How many of us know how to freeze cooked meat properly so that it lasts up to 3 months in the freezer? Here are a few tips for freezing cooked meat so that it is remains preserved even after 3 months. Read on...

Steps for Freezing Cooked Meat Successfully

Freeze and store leftover turkey after Thanksgiving or some excess beef that you have cooked. Follow the steps given below:

1. Divide the cooked meat into portions so that you need to thaw only what is required.
2. Keep meat to be frozen moist so that it does not dry out during freezing. Add gravy, sauces and dripping into the freezer bags along with cooked meat to ensure that it does not get dry. The cold air in the freezer can occasionally bring about excessive drying and you need to compensate for this loss of moisture by adding adequate quantity at the time of freezing.
3. Wrap or pack cooked meat as airtight as possible since this would keep meat fresh for longer time after freezing. Press down on zipper bags while packing to void as much air as possible. You can try filling up the bag with broth, but make sure that in this case you leave a headspace for expansion while freezing.
4. Label the bags with the date of freezing.
5. Place bags with cooked meat at the back of the freezer and let the bags be frozen solid. Once frozen, the bags can be stored anywhere in the freezer.
6. Frozen cooked meat can be used up to 3 months from the time of freezing.
7. Thaw it in the refrigerator for about 8 to 10 hours prior to using frozen cooked meat.

Tips for Freezing of Cooked Meat

• Cool the cooked meat prior to freezing it. Place the meat to be frozen in refrigerator for a couple of hours.
• Gravy and dripping of the meat should be stirred occasionally while being cooled in refrigerator or in a sink filled with ice water.

Freeze cooked meat and enjoy a readymade meal after a long & tiring day at work!

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