A Simple Hack for Freezing Meat

The next time you buy any kind of ground meat or poultry, try this hack. It’s quick and easy, and you’ll wonder why you haven’t been doing it all along. First, remove the meat from its original packaging (plastic wrap over a tray isn’t ideal for freezing anyway). Place the meat in a heavy-duty, zipper-seal freezer bag. Half-seal the bag, leaving one side open for air to escape. Then, use the side of a wine bottle (or a rolling pin) to roll it flat, squeezing out the air as you go. When you’re done, fully seal the bag.

So, what’s the big deal? Well, this technique actually does a lot for you. First, by squeezing out the air and pressing the bag to the meat, you’re protecting against deterioration and freezer burn (it’s almost as good as vacuum sealing). Second, your meat will freeze faster, which is beneficial for both food safety and preserving quality. Third, your meat will take up less space in the freezer, so you can pack more in. And finally, thawing meat becomes much faster due to the increased surface area.

A Couple of Extra Tips

Want to make it easy to organize and find your flat-packed meats in the freezer? Grab an inexpensive storage container that’s wide enough for the bags and fits your freezer. A magazine file or mail organizer works great for this — just make sure it’s made of plastic or metal. Once the bags are frozen flat, stand them upright in the container. This allows you to easily flip through them and quickly find what you’re looking for.

Don’t stop with meats — this hack also works wonderfully for pureed or mashed vegetables and fruit (think baked winter squash or overripe bananas already mashed and measured for use in recipes). You can also puree fresh herbs in a blender or food processor with a little bit of oil and freeze them flat in smaller bags. When you’re cooking, simply break off a piece, throw it in the pan, and return the rest to your freezer. 

But there’s a very simple hack that will save you the trouble of wiping up constant spills on your countertop. All you need is an item from your silverware drawer.

Spill-Free Pouring

If you don’t own a funnel, or the one you have isn’t the right size, use a spoon to easily guide liquid into a container. Here’s how it’s done: Place a dinner spoon (the kind you use for eating, not serving) handle-side down into the opening of a jar. Take the vessel holding the liquid (whether it’s a cup, bowl, or something else), and rest the edge of it against the backside of the spoon as you pour the liquid. The liquid will follow the spoon’s curve, flowing down the stem and directly into the other container with no mess.

Perfect for Restaurants

This spoon trick is especially helpful when you’re at a restaurant and struggling to pour creamer into your coffee cup.

Hold the spoon over your coffee cup with its curved back facing upward. Place the edge of the creamer container against this curve and slowly pour. The spoon will funnel the coffee creamer right into your cup. This keeps the saucer and table clean, and it might even make you feel a little fancy. Plus, it’s a fun trick to teach friends or dinner companions, especially after they have attempted to pour a liquid without success.

This easy trick works for any type of liquid, and, if done with care, prevents spills every time.

Microwaving for the Most Juice

If you have a recipe that calls for lemon juice, microwaving the fruit for several seconds can help you squeeze out the most liquid. To do this, grab your lemons, put them on a plate, and microwave on high for 10 to 20 seconds. We recommend starting with 10 seconds, especially if you’re only warming up one lemon. You may need to add a bit more time for larger quantities. The warmed-up lemon should feel slightly softer, but not mushy.

Once that’s done, allow the lemon to cool enough to handle. Cut the fruit in half and use your citrus juicer to press the juice out as usual. This trick works for both room-temperature and refrigerated lemons, but you may need to add a few more seconds to your timer if the lemons are cold.

Juicing Other Citrus

Good news — this hack isn’t limited to lemons. You can use it to extract more juice from any citrus fruit you have on hand, including oranges, grapefruit, limes, pomelo, clementines, mandarins, and more. Just follow the same steps listed above, adding a few more seconds to the microwave timer for larger fruits such as grapefruit or pomelo.

How To Soften a Lemon Without a Microwave

If you don’t have a microwave or prefer not to use one for softening citrus, don’t fret. You can achieve a similar effect by rolling it on a hard surface. Simply place the fruit on a flat surface, such as a cutting board or countertop, cover it with your palm, and roll it back and forth for several seconds while applying gentle pressure. This helps break down the internal membranes or juice sacs, softens the peel for easier squeezing, and loosens the pulp so you get more juice with less effort.