I Forgot to Thaw Dinner: Freezer to Grill

We have all had those nights where the day didn't just get away from us, it completely ran us over. Maybe the kids' practice ran late, the tractor had other plans, or you just flat out forgot to pull something for dinner. Usually, that is the moment you stare into the freezer at a rock-solid steak and feel like you failed at the whole "farm-to-table" meal plan.

I am here to tell you to let yourself off the hook. Dinner does not have to be planned twenty-four hours in advance to be incredible. In fact, our dry-aged beef and heritage pork are practically built to save your day straight from the freezer. We dry-age our beef for twenty-one days, we have already done the hard work of removing the extra moisture. Grocery store meat is full of water that turns to steam the second it hits a pan, but our beef has that concentrated flavor and lower water content that lets you sear it frozen and still get a crust most people only see at a high-end steakhouse. It is not about being a perfect meal prepper; it is about having a better product in your freezer that works as hard as you do.

Four Clutch Food Items

If you are coming into the shop to stock your own emergency shelf, here are the four lifesavers I recommend keeping on hand for when things go sideways.

First, you cannot beat a thick-cut dry-aged Ribeye. Because of the fat content, it stays incredibly forgiving even when you hit it with high heat from frozen. Get your grill or a heavy skillet hot enough that it is almost smoking, pat that frozen steak dry, and season it heavily. Sear it for about five or six minutes per side to get that deep crust, then move it to the cool side of the grill or into a three hundred fifty degree oven. Pull it when the center hits one hundred thirty degrees. That crust is actually better than a thawed steak because the cold center keeps the middle from overcooking while the outside gets that perfect sear.

Next, grab the Sirloin Steaks for a fast weeknight meal. These are leaner but still have that concentrated, buttery beef flavor. For these, I like to do a butter baste. Sear them frozen in a hot pan for four minutes a side, then drop a big knob of butter and some smashed garlic in. Spoon that foaming butter over the frozen center as it finishes cooking. It thaws the meat gently while adding a rich layer of flavor that feels like you spent all afternoon on prep.

Our Heritage Duroc Pork Chops are the third essential. Most people are scared to cook pork from frozen because they think it will be tough, but our genetics have enough marbling to handle it. The trick here is the frequent flip. Put the frozen chops in the pan and flip them every two minutes. This prevents the outside from getting too tough while the heat slowly works its way to the bone. In about twelve minutes, you have a juicy chop that tastes like a Sunday dinner on a Tuesday schedule.  Use a little apple juice or butter if 

Chip at It

Finally, do not overlook the Ground Beef bricks for a quick frozen sloppy joe. You do not even have to form patties. Just put the frozen block of beef in a hot skillet with a little oil, but turn down right away. As the bottom thaws and sears, scrape that browned meat away with a sturdy spatula and flip the block. Keep scraping and browning those lacy, crispy bits of dry-aged beef until the whole thing is cooked through. Toss that on a bun and you have a high-quality meal in less time than it takes to get through a drive-thru. 

We do this more times than I'd care to admit!

The biggest thing to remember is to let the meat rest for a full ten minutes after you take it off the heat. That gives the juices a chance to settle so you do not lose them all on the cutting board. It is the easiest way to have an excellent meal in twenty minutes without ever having to remember to take the meat out of the freezer the night before. Your future, busy self will definitely thank you for stocking up.

Tell me how it goes for you!  I'm loving hearing about your tips and tricks!

xoxo,

Louisa