We'd shopped at a warehouse store and brought home 12 pounds of ground beef. We've already found that meatballs are one of our favorite ways to use the freezer: it's extremely efficient, and it's the only way we have spaghetti and meatballs on busy weekdays. I decided to use 6 pounds of beef for meatballs, 3 for meatloaf, and 3 for browned meat (which can be used in chili, sloppy joes, burritos, etc.). I didn't start with a written plan, but I should have: I was lucky that the mistake I made wasn't a problem!
Since the meatballs would be baked and the meatloaf would be frozen uncooked, I decided to start with the meatballs. I had to use two bowls, with 3 pounds of meat in each one. I added breadcrumbs, chopped garlic, black pepper, basil, and ketchup. (I actually didn't intend to add ketchup--I got distracted and was thinking about meatloaf!--but it didn't make any difference.)

The mixture seemed too wet, so I added more breadcrumbs and some grated parmesan cheese.

I shaped the mixture into meatballs and put them into two 13 x 9-inch pans for baking (425 degrees for about 20-25 minutes).

I still had about half of the meat mixture left, so I shaped it into meatballs, layered them in one of the bowls, and stuck it in the refrigerator.

While the first two pans of meatballs were in the oven, I opened the second 6-pound package of ground beef. I started browning half of it in a large skillet, and put the other half in the other mixing bowl. (Yes, I reused the bowl I'd used for the meatball mixture.) I added the rest of the meatloaf ingredients--chopped garlic (reserved from what I'd chopped for the meatballs), chopped onion, breadcrumbs, black pepper, basil, and ketchup.

I'd intended to shape that into two 1-1/2-pound meatloaves, but those didn't quite fit into the quart freezer bags that I'd already labeled. I decided to make three 1-pound meatloaves instead. I wrapped them and put them in the refrigerator.
By this time the first pans of meatballs were finished baking. I started transferring them to a plate to cool.

The meat in the skillet was done, too, so I turned off the heat and let it start to cool. When it was somewhat cooled, I divided it between two freezer bags.
I baked the remaining meatballs, packaged everything, and cleaned up. For just a couple of hours of effort, this is what I'm adding to the freezer:
- 8 packages of cooked meatballs (8 per bag)
- 3 meatloaves (1 pound each)
- 2 packages of browned meat (1-1/2 pounds each)
I'm linking up to Cooking Thursday at Sandra's Diary of a Stay at Home Mom! I'm also linking to Freezer Cooking Day at Money Saving Mom (in conjunction with Life as Mom).
Great tips!! I have a few freezer meal cookbooks. I need to try them out. :) Our parents gave us a small chest freezer two Christmases ago, and it has been such a blessing.
ReplyDeleteApparently great minds think a like! LOL.
ReplyDeleteGreat tips!
ReplyDeleteRenee'
http://reneesfoodblog.blogspot.com/
Oh my gosh Melissa I could never be that organized. I'm lucky to plan what meats to prepare for a week, never mind pre-cooking in bulk!
ReplyDeletelol, my husband would freak if he came home and i was doing that... i just do not have the cooking bone in me... I have NO desire to cook, so when I get that thought... I have to go to the store and get whatever...
ReplyDeletemaybe now with a baby, I might try this!
Thanks for the meatball recipe. I am new to OAMC, and looking for new ideas. I am doing meat loaf mini's for the first time, which I'm excited about.
ReplyDelete