all we had to do was cook the noodles. Also, fish, like frozen salmon etc is pretty fast and doesn't take much prep time if you keep it plain and simple.

So, @NoName, if you want to freeze a few meals, that's great. I don't know if your missus imbibes of alcoholic beverages, but I will say that after having nursed a wee one prior to partaking of one's own supper, a small glass of beer with the meal was not looked at askance and had the pediatrician's approval...I was nervous about it at first, but damn if it didn't hit the spot after wiping spit up off the last clean shirt I had. Each day a new victory in the march of parenthood. Welcome to the club!

 

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Spur08

Spur08 382

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Got a baby coming in 3 weeks.  I plan to spend my PTO making bolognese (pasta, meatballs, lasagna, ziti, etc), chili, gumbo, king ranch casserole, any other decent casseroles I can find.  Gonna BBQ some primals and vac seal too.

 

Or at least that's my grand plan until I'm taking naps every 2 hours like the niño

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Etexhorn13

Etexhorn13 3052

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Not to derail too much, but in the spirit of why you started the thread, having had our first last Wednesday, this has been my experience: 

People are going to send you a shitload of DoorDash/Uber eats gift cards (assuming you live somewhere that’s applicable. Also, if your wife is anything like mine she’s missed the hell out of brie/salami/charcuterie, so scoop some of that up for her. She’s going to want to eat the stuff she wasn’t able to while pregnant. 
 

 

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Etexhorn13

Etexhorn13 3052

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13 hours ago, Spur08 said:

Got a baby coming in 3 weeks.  I plan to spend my PTO making bolognese (pasta, meatballs, lasagna, ziti, etc), chili, gumbo, king ranch casserole, any other decent casseroles I can find.  Gonna BBQ some primals and vac seal too.

 

Or at least that's my grand plan until I'm taking naps every 2 hours like the niño

Yeah… you’ll have more free time than you’d think but you’re gonna want to do this ahead of time. 

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Texas St. Armadillos

Texas St. Armadillos 1381

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On 10/7/2021 at 9:29 AM, Etexhorn13 said:

Not to derail too much, but in the spirit of why you started the thread, having had our first last Wednesday, this has been my experience: 

People are going to send you a shitload of DoorDash/Uber eats gift cards (assuming you live somewhere that’s applicable. Also, if your wife is anything like mine she’s missed the hell out of brie/salami/charcuterie, so scoop some of that up for her. She’s going to want to eat the stuff she wasn’t able to while pregnant. 
 

 

Pro Tip:  Be the hero and offer to pick up take-out.  Go to the restaurant, place your order, enjoy a couple drinks while they prepare it.  You bring dinner home with a little buzz, and got to escape the newborn stress for a minute. 

 

"Honey, why don't I just go pick something up tonight?  I'm sure your tired of pasta and casseroles.  I'd be happy to.  How about that restaurant your friend mentioned?  Text me your order.  I'd better go now so I can get ahead of the dinner rush."

 

"Yeah, they were slammed.  Took longer than I thought.  I made sure your order was right though."  

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dcbc

dcbc 14492

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Question about some of the above techniques.  You guys are freezing meals in square plastic containers, then removing the frozen food and vacuum sealing?  Is that to avoid the change in temperature messing with the air pressure in the bag?

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tigol

tigol 2398

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22 minutes ago, dcbc said:

Question about some of the above techniques.  You guys are freezing meals in square plastic containers, then removing the frozen food and vacuum sealing?  Is that to avoid the change in temperature messing with the air pressure in the bag?

I'm guessing that they want a uniform shape in order for them to stack in the freezer easily.

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elfenix

elfenix 34326

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1 hour ago, dcbc said:

Question about some of the above techniques.  You guys are freezing meals in square plastic containers, then removing the frozen food and vacuum sealing?  Is that to avoid the change in temperature messing with the air pressure in the bag?

... how the fuck would you even do that?

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WhatTheBuck

WhatTheBuck 28788

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2 hours ago, Texas St. Armadillos said:

Pro Tip:  Be the hero and offer to pick up take-out.  Go to the restaurant, place your order, enjoy a couple drinks while they prepare it.  You bring dinner home with a little buzz, and got to escape the newborn stress for a minute. 

I once sat next to an attractive wife/mom at a restaurant bar who adopted that technique. She was having a drink and enjoying an appetizer of scallops while they prepared her to-go order. She offered me one of her scallops. They were huge so I only accepted half of one. But it was good. The restaurant was pretty new. I figured her husband was a lucky man. She seemed pretty cool. 

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dcbc

dcbc 14492

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On 9/28/2021 at 12:28 PM, tx 3 putt said:

vaccum seal machine, the one from costco is great. 

ill freeze things in a square plastic ware, pop it out and vacuum seal it. itll warm up great. this is perfect for soups, chilis, green chili pork, beans.......

also, ill grill up a mess of meat. slice and vacuum seal portions, works great. 

 

2 hours ago, elfenix said:

... how the fuck would you even do that?

That's why I asked. 

I've run into the issue of sealing something that's still relatively warm, freezing it, and having it get some air in the bag as a result of freezing too soon.  I didn't know if this was some sort of trick to work around that issue.

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NoName

NoName 16359

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5 minutes ago, dcbc said:

 

That's why I asked. 

I've run into the issue of sealing something that's still relatively warm, freezing it, and having it get some air in the bag as a result of freezing too soon.  I didn't know if this was some sort of trick to work around that issue.

for me it's more that i have a cheap ass vac sealer and freezeing it in tupperware or something like that, then vac sealing it makes it easier and i feel like i get an actual hard seal on it

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elfenix

elfenix 34326

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i never go straight to the freezer.  everything needs chilled rather quickly down below 40° so i usually put the bags in cool water, change it a couple times, then into the bottom of the fridge.  from there i freeze bags individually flat on a sheet tray - it both freezes and thaws quicker that way and stands up nice on the shelf in the freezer.  and you don't have a bunch of warm stuff in your freezer. 

dunno why putt is making big ice cubes and then rebagging, unless he just doesn't have that many plastic containers. i have a hell of a time getting frozen stuff out of plastic containers. 

Edited by elfenix
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WhatTheBuck

WhatTheBuck 28788

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On 10/11/2021 at 3:17 PM, elfenix said:

i never go straight to the freezer.  everything needs chilled rather quickly down below 40° so i usually put the bags in cool water, change it a couple times, then into the bottom of the fridge.  from there i freeze bags individually flat on a sheet tray - it both freezes and thaws quicker that way and stands up nice on the shelf in the freezer.  and you don't have a bunch of warm stuff in your freezer. 

dunno why putt is making big ice cubes and then rebagging, unless he just doesn't have that many plastic containers. i have a hell of a time getting frozen stuff out of plastic containers. 

What? You don’t flash freeze with liquid nitrogen?

Amateur. 

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