Thursday, September 2, 2010

Buying Meat in Bulk

Each month I take a trip to my local food warehouse store (Sam’s Club) and purchase the meat that I will need for my cooking this month.  I typically purchase around 12 lbs of beef and 12 lbs of boneless, skinless, chicken breasts.

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I’m not a big fan of cooking, so I like to make my meals as quick and easy as possible.  One of the ways I cut down time when cooking is to pre-cook all of my ground beef.

First, I stick it all in a big pot (usually about 6 lbs at a time).  I use my Pampered Chef Mix and Chop (I don’t know how I ever lived without this!) and just star mixing away as it cooks.

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I’ll put a lid on it so it cooks a bit faster opening the lid every once in a while to mix and chop some more.

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When all the pink is gone and the meat is browned and chopped I let it cool.

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I then divide it up into 1 lb (approximately) freezer quart size bags, take the air our, flatten them, and stick them in the freezer.  When I am ready to use one for a casserole, sauce, lasagna, taco meat, etc. I just pull one out, defrost in the microwave and warm.  With my Crock Pot Lasagna Recipe I don’t even warm it.

Crockpot Lasagna

Source: everydayfoodstorage.net

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Total Time: 3Hr. 0Min.

Ingredients

  • 8 Lasagna Noodles , uncooked
  • 1 lb Ground Beef
  • 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
  • 28 ounce jar Spaghetti Sauce
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 4 ounce canned mushrooms
  • 24 ounce Cottage Cheese
  • 2 cups mozerella cheese , Shreeded

Directions

  • 1. Break noodles. Place half in bottom of greased slow cooker.
  • 2. Brown ground beef. Drain. Stir in Italian seasoning. Spread half over noodles in slow cooker.
  • 3. Layer half of sauce and water, half of mushrooms, half of ricotta or cottage cheese and half of mozzarella cheese over beef. Repeat layers.
  • 4. Cover. Cook on low for 5 hours. (You can also double these ingredients and make 3 layers.)

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With my chicken, pork, steaks, etc. I just divide them up in to meal size portions (for my family that is usually 3 breasts).  I just pull one out and prepare as directed in the menu.

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What are some time saving tips you have?

3 comments:

  1. Great tips! I usually make several burger patties and freeze them cooked. My boys know to get them and make themselves some burgers when mom is too busy and they are hungry ;)
    Costco sells the bulk boneless, skinless, chicken breasts already prepacked into individual packets so you just tear off what you need :) I love learning something new.

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  2. Anonymous2:19 PM

    I do this but add salt and chopped onions (1 onion per 2lbs of meat) to the ground beef. That allows me to add more herbs later. It also works really well in a crock pot or in a stainless steel pot in the oven.

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  3. I just found your site...Thanks for the Ideas!!!

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