Batch cooking

[S70JPS]

I batch cook bolognaise, chilli, beef bourgeon, coqu au vin and freeze them in take away foils for home cooked weekday meals. Getting a bit bored with this. What do you cook and freeze?

[johnnywgk]

Stews are great, and when i put them in cartons it's all at different stages.

I start a stew, then add more ingredients, put some in a carton, add different ingredients, put some in a carton etc, etc.

You end up with loads of varieties, ie, some with more onion, some the onion
is cooked more, some the onions have melted in, some with onion with a bite.

Same goes for carrot, spuds etc, even tomatoes, mushroom etc etc.

When you take one out freezer you dont know what you will get.

Better than the same dish once a week.

[jas xjr]

johnnywgk said:

Stews are great, and when i put them in cartons it's all at different stages.

I start a stew, then add more ingredients, put some in a carton, add different ingredients, put some in a carton etc, etc.

You end up with loads of varieties, ie, some with more onion, some the onion
is cooked more, some the onions have melted in, some with onion with a bite.

Same goes for carrot, spuds etc, even tomatoes, mushroom etc etc.

When you take one out freezer you dont know what you will get.

Better than the same dish once a week.

good idea. thanks for that

[Cotty]

S70JPS said:

I batch cook bolognaise, chilli, beef bourgeon, coqu au vin and freeze them in take away foils for home cooked weekday meals. Getting a bit bored with this. What do you cook and freeze?

Just out of interest how to you defrost and re-heat them. I find the best results are to defrost in the microwave and re-heat in a pot on the stove. I find just defrosting and heating in the microwave dries things out. But wondered how others do it.

[21TonyK]

Soups, lots and lots of soups! Sauces, meatballs, pretty much anything. My freezer is a random encyclopaedia of food.

Anything with a high moisture content will freezer well. Anything really high in fats isn't so great.

[remedy]

Cotty said:

Just out of interest how to you defrost and re-heat them. I find the best results are to defrost in the microwave and re-heat in a pot on the stove. I find just defrosting and heating in the microwave dries things out. But wondered how others do it.

I take my meal out on the evening of the day before so it defrosts 'naturally'/slowly in the fridge overnight and the next day. If I've ever forgotten I leave it in a sink filled with warm water.

Re-heating is normally the microwave on low power for 4-5 mins to warm through without nuking.

[Marf]

Curry!

http://www.curryfrenzy.com/

[S70JPS]

I cook them up freeze then put the takaway tub in the oven for 40 min plus. Brilliant no decanting just put the spag, spuds on as appropriate. got a chilli and jackets in the oven now.

[Cotty]

S70JPS said:

I cook them up freeze then put the takaway tub in the oven for 40 min plus.

So straight from the freezer (obviously frozen) straight to the oven? What temp?

[S70JPS]

Take away tub freezer to oven 200C 40 mins to 1 hour. They all seem to mature in the feezer. Just about to eat a chilli i froze on sunday smells fantastic. Going on jacket spuds with loads of cheese on top. Yum