Best Way to Freeze Meat, the Forgotten Poached Egg, and a Simple Broccoli Recipe
Welcome back to my weekly review in which I share three interesting things I have learned this week.
Do the Double-Wrap!
What’s the best way to freeze meat? Anyone who is serious about hunting and fishing, would agree that having a freezer is a game changer. Sure, there are plenty of ways to preserve meat without an electric freezer, and humans have done it for thousands of years, but having one is a blessing. However, even frozen meat won’t keep its quality forever. After a certain amount of time, freezer burn might sneak in there or fat might become rancid. To avoid some of this, most people recommend vacuum sealing or wrapping the meat in freezer paper. Personally, I have had access to my family’s vacuum sealer in the past, which has given good results, but this year I am going to try the time-tested freezer paper method. To get the best results, it is recommended to use a combination of freezer paper and sticky, plastic wrap. This method is called double wrapping, meaning that the meat should be first wrapped in the plastic wrap and then in freezer paper, making it bullet-proof. When you wrap the meat in plastic, make sure that no air can come through and that all air bubbles are removed. Also, the freezer paper should have a waxy coating on one side. If you want to go the extra mile, some chefs even recommend triple-wrapping in aluminum foil. Now, this method might be more hands on than vacuum sealing, but it can save a lot of money, and supposedly keeps meat bullet proof within a reasonable amount of time. Check out this video that explains different wrapping techniques.
Poaching Eggs is Worth it!
Poached eggs are so underrated. When I ask people how they like their eggs, most will say scrambled or sunny side up, which are quite basic. Now don’t get me wrong, both of these preparation methods are great, but poached eggs usually fly under the radar. The reason I like to cook eggs sunny side up is because I want to protect the yolk as much as possible. The yolk packs all the nutrition and healthy fats, which is something to keep I mind if you are seeking out nutrient-dense foods. Well, it seems that poaching eggs is another great method to preserve the yolk. It utilizes low heat and has a relatively short cooking time, usually 3 minutes. In case you have never tried it or just feel a little rusty, this video by Jamie Oliver is very helpful.
Broccoli is Better with Lemon and Parmesan!
This week I got to try roasted broccoli with lemon and Parmesan for the first time…where has this been in my life? If you like broccoli you NEED to try this combo. The lemon is an especially fitting flavor, which I would have never thought. Not only do these three ingredients match well, but it is also incredibly simple to make. Tip: try this with some pulled pork.
