Cooking Freezer meals for Crockpot?

[kellia]

Does anyone have any recipes that I can make ahead and freeze and just put in the crockpot when I take it out? Like the frozen crockpot meals they have in the grocery store, but hopefully cheaper! LOL!

Also, does anyone have any ideas with what I could season pork loin with before for throwing that in the freezer, like the pre-marinated ones?

Going back to work tomorrow and looking for some suggestions on things I can prep easily for dinners. Thanks!!

 

[Rootskate]

It's not freezer, but I came across the easiest recipe that my DH loves. Just put some baby carrots in the bottom of the slow cooker, then place a "mini ham" (I get the 1 1/2 pound one) on top of the carrots and pour a cup of maple syrup over the ham. Its great, no chopping or browning or anything. Good luck at work tomorrow!

 

[Metro West]

I usually buy the Banquet frozen meals for the crock pot...they're pretty cheap and a lot less hassle. The beef stew is awesome!

 

[pigletof4]

I do a cheap chicken fajitia in the crock pot. I use chicken breast, a jar of salsa and frozen peppers and onions, but you could do fresh. Throw it on low and right before serving, added shredded cheese and let melt. I make it about once a week and dh complains that there isn't any left over. We put it in tortillas and I've even topped a salad with it.

 

[mickeyfan2]

I always read not to put frozen meat in a crockpot.

 

[ncbyrne]

I always read not to put frozen meat in a crockpot.

The easiest thing I have ever made in the crockpot is a frozen beef roast.
You take the frozen hunk and place it in the crockpot. Low, all day. When it's time for supper, take out the meat. Mix the juice in the bottom with one envelope of beef gravy mix (I use Shoprite store brand - less than 50¢ a packet), and let it heat for a minute or two to thicken.

You can also put in a frozen pork roast, pour over a bottle of BBQ sauce and let simmer all day on low.

 

[cincymomof3]

I love to make things and freeze them. Anything you make in a crock pot can be frozen before hand. You can put them in a ziploc freezer bag in the order the recipe calls for it to be placed in the crock pot. I normally leave the water/sauces etc out and add them when i place everything in the crock pot.

 

[mickeyfan2]

The easiest thing I have ever made in the crockpot is a frozen beef roast.
You take the frozen hunk and place it in the crockpot. Low, all day. When it's time for supper, take out the meat. Mix the juice in the bottom with one envelope of beef gravy mix (I use Shoprite store brand - less than 50¢ a packet), and let it heat for a minute or two to thicken.

You can also put in a frozen pork roast, pour over a bottle of BBQ sauce and let simmer all day on low.

The reason I read is that the meat stays at the "unsafe" temperature for too long and can grow way to many bacteria. One can certainly crockpot cook frozen meat but not safely.

 

[mamalle]

hum.. never heard that about frozen meat. I normally but frozen chicken in ours and cook it with some type of sauce over it. today will be teryiki honey sauce.

 

[lisaj68]

hum.. never heard that about frozen meat. I normally but frozen chicken in ours and cook it with some type of sauce over it. today will be teryiki honey sauce.

I have never put frozed chicken in the c.p. before. I have some c.b. in the freezer that had been in a ziplock bag, so they are like a 1 big piece instead of 4 breasts. does that matter? I mean with the cooking time?

 

[powellrj]

I have always heard that about frozen meat, but I have been doing it for 30 years and never gotten sick, nor have I ever heard of anyone ever getting sick.

They also use to always say to cook your thawed chicken on high for the first hour and then turn to low, but since I am usually throwing the food in as I am walking out the door, its not going to happen.

I have taken the raw pork roasts and poured marinade in a ziplock bag and then put the whole thing in the freezer and then taken it out and put it in the crock-pot and it was good.

 

[Ally_DeVille]

Never heard anything bad about frozen meats before, been doing it for years with no ill effects.

Recipes I do:

Meatloaf-- make the meatloaf as you normally would, spray wax paper with PAM (so the waxed paper doesn't stick) and then freeze for a couple of days and put in the crock pot on low for 10 hours. ALL the fat comes off it, it does collect at the bottom of the pot but you'll be amazed at how little fat is in the actual meatloaf.

Whole chicken, 2 onions sliced, 1 package of DRY ranch dressing mix, 1/2 cup of water or chicken broth. Put all the ingredients in the pot and cook on low for 10 hours. The chicken will be very flavorful and tender, it will fall off the bone! I serve with rice and green beans.

Frozen chicken breasts and 1/2 bottle of Newman's Italian dressing; actually most of the Newman's work great, we love the parm cheese one. Pour the bottle over the chicken breasts and cook for 10 hours on low. Sometimes I add an onion or carrots, depends on my mood.

My crockpot came with a recipe book, I sometime make the turkey soup recipe, the kids loves it!

I even make the Irish steel cut oatmeal in the crockpot, it cooks overnight so it's perfect by morning. I always make a double batch otherwise it dries out. 2 cups of the steel cut oats and 9 cups of water cooked on low for 7 hours.

Steel cut oats take about 50 minutes on the stove, I don't have that kind of time in the morning.

 

[mamalle]

I put in 4 chicken breasts frozen together at 12pm today with my sauce. eventually they all broke apart into the 4 pieces. I cooked it on low and at 4pm our chicken is done and smells delicious! I used the Lawry's honey teriyaki sauce with it and will serve it with rice and broccoli. I try and load up on the premade sauces when they are BOGO at the grocery store. its so easy with the crockpot.

 

[PaulaSue]

Cool, Thanks!

 

[SILLYANDI]

The reason I read is that the meat stays at the "unsafe" temperature for too long and can grow way to many bacteria. One can certainly crockpot cook frozen meat but not safely.

Actually if you read the instructions book for most crock pots it says not to do it because it could cause cracks in the crock going from extreme cold to hot.

 

[mommapoppins]

Actually if you read the instructions book for most crock pots it says not to do it because it could cause cracks in the crock going from extreme cold to hot.

Yep, that happened to me. I always put frozen meat in my crock pot, but one time it cracked my crock. So I just got a new crock pot!

But I can't imagine meat staying in the "unsafe zone" for more than four hours, especially if your crockpot is set on high. I like to put whatever it is I am cooking into the crockpot on low the night before, and leave it until the next evening. Always tastes delish! And we have never been sick.

But so this post isn't completely OT, I will say that our favorite meal to do in the CP is a roast, with new potatoes, baby carrots, celery and onions and some beef soup base (better than bullion). I buy roasts when they are on sale, and throw them in the freezer whole. When it's time to cook it, I put the veggies in first and lay the whole frozen chunk of meat on top. Takes about 10 minutes to throw in the crock pot, and it seems like you have slaved away on a wonderful dinner. The only problem we have is there is never any left over!!

Just about any of those frozen crock pot meals you see at the grocery store could be made at home and then frozen. Probably at lot cheaper, and more healthy because there are no added preservatives.

 

[OctMtnWoods]

Funny, I was just wondering if I could do make-ahead crockpot freezer meals. Googled it, and brought me right back to the DIS.

I was thinking about making beef stew. Its the vegetable chopping that takes time. If I cut onions, carrots, celery and potatoes, and freeze them raw, how till they turn out? Its the potatoes I'm most concerned about. Will they brown or turn mushy?

I know if you cook beef stew and freeze it after, the potatoes don't hold up well and get mushy when reheated.

My plan was to thaw the meals some before putting them into the crockpot so the temp won't shock the crock and crack it.

 

[TifffanyD]

I even make the Irish steel cut oatmeal in the crockpot, it cooks overnight so it's perfect by morning. I always make a double batch otherwise it dries out. 2 cups of the steel cut oats and 9 cups of water cooked on low for 7 hours.

Steel cut oats take about 50 minutes on the stove, I don't have that kind of time in the morning.

I make steel cut oats in mine every sunday night. I make a 1.5 times batch so I have enough for 5 days of work and cook it on high for 3 hours! I don't like to have mine cooking while asleep or away from home

 

[BigDopeyMom]

I put in 4 chicken breasts frozen together at 12pm today with my sauce. eventually they all broke apart into the 4 pieces. I cooked it on low and at 4pm our chicken is done and smells delicious! I used the Lawry's honey teriyaki sauce with it and will serve it with rice and broccoli. I try and load up on the premade sauces when they are BOGO at the grocery store. its so easy with the crockpot.

Ok, this just sounds too easy and right up my alley! How much of the teriyaki sauce do you put in for 4 chicken breasts? I just got my crockpot, so I'm still experimenting....do you also need to add water, or do you just add the sauce?

TIA

 

[OctMtnWoods]

Frozen chicken breasts and jar of salsa. Just dump it in. When its cooked, I pull the chicken apart with 2 forks to shred it. We serve it over cooked wide noodles.