Idea for a main meat dish - but must freeze well
So I'm going on a yearly weekend ski trip with a group of about 10, and my girlfriend and I have been responsible for the Saturday night main course. We rent a large house about 4 hours away (Northern Minnesota) from where most folks live. This year, as GF and I did last year, we are heading up a few days early to spend some quiet time alone at a small lodge in the boondocks.
The last two years, a few weeks ahead we prepared a baked ziti (year 1) and sauce and meatballs (year 2), and froze them. We actually made 3 ziti platters (one vegetarian) and some eggplant balls (that were delicious) in the respective years for a couple of vegetarians in the group. This year we think we'll make 2 lasagna trays. We make them a week or 2 ahead, freeze them, then put them in a cooler in the car trunk while we're at the lodge for a few days, then thaw in the fridge once we arrive at the house. It needs to cook relatively quickly - from time we get back to house to time to eat, 2 hours max, and it's something that takes no prep, so there's time to relax and have a few drinks before dinner.
So, finally, here's the question. While we're planning on making 1 traditional lasagna alla bolognese, it's still kinda of carb and fat bomb, with not a ton of protein. Given the other foods for the weekend that folks bring, I try to make this meal the healthiest possible, because most of the rest of the weekend is decidedly not healthy. So I've been thinking about also serving a big chunk o meat along with the lasagna, for folks that want to up their protein intake without taking in more carb or fat. Freed from any constraint, I'd do a pork roast. But given that this needs to be a no fuss, no prep kind of thing, I'm having a tough time. Oh yeah - this isn't the most discriminating group of palates, so I don't want to do something that costs a lot, because this meat portion is either going to be ignored or inhaled. So while easy to prepare, fish is out - too expensive.
Can I do a 4 pound pork roast at home a couple weeks ahead, wrap it in saran and foil and freeze it whole, slow thaw it over the couple days we get to the house, then slice it and gently rewarm it in some type of sauce (probably same temp the lasagnas are at - 350ish)? I can't think of any other options...
Thanks for any suggestions on either other options, or how to better pull this one off.
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I've done Cook's Country's "Old-Fashioned Roast Pork" (which is fantastic) essentially that way - roasted, then refrigerated, sliced cold, and rewarmed in sauce. Here's the link to the recipe (requires free login):
http://www.cookscountrytv.com/recipes...
I've also prepared it up to the reheating step and frozen it, sliced and sauced, in the pan, to be thawed and just reheated later.
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I occasionally do a chicken dish for big gatherings when we are camping. It takes little prep/cook time, freezes great, reheats well and goes with everything from pasta to rice and potatoes.
Brown some chicken pieces, skin on or off your choice - I use a mixture of skin-on legs and thighs, and boneless thighs and breasts for flavour, and brown them in butter and olive oil blend, remove pieces and put in casserole dish. This works best browning in batches. Add some chopped onions, garlic, salt and pepper to the pan and saute til lightly brown, add some mushrooms (canned - ack! if you have to, or sliced fresh mushrooms of your choice - mini portobellos work great, white button mushrooms are a little bland) and saute just until the mushrooms start to brown. Add some white wine to deglaze the pan, once you have scraped up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan, stir in some tomato sauce (or tomato paste mixed with water), and chicken broth (you want a fairly thick, but smoothish consistency). Let it reduce for a few minutes, then remove from heat, stir in a tablespoon or two of sour cream. Pour over the chicken, and pop it in a preheated over at around 350 for around 40 to 45 minutes. At this point you can either serve it up, or put it in a freezer safe container and freeze for several months. Reheating should take about half an hour to 40 minutes in a 350 oven (could even reheat from frozen if you had to). Just check after about 15 minutes or so to make sure you don't need to add a little water (or wine!!).
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Slow roasted...
Boneless Pork Shoulder
Braised Short Ribs.
Lamb Shanks.
All freeze well. You can even buy them already prepared in Costco in the freezer section.
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re: fourunder
Stews freeze well if not made with potatoes. My favorite non red meat one is chicken stew with carrots and onions ( I add prunes). But for your purposes I would make chili, with or without meat. Lots of protein, freezes well, not fussy and healthier than a hunk of mammal ( much as I love a hunk of mammal!)
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Best thing to freeze is a braise. A roast will dry out. I routinely make brisket ( braised in wine) and make enough to freeze. It reheats very well,and the beauty is that since this is even better a the day after you make it, the freezing works out great.
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re: wincountrygirl
c oliver
Dec 21, 2010 03:05 PM
Why would a roast dry out if wrapped tightly and then frozen? I just did a 7# boneless pork shoulder ala Will Owen. I can't imagine a problem freezing and reheating. The one I did this time I cooked two days ahead. I reheated by cutting in inch thick slices and reheated in the slow cooker. Wrapped in a foil packet with the jus and reheated in the oven would work fine for me.
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I think the pork roast would probably get dry and overcooked if it were frozen and reheated. Have you considered marinading a few pork tenderloins and just popping them in the oven? They should be cooked in 40 minutes or so, depending on size. In the end, it could be the easiest option and would be light and tasty next to the heavier lasagna. I'd do a marinade with rosemary, minced garlic, a little balsamic, olive oil, crushed red pepper (optional), S & P.
