I don’t know about you but I think the price of meat is ridiculous! Â So when I see boneless skinless chicken breasts for $2 a pound, I buy a ton. Â But what if you don’t need it right away? Â Well you need to freeze it. Â I know what you are thinking but there is a simple way to freeze meat without getting the dreaded “FREEZER BURN”. Â All it takes is a knife, some plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Â That way you can take advantage of your Costco or Sam’s Club membership to its full advantage.
The first step is to remove the meat from the bulk package. Â In this case I am using chicken, but you can do this to pork chops, steaks, brats etc… Â Once the meat is removed, trim off the excess fat. Â Trust me, it is easier to trim the fat now than when you thaw it.
Next place the meat (chicken) on a 18 inch long piece of plastic wrap. Â 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.
Wrap the meat (chicken) one time in the plastic wrap.
Then fold up the sides and flatten them like you are making a burrito.
Then roll the meat (chicken) up the rest of the way. Â Make sure to keep the plastic wrap tight to keep the air out.
Then place the wrapped chicken on a piece of aluminum foil roughly 18 inches long. Â Once again you can go shorter, but I believe the excess length helps to prevent freezer burn.
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.
Then roll the meat (chicken) up the rest of the way. Â Make sure to keep the aluminum tight to keep the air out.
The final step is the most important. Â 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. Â You should try to eat everything within 6 months. Â This is a step you don’t want to forget especially if you freeze multiple types of meat.
When you are ready to eat, thaw in the fridge overnight.
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.
I couldn't agree more with your description of "break down and suck". While it sucks up front, it more than makes up for the time and money saved later.