Question about Freezing Cold Meat

QM · 02-19-2009, 02:43 PM

Do you know if you can freeze the Maple Leaf or Schneiders smoked ham steaks and Piller's black forest ham? (It's advertised at a local grocery store for $1, so I'm wondering if I could/should stock up.) If so, once it's thawed in your fridge, how long is it good for?

**madhen** · 02-19-2009, 03:51 PM

I've frozen cooked ham with no problems in the past. Normally, I don't pull it out until I'm ready to use it, so not sure how long it lasts in the fridge.

**rainbowgc** · 02-19-2009, 04:52 PM

Since ham is a smoked product I would think it would last for quite some time.

**Contrary Housewife** · 02-19-2009, 06:21 PM

Ham freezes well. It is one of my freezer staples. Most hams today are not really smoked, they have smoke flavoring added to them. They do have a ton of salt, and I think this preserves them more than anything.

In the fridge it keeps a week or so after thawing, provided nobody has had their dirty fingers in the container taking nibbles.

Once thawed it does not re-freeze well, so if you are buying a big loaf of ham or a spiral sliced one it is best to portion it out before freezing it.

**danni** · 02-19-2009, 07:03 PM

I freeze all sandwich meats and then they stay good in the fridge for about 1 week after thawing.

**Debbie-cat** · 02-19-2009, 07:05 PM

I was just going to say the same thing Danni but you beat me to it!!

**MrsOcean** · 02-19-2009, 07:42 PM

If I were you, and going to buy a large quantity, I would bring it home & divide it out into smaller zip-lock baggies. Then freeze all but one of the baggies, so you would only be using a portion at a time rather than thawing the large quantity and worry about re-freezing it.

**sabrelvssammy** · 02-19-2009, 08:39 PM

i take large quantities...(i just did 2 lbs of turkey breast and 2 lbs of ham this morning)... i divide them up into enough to make 1 sandwich each (coz dh is the only one eating it) and individually wrap each pile in saran wrap (as little as possible) and put the individual wraps in a large ziploc baggie...i have about 7-8 different kinds of meats wrapped like this going right now in the freezer...every couple of days i will take out 2-3 different kinds and throw in fridge to thaw....then i alternate between what's thawed and make dh's lunch every day...

the only problem i have ever encountered is sometimes when certain meats thaw they are very wet (not soggy wet....just moisture- so i blot them before i make the sandwich so they don't get the bread soggy.... but other than that it all freezes really well.... i've been doing it for about 20 yrs and my mom taught me....

**old_lady_in_the_shoe** · 02-19-2009, 08:42 PM

The Maple Leaf or Schneiders smoked ham steaks should be more like a dinner ham slice, and should be packaged in a nice heavy "air removed" package that will definitely freeze well. I would leave them in that package since the air has been removed and then there should be no real chance of freezer burn.

I would say that the Piller's black forest ham is more like luncheon meat and should be packaged the same...in air removed heavy plastic...and it should freeze very well too.

I would say that they should last about 1 week or so in the frig after removing from the freezer...and that is a great deal!!! I would get plenty and stock up!!

**laurenD** · 02-20-2009, 02:19 AM

We buy chilled beef, chicken, and pork in bulk quantities at our Sam's Club on no particular schedule and package the cuts in vacuum sealed plastic bags (which we also buy in bulk elsewhere). These are labeled and dated and shoved into the freezer for later consumption. We buy ground meet in vac-packed tubes (5#) and process this into hamburgers. It's somewhat labor intensive but the $$ savings makes it worthwhile. We've generally had good quality from Sam's and the saving is significant