Essential items in the freezer

[boufa06]

Charlie, a rasher of bacon is a slice or strip of bacon.

 

[skilletlicker]

As for bacon, I buy three pound thick slice packages, then cut the slab in half and wrap in individual Saran Wrap packages of four half slices and store all of them in a gallon freeaer bag.

Also various fruits and vegetables.

Meats including some or all of pork butt, whole chickens, chuck roast, ground meats and sausages, preferably ground at home.

Misc. items such as homemade broths, yeast, butter, homemade masa, ice cream and or freezing container, and of course plenty of ice for cocktails.

 

[Sararwelch]

My freezer is usually stocked with:

bacon
pesto (parsley, cilantro and basil)
citrus juice and zest
stock (turkey and lamb stock right now)
frozen peas
frozen artichoke hearts
frozen spinach
various meats and seafood

 

[BreezyCooking]

I just have a small refrigerator freezer, but do try to have the following in it at all times:

ice
boneless skinless chicken breasts
boneless skinless chicken thighs
cooked shelled deveined shrimp
ground turkey
turkey &/or chicken sausage
ravioli - any type
frozen spinach - any brand
various packages of the "Hanover" brand line of "petite" vegetables - primarily carrots, snap peas, string beans, peas, & brussel sprouts (all other veggies I prefer to buy fresh)
I also buy & freeze bacon (both turkey & regular) when it's on sale.

Those are my essentials which, in addition to all the stuff in my pantry & fridge, enable me to toss together any number of dishes quick as a flash if need be.

 

[Nicholas Mosher]

2-C Containers of Chicken, Brown Chicken, Brown Veal, and Fish Stocks (1-gal/8 containers each).
Bones/tidbits that are soon to become stocks.
1/2-C Containers of Veal and Chicken Demiglaces (1-qt/8 containers each).
Thai Chiles, Lemongrass, and Kaffir Lime Leaves.
Flying Fish Roe (Tobiko), Smelt Roe (Masago), BBQ'd Eel (Unagi).
Various sizes of uncooked/unpeeled (but cleaned!) shrimp.
Couple back-up pounds of whole unsalted butter (Haha!).
Frozen whole berries from the summer months.
Bag of Peas n' Carrots for bulking up quick batches of fried rice or pilaf.
ICE! (Two trays... which is just enough for my rate of consumption!).

That about fills it to 3/4 capacity. I like to leave some room for the air to circulate properly.
Oh, I also keep a thermometer in there for reference if things seem off...

...

Meats & Fish I prefer fresh (as well as most vegetables). I buy whatever is on sale each week which provides fresh items that are low in price. Adds suprise and variety to my cooking repertoire as well.

I used to freeze batches of Marinara sauce, but I compared a reheated frozen batch with a fresh batch and can't touch the frozen stuff anymore. I've read that below certain temperatures there are flavor compounds in tomatoes that pretty-much "shut-down" for lack of better words.

Occassionally I will freeze a batch of homemade apple sauce or homemade ice cream.

 

[stinemates]

I always keep 1 cup sizes of stock (chicken, beef, veal, pork) in plastic baggies.

Aside from that, it's always meat meat meat. I keep my favorites -- Rib Eye, New York, London Broil... 1 whole roasting chicken, and a few different ways I like to break chicken down (Like.. thigh bone only removed, use it for stuffed breast [the leg bone helps with tieing and structure])

Oh, and popsicles!

 

[attie]

Benni--
I just GOOGLED RASHER and came up with:

The term rasher can be confusing. It can mean a single strip of bacon, or it can mean three or four strips of bacon, especially when it appears on a restaurant menu.

You must be referring to one slice of bacon to roll up for freezing.

I too freeze my bacon but, I lay out a piece of foil and place 4 slices on the foil and roll over and continue placing 4 slices and rolling to cover. This way they are flat. I will "nuke" them to seperate the slices and then pop them into the pan or the to griddle.

TIA,
Charlie

What we call "rashers" are different to what must of you use. The belly flap is still attached to the eye of ours whereas I think you use just the eye piece only

 

[corazon]

Ice Cream, of course!

We usually have
Bacon
Spiral Ham that we divide up to small portions (great for throwing in potatoes au gratin or making sandwiches)
Almond Paste (dh has dire needs for galettes sometimes)
Pork Tenderloin
Freezer Jam (I make a ton every summer)
Pesto

 

[TATTRAT]

bacon
Popsicles
Veggies
HagenDaz
bubba Burgers for in a pinch
and LOTS OF ICE! I use like a tray per glass!

 

[StirBlue]

What we call "rashers" are different to what must of you use. The belly flap is still attached to the eye of ours whereas I think you use just the eye piece only

I've bought bulk bacon cut as you describe. I just thought it to be the butcher's preference.

We always keep an injury ice pack in the freezer. We also have freezer packs for lunch boxes and small camping coolers (bait boxes).

 

[Benni]

Rashers of Bacon

This is what we call rashers (or strips) of bacon

Bacon rashers and egg

 

[BreezyCooking]

That's right - how could I forget the gazillion little ice packs that I've saved from every perishable item I've ever ordered in my life - LOL!!!!

 

[attie]

That's them Benni, where abouts are you?
My cousin lives in Washington and I was relying on what he has told me but he never told me what was done with the belly flap, used fresh I would guess.

 

[kimbaby]

Ice
meats
frozen veggies fresh or store bought
frozen Pizza & tv dinners
pedilyte pops for the baby when he gets sick
and a box of arm anf hammer...