Batch cooking tips.

new boy

new boy

new boy

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I've recently been making more of an effort to cook "real" food.

Me and the GF both work full time, got kids to take to school, after school clubs etc, so its a challenge.

I did a big batch of chilli in the slow cooker, and froze about 5 extra portions. I was please with the results, and want to do more things like that again.

Any tips on batch cooking?

The chilli was nice, because I don't have to defrost, just chuck in the saucepan and make sure its hot a hell before I serve it. But I'm not really familiar with how you safely defrost stuff, or what stuff freezes well etc.
 
I would always let things defrost overnight (or probably a couple of nights) before use. Alternatively leave it out for a couple of hours the night before then into fridge overnight.

Best practice I have no idea but for chicken I would always let it thoroughly defrost, whether raw or cooked. Also if I'm going to add chicken to anything I tend to put it in a bowl with a bit of water, covered and at 160oC for 1/2 hour to heat through slowly and then do whatever with it (pie, fajitas etc).

As to what you can batch cook, well it depends what you like to eat really. Lasagne is a great one, tomato based pasta sauces are also brilliant.

We make our own pizzas and it's a great quick meal as you can freeze the dough (lasts around a month if properly wrapped up) and I batch make the tomato sauce and split it into pizza sized portions (keeps for around 3 months). So all you need is cheese and whatever topping. Just have to defrost dough properly and let it rise again a bit so again best to take it out the day before, get any air trapped in the dough out and leave to rise for a few hours in a warm (not hot) place.

We have batch cooked bolognese, soups, cottage/shepherds pie, pies (apart from filo). You can also freeze pesto for 3-4 months so again you can make that into portion-sized batches and just take that out.

We also have a roast chicken once a week so keep all the carcases and make up a big batch of stock once a month (keep all veggie peelings, parsley stalks, cheese rinds) and just put those in 250ml portions (1 cup) which is great for doing rice (2:1 stock to rice).

Also we are quite into our salmon at the moment so supermarkets do the frozen pieces ready to go and we just take that out overnight and then do either a breadcrumb crust or something else and have that with some rice. 10 minutes prep, 20 mins cooking.

Good place to start is BBC Good Food, just search batch cooking and that will give you some great areas to start.
 
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We are in the same situation, both my missus and I work full time and the kids need food for their dinner which they have at the childminders.

We cook a massive pot of something Sunday whilst cooking Sunday dinner, usually mince either spag bol or chiili or sheperds pie or a fish pie then just cook up pasta each night and send them off with boxes of food. We don't freeze it down, it lasts till Thursday then Friday we have them and cook fresh.

For the grown ups I roast or bbq chicken thighs on the sunday then throw a couple in a freezer bag with frozen veg and take to work.

If I don't plan I end up eating junk
 
Things I make in batches and freeze:

Lasagne
Cauliflower cheese
Cottage pie
"vegetarian" cottage pie (contains Parmesan)
Moussaka
Fish pie

All of those ^ still take best part of an hour in the oven, cooking from defrosted (well, 45 mins)

Quicker stuff:
Chilli con carne
Indian curry
Thai curry
Spaghetti sauce (meatballs, rather than mince, usually)
Soups
A sort of lamb mince thing (more or less a shepherd's pie base, serve it with mash or rice)

My favourites are the veggie cottage pie, the fish pie, and the lamb mince thing.

I could probably do with more variety really.
 
I take them out in the morning and leave out - it's surprising how long they take to defrost.

Chilli, curry etc can just go in the microwave.

E:
Here's a recipe for the veggie cottage pie, if you're interested. It's bloody delicious;
http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showpost.php?p=26196469&postcount=14
(not actually suitable for vegetarians due to the parmesan in the red pesto)
 
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They take several days to defrost in the fridge, leave it out on a counter for a few hours at the very least, typically all day.


You can also just use the microwave to defrost. and many things you can cook from frozen, e.g. last night I reheated a lamb curry I made last month and took out of the freezer that night.


Curries, stews, chili, Bolognese all freeze and reheat well, As does Lasagne.
 
Lay the food flat in a freezer bag - it takes up less space, stacks and defrosts much quicker.

Also if you're doing it a lot it's useful to label the food with what it is and the date you put it in there :p
 
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