How to Turn Bulk Meat Purchases Into Pre-Packaged Meals

If you have the cash when the meat sales are going on, make sure you take advantage. Buy the bulk meat and some freezer bags and start saving time and money. It is very helpful to have a meat grinder at home, but you can ask your butcher to do it for you. You can make a one week supply, a two week supply, or a month of meals. It really just depends on your budget, your cash, and your ambition. In the warmer summer months this is a great way to help yourself to less work in the heat of dinner time. Sometimes a sale on beef is so cheap, it would cost more to buy the ground beef, than to do it yourself. You can get either a hand meat grinder or an electric meat grinder from a thrift store, just make sure you sanitize it properly.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Bulk meat
• Plastic freezer bags
• meat grinder if you have one, or have the butcher do it for you.

1. Buy as much meat as your budget can stand during a meat truck sale or store promotion. Pick up at least as many freezer bags as you think you may need. Set aside the day you buy the meat to accommodate at least 3 hours of cutting, seasoning, and preparing the meat you bought.

2. Decide the main dishes you will be cooking and serving. ie. mix your ground beef into meatloaves, and patties, etc. Thinly slice your meat into 1/4 inch thick slices and place them in a bag with soy sauce, brown sugar vinegar and freeze in this marinade for fajitas, stir fry, and teriyaki, etc.

3. Clearly label and date the packages and use them as you prepared them. Saves you time, money, and work.

Tips & Warnings

• Always wash the meat before you slice and freeze, or marinade and freeze.
• Because you have prepackaged your meals you can always pull out an extra pack if you have unexpected guests.
• Do not ever think that you can leave these things unfrozen for more than 3 days without using them.
• You must immediately freeze these meals to prevent bacteria growth.
• If you grind your own meat, especially turkey or chicken, use extra cross contamination precautions.