How to Individually Freeze Bulk Meat

How to Freeze Bulk Meat

I don’t know about you but I think the price of meat is ridiculous!  So when I see boneless skinless chicken breasts for $2 a pound, I buy a ton.  But what if you don’t need it right away?  Well you need to freeze it.  I know what you are thinking but there is a simple way to freeze meat without getting the dreaded “FREEZER BURN”.  All it takes is a knife, some plastic wrap and aluminum foil.  That way you can take advantage of your Costco or Sam’s Club membership to its full advantage.

Remove the meat from the package

The first step is to remove the meat from the bulk package.  In this case I am using chicken, but you can do this to pork chops, steaks, brats etc…  Once the meat is removed, trim off the excess fat.  Trust me, it is easier to trim the fat now than when you thaw it.

Trim the meat to remove the fat

Next place the meat (chicken) on a 18 inch long piece of plastic wrap.  You can use shorter, but I find that the extra layers that come from the extra length help keep the air out when you wrap the meat up.

Place the chicken on plastic wrap

Wrap the meat (chicken) one time in the plastic wrap.

Roll once

Then fold up the sides and flatten them like you are making a burrito.

Fold up the sides like you would when making a burrito

Then roll the meat (chicken) up the rest of the way.  Make sure to keep the plastic wrap tight to keep the air out.

Roll the rest of the way

Then place the wrapped chicken on a piece of aluminum foil roughly 18 inches long.  Once again you can go shorter, but I believe the excess length helps to prevent freezer burn.

Place on the foil

Like the plastic wrap, wrap the meat (chicken) one time in the foil. Then fold up the sides and flatten them like you are making a burrito.

Fold and roll the meat

Then roll the meat (chicken) up the rest of the way.  Make sure to keep the aluminum tight to keep the air out.

Label

The final step is the most important.  You need to label each one with a name and date so you know what it is and how long it has been in your freezer.  You should try to eat everything within 6 months.  This is a step you don’t want to forget especially if you freeze multiple types of meat.

Take advantage of bulk purchasing

When you are ready to eat, thaw in the fridge overnight.

Rex

Rex is an avid griller, barbecuer and bacon enthusiast. He is the Pitmaster for the Rex BBQ competition team. Rex was also featured on the TV show American Grilled. If you have any questions or wish to have Rex decode your favorite dish, click on the ASK REX link in the menu above.

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2 thoughts on “How to Individually Freeze Bulk Meat

  1. We do the bulk purchases too and come home to do a "break down and suck" party. I break down the large cuts (whole loins, ribeye, etc) and large packages, doing all the meat trimming. Alexis vacuum seals them in labeled packages. It takes a little work on the front end but it makes it so easy the rest of the month.

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