Things for the Freezer and to make and Freeze Part One

Now that I have one of the freezers up and running I am keen to get a wriggle on and get things stashed away. I tend to freeze most items for my freezer myself and prefer to buy fresh ingredients where at all possible.  Perhaps the exception to this is frozen petit-pois but the rest if I can I do myself I will do.  However, I do buy frozen goods as well.

I was able to buy another tray of eggs from my local Butcher during the week.  These are free range eggs and so golden in colour and so tasty.  As a result of having the new tray of eggs, I have a few eggs left over. They will not last too much longer and so I have started my stockpile for the freezer of frozen eggs.  These ones are destined to be frozen whole, but I also intend to mix them up and then use them for scrambled egg etc as well. I had thought on mixing some of these up into the quantity of eggs I need for a batch Victoria Sponge cake method I have to make things a little easier in the longer-term. 

When I have enough eggs stock-piled I intend to have a bit of a "batch" baking session and then freeze the baking to bring out as an emergency go to, in order to ensure a supply of cake.  Especially useful to have when unwell and not able to deal with normal tasks.  A bit of cake always cheers the soul.

One thing the Coronavirus has made me do is appreciate what I have food wise and to value it more.   Something we should all do. 

I am normally lucky enough to take advantage of reductions at the Veg shop and intend to buy when I see and freeze the items up and use them later on either for puddings or for jam etc as well in respect of fruit and in the case of veggies a ready made supply of prepared veggies just to add to a meal at a moment's notice.  I do tend to portion control the veggies as well. Then when I get a few moments I can play to my heart's content, make the most of my time, and add to my pantry shelves.

We went to the butchers yesterday and bought some more goodies which have also ended up in the freezer.  We have been buying a little every so often choosing only what we want and need.  There will be some bulk purchases a little further on if possible.  We use a little then stock up little by little.  All packages are labelled and dated as well.  I also keep a freezer log so that I know what is in there.  

Yesterday, we bought 4 x steak mince burgers, which were split into two packs of two.  These burgers are the best I have ever had and it is all meat.  These are large and one burger is more than enough.  We tend to serve ours with a bit of salad, cheese and coleslaw and a few fried onions or for a change some sliced raw onion.

There are two meals here,

We bought more chipolatas and now have four more bags of six sausages.  I use these for anywhere you would have or use sausage hot dogs with fried onion, chipolata toad, cooked with tomatoes for a tasty supper, (tinned tomatoes), with a breakfast.  I cannot always deal with eating larger sausages but chips am quite happy with.

There are four meals here.

We also bought two Large Pork Chops; I cannot eat a whole pork chop (I think this is more a man thing) so this time round I have bought two pork steaks, thinner in depth and not so large.  To batch things up for the freezer, I have frozen a chop and a steak together and will cook these together.  Packing them up like this makes it easier and only the one bag needs resurrecting for two of us at anyone time.  If more to dinner just grab extra bags if available. (they will be here by the time I have finished.

Another two meals here.

I also bought three sausage meat sticks.  This is the start of stockpiling sausage meat.  I use stuffing a lot to bulk out meals, and always use a bit of sausage meat in my stuffing mix.  However, we also like home made sausage rolls etc.  I also like to make sausage plait/slice and serve as a main meal with veggies and gravy. Today's batch is for stuffing/sausage rolls.  However, in future weeks, as I buy further fresh sausage meat I will make some plaits and sausage rolls and then freeze them uncooked.  To use them I will then cook from frozen as needed.  Doing things this way means that you shop from your freezer and cook the things you like and have them when the fancy takes you.  As I have said before I shop for ingredients and tend to freeze them as they are so that when it comes to what you have for tea you can vary your menu and try something new if the fancy takes you.  I make a few ready made meals as well just in case, but tend to concentrate on the ingredients.

There is potentially six lots of stuffing here or six sheets of sausage rolls.

Mince

I bought steak mince for making Lasagna, or for Shepherd or Cottage pie.  

There are two meals here as there is approximately 1lb of mince in each bag.  I use a large dish, so we get seconds out of the meal as well so I suppose you could say four servings.

Stewing Steak

At the moment we tend to use Stewing Steak for stews, but I also have made steak pie filling in the past as well and made my own pies.  Might start doing that again as well now that we are slowly stocking up.

There are approximately two good meals here, although in reality once packed out with veggies for the stew will probably get four servings.

We also bought a Rib of beef as a treat as it is a long while since we had one.  Will get at least two meals out of this and any bits can be turned into pies with a little gravy and some horseradish and veg.

The meat we buy is expensive, but it is also exceptional quality being produced by a one man band farmer who also sources local growers and ingredients and sells from his Farm Shop.  We tend to use local Butchers/Farmers but in the real world for meat you cannot always do this and have to source from elsewhere as well.  I would rather buy a larger joint and then split it into two or three joints.  The meat cooks better and it works out cheaper per joint.

However I do tend to be very fussy when it comes to meat.  I would rather buy a good piece of meat that is full of flavour and not so much of it than buy something we are not happy with.  This comes down to individual choices, personal experience with a particular supplier and reasonable or better quality for your money.  If things are not good we don't buy them again.  It is for us all to do with flavour.

My grandparents when I was younger grew their own pork but my Nan did teach me that where possible it was good to have a working relationship with your Butcher.  Her Butcher only sourced meat from high quality producers and picked his animals.  I think a lot of my choices stem from well entrenched family practices overall, and I appreciate these are my choices.  My Nan though could make a meal out of next to nothing and a tasty one at that.  We may not have been financially rich but when it came to food this was something that was never compromised.

I have a well established Rhubarb plant in the garden.  OH is fond of Rhubarb Crumble so I am going to put a few home made crumbles into the freezer as well.  Will stew the Rhubarb and then add the topping and then cook as we need them.

I am also going to use my pie makers to make some individual and medium sized pies as well, I have both sized free standing machines together with a pizza maker that will make large pies.  These little machines are also very good at making something out of nothing just a bit of pastry and a few other ingredients like left over chicken, a little gravy and veg and you have the makings of a snack or a main meal with some veg.  Fruit pies can also be made with fruit that is getting past its best either on its own or with another fruit. Pop back in oven when ready to use to crisp up the pastry for a few moments.  Home baking at its simplest and its best from next to nothing - a bonus. 

Sometimes I do not have time to make stock for the freezer so I tend to stick the bones or the carcasses into the freezer until I have time to sort things out. Saves wasting something which is very useful.  I just bag everything up.

I also save veggie peelings and scraps and keep a zip lock style bag in the freezer into which to add the bits and bobs (it is a large bag) and then when I have peels to add like carrot tops, bits of carrot, celery, celery leaf, onion peel and skin plus chopped up greens they are added until the bag is full.  I then either just do a veg stock or add bones or a carcass to the slow cooker and leave it to cook through and reduce a little.  Skim the fat if any off and then decant into portions for the freezer.

So there is a lot that you can do to save things and to feed your family.  These are just a few of the things that I do, not all but some of them.

Hope everyone is keeping safe.

Take care

Pattypan

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