If you are anything like us, we often get to 5 pm and say, “Oh *$%#, I forgot to thaw something for dinner tonight.”
Don’t worry. We’ve got your back. After years of forgetting, we finally have a good arsenal of meals that can be cooked quickly using frozen meat.
- Steaks and pork chops. I was skeptical at first, but America’s Test Kitchen convinced me that steaks and pork chops can be just as good when cooked frozen. They take about twice as long to cook, but they come out just as well. Slightly lower heat (medium), and just flip them frequently (every 3 minutes). Ben still prefers to grill them, even frozen.
- Instant-Pot. It’s amazing how many meats turn out well, cooked from frozen, in the Instant-Pot. Set it to pressure cook for 45 minutes. Dinner is typically ready in an hour.
Some of our favorites:
- Pulled pork shoulder
- Whole chicken
- Beef chuck or shoulder pot roast
- Pasta with Italian sausage. We just throw the frozen block of Italian sausage in a saucepan, medium heat. Flip it often, and use a spatula to scrape off the outsides as they cook. Then add tomato sauce, pesto, and/or vegetables. Serve over pasta.
- Linked sausages. We often grill frozen linked sausages. Chorizo, bratwurst, kielbasa, and hot dogs all work well. Again, they take about twice as long to cook as the thawed equivalents. Roll them often.
- Ground beef stir-fry. Similar to “Pasta with Italian sausage,” we put the frozen ground beef in a saucepan, flip it often, scraping off the outsides as they cook. Then we add vegetables or rice. Done!!!
- Bacon!! This is more for breakfast, but we all know that breakfast for dinner really hits home once in a while. Submerge the frozen bacon (still in the package) in a pan of lukewarm water. It thaws very quickly and will be ready to peel apart and cook as usual in 20 minutes or so.
Pro Tip: When you open the freezer to take out your quick meal for the evening… TAKE OUT SOME OTHER MEAT TO THAW! Your future self will thank you.
Click here to refill your freezer with these easy last-minute dinner items!