Pre-cooked, then frozen meat. Does it taste okay?

[JeneralMom]

Trying to find ways to save time, so indulge my curiousity please.

[carriede]

My answer would be no, not quite the same, but it doesn't taste off either. And yes, it very well can depend on the meat and how it was originally prepared.

 

I like to make big batches of ground meat for spaghetti sauce and tacos. I taste no difference with that between fresh and frozen. Also, I save shredded chicken after a cook a whole bird to use in casseroles or the like.

 

But I've tried reheating frozen, sliced pork loin, and while it didn't taste BAD, the texture wasn't the same. It was okay to eat, but a picky eater might have trouble. I freeze ham slices for sandwiches, they're fine.

 

I definitely wouldn't do something like a steak.

[mom@shiloh]

When I know that a "season" is coming where I will have very little time to cook, I pre-cook meat and freeze it. I'll do hamburger -- cook it, drain the grease, then freeze in ziploc bags; I'll chop chicken breasts to cook and freeze; and also do meatballs. Such a time saver and we can't taste any difference.

[Mama Geek]

I agree with the hamburger being fine, if it is other stuff I usually will use it in something like soup.

[UrbanSue]

It depends on the original cooking method and how it is used later. I cook big pork roasts and then use the frozen chunks to make a quick carnitas-style meal sometimes. It's sort of all stewed and it works. I find all soups and stews are fine. I wouldn't do it with nicer cuts where the flavor and texture were supposed to shine. I would think meatballs would be fine, too.

[Joker]

I cook and then freeze ground beef, ground turkey, shredded chicken, chicken nuggets, and meatballs. We all think it tastes fine here and it saves me a lot of time.

[Joker]

 

I'd like to try making my own chicken nuggets. How do you make yours?

 

 

I just cut chicken breasts into chunks,

dip pieces into an egg/milk mixture,

then cover with a mixture of panko whole wheat breadcrumbs, parmesean cheese, salt & pepper

then I bake them at 350 for about 20-30 minutes (I usually turn once)

 

I fried them at first but was short on time once so threw them in the oven and everyone liked them more baked. I make a big batch for us to eat and freeze the rest. We just grab what we want out of the freezer and heat up in the microwave for a quick snack or meal.

[Joker]

 

That sounds great. I didn't know they made whole wheat panko. I'll have to look for that.

 

Thank you.

 

 

The only place I've found the ww panko around here is at Whole Foods. The brand is Ian's.

[lavender's green]

I said other. Before my son was born we put lots of leftover grilled meat in the freezer since we knew we'd get about zero help with meals. We'd put that meat on salads and eat frozen soup on the side. It was good enough for post-baby food. Definitely not right, but also not awful. However, now that I'm ever so slightly more kitchen savvy, I know meat tastes better if it's frozen in a soup or sauce. It actually tastes good, not "I'll scarf it down because I need the protein for nursing and that's all we have."

[Farrar]

Other - I only ever do it for things like soups, stews and maybe occasionally casseroles. It's always fine. But I don't know how it would taste just cooked and frozen.

 

One thing I do to save time is freeze meat in the marinade. So I buy it at Costco then rebag it and sometimes cut it if that's how I'm going to want it with a marinade. Defrost and then it's ready to just be broiled or grilled.

[Debbi in Texas]

I freeze cooked meat regularly but only shredded chicken and ground beef. Sometimes bacon. The bacon is not as good. Freezing cooked pork doesn't work well for me.

[Tammyla]

I'll say it taste fine cooked into something.

 

I usually cook a meat and then freeze a little, but use the rest through out the week in other dishes.

 

Example...Winter Sat or Sun

Roasted oven chicken = dinner

Then left overs...

I clean the chicken and then make chicken stock with the bones, then I use the rest of the chicken in dishes like the following.

Mexican tortilla soup

shredded BBQ sandwiches

Chicken Alfredo pasta

chicken salad

 

Other seasons, I like to have dh BBQ and then work out the meals. I don't eat meat for the most part and I'm not a big fan of cooking it either.

 

Disclaimer....(Girls here are pretty much vegetarians, but the guys need the meat meals.)

[mrshomework]

Personally I will do it if it's in a sauce or soup. I don't like dry meats cooked and frozen. I think the texture can suffer and ice crystals usually form making it taste a bit off. In a soup the sauce and spices I think actually absorb into the meat and taste better, IMO. I don't like to reheat anything that has been frozen for more than 2 month. I don't have one of the packing systems that pulls all the air out. I have been told that makes a difference.

[LisaKinVA]

meat that is cooked and frozen will dry out...and cooking/reheating will dry it out even further. So, for meatloaf/meatballs I prep it and freeze it raw. If it's in a sauce/soup it should freeze just fine.

[Orthodox6]

 

The only place I've found the ww panko around here is at Whole Foods. The brand is Ian's.

 

 

Whole Foods sells their own brand, too. Or, at least, those here do.

[Orthodox6]

Sliced deli meats do NOT taste good post-freezer.

[JeneralMom]

Okay, i've only ever frozen cooked ham slices and they wrre fine, but I did use them in a dish, not by themselves. The issue came up because i was rereading one of my frugal books and she mentions doing this with chicken and ground meats.

 

So I am sensing the consensus is only if the meat is going to beused in soup/stew/sauce, or has been frozen along with a lot of liquid.

[LucyStoner]

My answer would be no, not quite the same, but it doesn't taste off either. And yes, it very well can depend on the meat and how it was originally prepared.

 

I like to make big batches of ground meat for spaghetti sauce and tacos. I taste no difference with that between fresh and frozen. Also, I save shredded chicken after a cook a whole bird to use in casseroles or the like.

 

But I've tried reheating frozen, sliced pork loin, and while it didn't taste BAD, the texture wasn't the same. It was okay to eat, but a picky eater might have trouble. I freeze ham slices for sandwiches, they're fine.

 

I definitely wouldn't do something like a steak.

 

What she said.