Taking Advantage of Bulk Burger Prices!

Intro: Taking Advantage of Bulk Burger Prices!

How many times have you seen ads in the paper for ridiculously low prices on bulk ground beef. Then you ask yourself what am I going to do with a 5, 10 or 15 pounds of ground meat? Ive seen people throw 5 lb bags of ground meat in the freezer. Which is fine as long as you remember to get it out 4 days before you are going to use it.

Ive found a better way, repackage it into smaller portions. I portion them into 1 quart zip lock bags then make them about one inch thick so they thaw out in no time.

You will need:

Several 1 Quart Zip Lock Bags
Kitchen Scale
Sharpie or Magic Marker

STEP 1: Label Your Bags

I had a 6+ pound bag of bulk hamburger. So I labeled 5 bags 1lb. You can date them too if you want, mine doesn't usually last that long.

STEP 2: Weigh the Meat

I then grabbed a wad of burger and put it in the bag and set it on the scale.

STEP 3: Fine Tune the Weight

Then you add a little more, or take some away, until you reach 1 lb (or so)

STEP 4: Pack and Flatten

Then pack and flatten the meat into the bag. This makes for easy thawing later. It also cuts down on freezer burn.

STEP 5: Weigh the Last Bag and Put in Freezer

When you get to the last bag label it accordingly, I had 1.5 lbs left. Then your ready to pop them into the freezer.

So get out there and stock up your freezer with bargain basement meat. You will be glad you did.

Comments

[robersona]

I've got a very large family and have always done this. It saves so much money and having it portioned out is so convenient. Thanks for spreading this money saving tip!

[lemonie]

(I haven't seen any ads in the paper for ridiculously low prices on bulk ground beef where I live). But, why do you take the trouble to weigh accurately into 1 pound 'deals' - are you selling these? L

[JDBennett]

Nope, not selling. It is just a nice size for recipes and quickly thawing it out. These flat packs thaw out much quicker then a five pound blob.

[caitlinsdad]

For cooks it seems to be a convienent size for a family meal and is probably the norm in family recipies. You can also portion it quite easily - four 1/4 burgers, two hungry-man burgers, pot of meat sauce for 1lb of pasta, etc... I sometimes shop at those warehouse-club markets and do buy large portions of seafood, sometimes meats - the price is slightly cheaper and I do re-portion it into 1-poundish packages but I think I can just eyeball it.

[lemonie]

See you've said it "1-poundish packages but I think I can just eyeball it". I'd do the same. If you've got 5x 1pound and 1x not 1 pound at some point you have to make a decision to use the not 1 pound. L

[jello666]

We double wrap the 1 lb chunks with plastic wrap and then put 4 of them in a large freezer bag to keep things tidy in the freezer. No searching for the burger. With wrapping in plastic wrap it prevents freezer burn and the freezer bags can be used over and over because no meat actually touched the inside of the bag.

[Joe Martin]

Whys your beef got brown patches all over it, It looks like it's gone off! Very nice ible' though.

[tecneeq]

It get's brown if it had contact with oxygen. Ground meat in germany is sealed in a plastic containers with some kind of gas that keeps the meat red. I call it cheating ;). There is also a salt that keeps it red, but i forgot it's name.

[jello666]

they mostly use nitrogen to displace the oxygen stunting bacterial growth.. The salt they use is a potassium nitrate(saltpeter) and salt mix. Here in Canada we have actually found meat that has been dyed bright red. Yummy. Brownish is O.K. grey is not.

[lemonie]

Beef does go brown, it's normal. It doesn't look too good, which is why people spend money on protective atmospheres. See here for example:
MAP

L

[acesnanna]

Thanks for a very good Instructable...most people forget to get the air out of the package when they freeze....I think you mentioned that...by the way...if one does not trust their butcher shop...they should find another....Clean food is of the utmost importance..You made a very good point of that...knowing the weight of the meat is one of the best ways of knowing if you have enough in your packages for you and your family...In this economy many many many people will be blessing you for giving them a nice way to save and feed a family.... thank YOU... Ace's Nanna

[JDBennett]

Thanks for the feedback

[acesnanna]

Do you have a "seal a meal"....I have a couple, dare I mention that there are HUNTERS in my family??? Being wise enough to preserve your hunt is not only worthwhile to you....but as natives WE KNOW that if you waste it is an insult to your game animal.....The same goes for a home grown animal....I giggled at the reference to the animals on a farm as "PETS" Every farm kid KNOWS they are not "pets" but a part of a healthy clean food chain! Sending you blessings.. Ace's Nanna

[JDBennett]

Yeah I have a seal-a-meal, but I don't use it any more. It's just a lot easier and quicker to do it this way. I suppose if I was going to freeze it for a long time I would probably break out the seal-a-meal. These only last about a month or two so it's kind of a waste to use the expensive seal-a-meal bags.

[acesnanna]

You make a very good point.....the bags are costly....I very much enjoyed your instructions..you did a very nice job on them...It's funny how little thought seems to go into processing our food... Just open a can and there it is!!! BUT in a very real way, that is getting so it is unsafe..This way you KNOW what is in those bags.. Who had their hands in your food.... Very good, and thank you...

[pansartax]

Protip: When you have them packaged and done, make squares by pressing down the thin edge of a cutting board onto the plastic bag just before you freeze. Makes it easy to break off small pieces or just as much as you need :)

[JDBennett]

That's a great idea! especially if a recipe calls for a pound and a half or quarter.

[thematthatter]

Ask yourself what is the fat content of this bulk beef? Also ground beef has a ridiculously short shelf life. Your dealing with a product that has been frozen, thawed, ground up, mixed with fat, chilled, and then frozen again. Yeah there is a reason why its so cheep. Also please dont buy meat that doesnt have an est. number. Youll see a little USDA shield and an establishment number. A lot of people sell downer cows with no establishment number as cheep meat.

[JDBennett]

My mistake, I assumed that everyone knows enough to by only quality meat from a butcher or store they trust. Make sure you know the fat content, 80/20 offers the best flavor. Always buy only freshly ground meat that is dated.

[l8nite]

Ive been doing this for years, the local grocery packs 5lbs packages and a local butcher sells 10 and 15lb bags at upto 25% off. I don't weigh the packs, just eyeball it, (thats enough for dinner) I also premake burger patties (single serve between 1/4 and 1/2lb) Flatten the packages and remove as much air as possible before sealing. In a hurry and forgot to thaw out a pack of hamburger? Get a big sheet of foil, slice a large onion and layer on foil, lay the frozen meat on the onions( take out of baggie) salt,pepper and more onions or onion soup mix, seal the foil into a package and place on a baking sheet in 300f oven for about an hr. You could also add bacon... cut into 5 and serve on hard rolls