Made some stew freezer meals

[dragnlaw]

I had bought some stew meat, just over 1 k (about 2 lbs). Now cooking for 1, that's a lot of stew!
Luckily after about 40 years I bought another slow cooker about 10 yrs ago and I love it. I had chucked my first one back in the 60's just couldn't get used to it, never made a single decent meal in it. I now have a Cuisinart - does it all, Browns, Sears - Steam - and of course Slow Cook, hi & lo. Has a steaming rack, a glass lid for peeking inside, and aluminum cook pot. It is a 4 Quart capacity.

Yesterday, after cutting most of the pieces in half to bite size, I started browning them in the pot. Does a great job, still had to do it in lots so as not to overcrowd. Removed, softened some onion, added celery and carrot, blob of tomato paste. Added meat back, water, added some beef concentrate as there really wasn't much fat on the meat (surprise). Couple of bay leaves.
Brought it back to a boil and then set it to slow cook for 8 hours. Done. Other than the bay leaves I did not add any extra seasonings. My bad, I did forget to sprinkle with flour at the end of browning,, mixed up a slurry and tossed that in.

Today I'm going to portion it out meat with liquids and bag them up for the freezer. Hopefully there should be about 8 meals there for me.
When ready, I will defrost, add maybe 1/2 cup more water and seasonings to match whichever kind of stew I want. I have several kinds that I haven't made in maybe 40 years. One is sort of a beef pie, with biscuits around the edge/top. German, with apple, cabbage, noodles. Old fashioned, potatoes and carrots. and a quicky shortcut one with tomato, carrots, lima bean and corn. (lol- called shortcut for the speed with which to prepare, still takes time to cook).

They all still take time to cook and blend together but the heavier, stand over, messier part is done. The meat is super tender.

 

[Badjak]

I have never gotten the hang of cooking for 1....
There is always something for the freezer

 

[dragnlaw]

I hear yuh, even on the farm I cooked for 3 to 4 and just invited a friend or rest into the freezer. But then I would forget they were there. and yes, even with lists and notes on the doors. LOL
But here for some reason I'm starting to get the hang of it.
I often go to One Dish Kitchen for inspiration. As sometimes the meal just isn't suited for the freezer and/or I don't want to eat it for a week.

 

[Badjak]

Luckily a lot of what I cook freezes well.
Curries, stews, pasta sauce etc
But I do keep it in the back of my mind and change the spicing.

I start of a little plain, take out what I won't eat, spice what I am eating.

Let's say I make pasta sauce. Fry ground meat, onions, garlic, bit of chili's. Portion
Pasta sauce now gets Italian spices, fresh herbs etc
The part left behind could easily become a curry. Fry a bit of extra garlic and chili's. Add ginger, left behind sauce, garam masala etc
You get the idea (I hope)

 

[Sir_Loin_of_Beef]

I managed to score a 15oz can of fully cooked ground pork and decided to make it into chili con carnitas. It made enough so that I ate a big bowlful and I have a pint container in the fridge and two quart containers in the freezer. I ate the first bowl with flour tortillas, but will be making cast iron skillet corn bread with jalopy peppers for the rest.

 

[dragnlaw]

Well perhaps this stew is a start for planning ahead, I hope!

Many times I plan for two meals ... only then because it's so darn good, I eat 3/4 of it and the last little 1/4 is either breakfast or lunch.

 

[Badjak]

Well perhaps this stew is a start for planning ahead, I hope!

Many times I plan for two meals ... only then because it's so darn good, I eat 3/4 of it and the last little 1/4 is either breakfast or lunch.

Oh, I do that
(Generally for 4 though)
But add extra onion or tomato or eggs and you are back to a full meal.
Which you then misjudged and you can't eat all, so you got left overs.
So you add.....
Eternal meals

 

[taxlady]

I should remember to do this. One of the things I have done every now and then for a few decades is fry up a bunch of ground beef or pork with chopped onions. Then I put some waxed paper or similar on a sheet pan and spread out the meat-onion mix in a single layer. It goes in the freezer. Once it is frozen solid, I break it up and put it in a bag or other freezer container and stick it back in the freezer. If I'm wide awake, I might remember to label the container/bag while the meat is still in the freezer on the sheet pan. I love being able to grab handfuls of cooked ground meat that can be used in so many ways. It defrosts really quickly on a hot pan or in a hot sauce, stew, or soup on the stove.

 

[taxlady]

Oh, I do that
(Generally for 4 though)
But add extra onion or tomato or eggs and you are back to a full meal.
Which you then misjudged and you can't eat all, so you got left overs.
So you add.....
Eternal meals

I watched video today from a YT channel that I am following at the moment - Pasta Grammar. It's made by a young couple: an American man and his Italian wife. She was talking about mistakes people make with pasta. One of those mistakes was reheating pasta in the microwave. She said something along the lines of "Why would you use the MW to make something ugly that could be used to make a new and wonderful meal? They have a video of some Italian dishes that are made with leftover pasta. Now, I'm off to find and watch that video.

 

[taxlady]

I like the idea of repurposing leftovers so much that I think I'll start a thread for that.

 

[dragnlaw]

ne of the things I have done every now and then for a few decades is fry up a bunch of ground beef or pork with chopped onions.

I remember you saying that. I've been telling myself to do it ever since but... just never seem to get there.
I do however, when I purchase a large amount of ground meat, divide into 1/2 lb portions and freeze. Same with chicken breasts, thighs, 2 or 3 per pkg., legs also.

 

[taxlady]

I remember you saying that. I've been telling myself to do it ever since but... just never seem to get there.
I do however, when I purchase a large amount of ground meat, divide into 1/2 lb portions and freeze. Same with chicken breasts, thighs, 2 or 3 per pkg., legs also.

I don't do it nearly as often as would be useful. I have an excuse at the moment. There isn't enough space in my freezer to balance a sheet pan to freeze the meat-onion mix.

 

[dragnlaw]

LOL.... so now you have to eat up and make some room! LOL

I've been trying very hard to keep a running tab on contents. Not only on the freezer (both here & garage) but also fresh vegies in the fridge.

Not working too well, but I'm trying.

 

[pictonguy]

Yeah, been making stews and freezing them for decades.

 

[dragnlaw]

Never really did when younger as the budget was such that weekly purchases were for immediate meals and a big stew fed the family. Any small leftovers were work lunches for Dad and maybe one kid.
I have a recipe for 1 (or 2) but that entailed dividing meat or only purchasing a very small amount at a time.
So when this came on sale I snatched it up for the slow cooker and then to divide.

 

[dragnlaw]

Update, final count. got 7 meals out of it. Packaged up 6 for the freezer and 1 is in the fridge waiting for some inspirational revelation to create with it.