Freezing Ground Beef

I like to buy ground beef from Costco. I buy the package that looks like (sort of) hamburger patties. The portions are really about 1/2 pound each which makes for some seriously big burgers. We grilled them as burgers once. Just once. Ya. Seriously big burgers. But. They are perfect portions for freezing. If you'd rather freeze 1 pound portions put two together. 1 1/2 pounds = 3 portions, etc.

Of course, you can get your ground beef anywhere you like. =)

I use the fold over type sandwich bags.

I open them all up FIRST

since I don't want to open the bags after I've touched the ground beef

and get the outside of the bags all messy.

And.

I don't want to stop and wash my hands after bagging each portion.

So I count how many portions I'm going to be bagging and I open that many bags.

Then I put one portion (as many as you'd like) in each bag.

If your ground beef isn't already divided into portions (such as this from Costco)

divide it into portions before you start bagging.

I bag them all before I close any.

Then I wash my hands and tuck the top inside and fold the rest of the bag around the hamburger portion,

making a tidy package.

I do the same to each portion.

Then I tuck them all into a freezer bag and seal them up tightly.

Now I can pull one (or more) from the freezer any time I need ground beef.

I usually buy two big packages of ground beef at a time.

With one package I will prepare an assortment of freezer meals

that include ground beef and I will put them all in the freezer.

I freeze the portions of the other package in individual portions.

These are for the times that the stars line up and I have time and desire to 

cook and I need ground beef to do so.

This works splendidly for me.

It probably will for you, too.

Give it a try!  

You'll find lots of freezer recipes that call for ground beef in the

freezer meal cookbooks, 

"Dinner is Ready!"

and

"Lunch is Ready!"