Efficiently Storing Meat in the Freezer

Last weekend, my mother-in-law found skinless boneless chicken breast on sale for $1.49 per pound. She bought us a huge tray of chicken. I love the idea of buying meat on sale for those times you spot a bargain. It's easy to store bulk meat in the freezer using these tips. This entire process takes a few minutes of your time and it saves you lots of money. You pay a premium for individually frozen meat.

Write the date and contents on the freezer resealable bag.

Trim the meat. On a dedicated cutting board for meat, use a sharp knife to trim away excess fat or bones. If you use the meat in chunks or strips, it's easy to do it all now.

Wrap an individual breast or commonly used portion (1/2 lb for example) in a piece of wax paper. This makes defrosting easy when you're ready to use the meat.

Place wrapped meat in freezer bag and squeeze out excess air. Try to organize and prioritize this in your freezer so you will grab the oldest first.

To defrost, fill your sink with water and the wrapped pieces are easy to remove from the bag.

What you need:

• Wax paper
• Freezer plastic bags
• Permanent marker
• Cutting board
• Sharp knife

Time saving tip: Set aside the portion of meat that that you might need for the upcoming 4-5 days. I like to cook a couple chicken breasts under the broiler to have on hand for salads and meals for the week.