Meat loaf Bake First???

[oberhaslikid]

I have 30 lbs of Hamburger I got on sale. Made 3 meat loaves and meat balls.
Iam baking the meat balls now .Once cooled I will Vac pack and freeze.
Would the meat loaf be better frozen raw to bake later? or Go ahead and bake to heat and eat later ????

 

[Imp]

You could do either, but I think I'd freeze raw so it would taste fresher when you do cook it. Just a couple of caveats.

Has it been handled safely during preparation? If it has been out at room temp for a while I might thoroughly cook it first. Food safety you know.

If you do freeze raw, make sure it is thawed safely and all the way through. Baking it with a frozen center could mean it won't get cooked safely.

Imp

 

[oberhaslikid]

Your right.
I am gonna bake them So DH could just heat them up and eat. I think I got caught up in the moment.LOL
Iam trying to prepare foods he can fix for when I am away for 3 weeks at a time.
Thank you

 

[adoptedbyachicken]

I would not freeze them whole then. My hubby will not eat the same thing long enough to do a whole one, and some would go to waste. 1/3 he would finish up, then move on to something else. Something to think about anyway.

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

I am making my first meatloaf tonight!

 

[wildorchid053]

i would freeze them after cooked.. when you thaw raw burger the blood oozes out and could get messy

 

[booker81]

Alternative is to make "meat loaf muffins" - I've done this before. Just portion it out into a greased large muffin tin, bake them, and freeze them. Thaw and heat in the microwave. Two or three would make a meal for a big eater

 

[ranchhand]

For my DH I would bake, chill in the fridge and pack it for the freezer in portions of 2 thick slices. Just enough for one meal and if he wants more he can take two portions out.

My MIL was the Queen of having frozen instant meals on hand. She would make a barge load of lasagna, tetrazzini, any kind of meal and chill, cut into portions, wrap in plastic wrap and freeze. She didn't have a vacuum system so she stored all the portions in zip top bags. It's really easy to take out what you want and zap it in the microwave.

I do this a lot too, because DH takes his lunch every day. I make large amounts and freeze them in portions so his lunch isn't always a rerun of dinner the night before. I do have some plastic freezer containers for soups, chili, spaghetti and the like. I freeze sausage biscuits in pairs, waffles, pancakes for breakfasts or a snack. ALL of it is cooked first because thawing and cooking is not his idea of a good time while I'm gone.

 

[ranchhand]

Quote:
VERY good point!

 

[bigmike&nan]

That is a lot of raw hamburger. I would make up some burger patties too. What I do is buy what is called meatloaf mix (ground beef, veal and pork in equal portions), mix in chopped parsley, scallions, bread crumbs, beaten eggs, Herbs de Provence, some barbeque sauce and salt and pepper. Mix that well - what I do is take Glad type lunch sized storage containers, and tear off 10x5 inch pieces of parchment paper. I lay them down in the containers and make a patty, fold the parchment over the first one, then make a 2nd patty and put a lid on and freeze them. Repeat until all the meat is used up. That way the wife and I want burgers I just pull them about 4 hours before dinner to thaw. Wonderful.

You could do the same with some of that ground beef. Being she's on weight watchers we have them without a bun or roll, like a mini-meatloaf.