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Purchasing / Freezing Meat

FarmerTom
FarmerTom Posts: 685
in EggHead Forum

I am relatively new to egg cooking.  I always thought dogs, burgers, brats, and steaks were about all there was to grill on my old weber.  And then the family got me a medium Egg for Christmas.  First burgers were the best I ever cooked.  So tried steak next and we were sold on meat from an Egg.  Have since cooked lots of burgers, steaks, country style ribs, pork loins, a boston butt, and a small brisket.  It now has me regularly perusing the meat counter to see what's on sale.  Just happened to be there today when boston butts were being marked down (got 2) and found a 3 pack of ribeyes marked down. 

 Which brings me to my question.  How do you good folks go about freezing and thawing your meat?  Do you do any extra wrapping? And how do you thaw your meat?  Just lay it out, or I have put meat in a large zip lock bag in warm water to speed it on its way.  Is there anything you don't ever freeze, only cook it fresh?  I appreciate any and all advice.  I'm just as new to cooking as I am to egging.  My wife always did almost all of the purchasing and cooking except the little I did on Mr. Weber.  I'm hooked, I love to cook on my egg.  Now I just have to save up for that XL, and make me a grilling shed, and get that DigiQ, and, and, and, I don't think it's going to end.

Tommy 

Middle of Nowhere, Northern Kentucky
   1 M, 1 XL, a BlackStone,1 old Webber, a Border Collie, a German Shepherd and 3 of her pups, and 2 Yorkies

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Comments

  • DMW
    DMW Posts: 13,836
    I vac seal meat before freezing if it isn't cryovaced from the store. 

    You want to freeze it as fast as possible, so a deep freezer is preferred over the freezer portion of your fridge.

    For thawing, refrigerator. Or while vac sealed, in ice water. Sounds counterproductive, but a 32* water bath in direct contact with the vac sealed meat will thaw faster than a 38* fridge.

    They/Them
    Morgantown, PA

    XL BGE - S BGE - KJ Jr - HB Legacy - BS Pizza Oven - 30" Firepit - King Kooker Fryer -  PR72T - WSJ - BS 17" Griddle - XXL BGE  - BS SS36" Griddle - 2 Burner Gasser - Pellet Smoker
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  • JRWhitee
    JRWhitee Posts: 5,678
    It never ends, I two refrigerators in the basement one in the kitchen and the freezers are all full, I also had to buy a food savor since air equals freezer burn. If I know what I am cooking for the weekend I will pull from freezer and put in the refrigerator if I want it for the next day i just put it in the sink over night and the refrigerator in the morning.

                                                                
    _________________________________________________
    Don't let the truth get in the way of a good story!
    Large BGE 2006, Mini Max 2014, 36" Blackstone, Anova Sous Vide
    Green Man Group 
    Johns Creek, Georgia
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  • FarmerTom
    FarmerTom Posts: 685

    Like most things, I'm sure you can spend as much as you're willing on a vac sealer.  But really, just how good a machine does it take?  I have seen lots of them in the cooking sections of sporting goods stores.  Any suggestions?

    Tommy 

    Middle of Nowhere, Northern Kentucky
       1 M, 1 XL, a BlackStone,1 old Webber, a Border Collie, a German Shepherd and 3 of her pups, and 2 Yorkies

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  • Durangler
    Durangler Posts: 1,122
    I'd agree with DMW on the Vacuum seal. He's a good cook. ;)
    Mr, JRWhitee knows what he's talking about also. :)
    Solid advice.
    XL BGE, 22" Weber Red Head, Fiesta Gasser .... Peoria,AZ
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  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 26,466
    Tom - threads here about Food Savers are numerous. Try the search feature. BTW we buy on sale and freeze ALL the time! Whether it be beef, pork, chicken, fish and even Greenie Chew Bones for my dogs teeth!
    Re-gasketing the USA one yard at a time 
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  • SkinnyV
    SkinnyV Posts: 3,404
    I do both can't say I can tell a difference between vac sealed frozen and frozen in store package if cooked proper.
    This is assuming the store frozen has not been in too long.
    Oh and the vac sealed does look more pretty and packaged niceley :)
    Seattle, WA
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  • JRWhitee
    JRWhitee Posts: 5,678
    The vac seal is important if it is going to be in the freezer for a while.
                                                                
    _________________________________________________
    Don't let the truth get in the way of a good story!
    Large BGE 2006, Mini Max 2014, 36" Blackstone, Anova Sous Vide
    Green Man Group 
    Johns Creek, Georgia
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  • Jeepster47
    Jeepster47 Posts: 3,827
    Check your freezer.  Does it have a defrost feature?  If so, then don't store meat in it for any appreciable length of time.  A dedicated freezer, that doesn't cycle the temps or cycle air through the compartment to defrost it, is much easier on frozen meat.

    Washington, IL  >  Queen Creek, AZ ... Two large eggs and an adopted Mini Max

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  • logchief
    logchief Posts: 1,431
    Vac seal is the only way to go for bulk meat in the freezer and they're outstanding for a lot of other things.  My Bride got me a Food Saver several years ago.  It gets extensive use after a trip to Costco.  Keeps for months, no freezer burn.
    LBGE - I like the hot stuff.  The big dry San Joaquin Valley, Clovis, CA 
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  • THE DRU
    THE DRU Posts: 63
    I have a Food Saver vac sealer, cost about $125. Use it to freeze meat and sous vide cook.

    Versailles, KY

    XL, Lg, MM, Performer, Q

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