One of the most frustrating things about storing food in the freezer is the lack of space. A TikTok user has shared the clever hack that a butcher told her to save space in the freezer by storing minced meat and flattening it with a bottle of wine, doubling the space – and it’s so smart.
From frozen peas, pastries, leftovers and bread rolls, there’s barely any room left for a tray of ice cubes in a packed out freezer. However, this clever trick will solve all your problems by transferring your minced meat or other ingredients in zip-lock bags and flattening them using a rolling pin.
In a nine-second video, TikTok user @amintips shows him placing the minced meat in a zip-lock bag and completely flattening it, occupying the entire bag using a wine bottle. Shrinking the meat by half the size, he then proceeds to store the meat in the freezer, doubling the space.
He captioned the video: “Using this tip so your meat defrosts quicker and takes up less space in your freezer.” The video accumulated over two million views and hundreds of comments from users who couldn’t believe how much space they had left after trying the hack.
One said: “I’ve been doing that for 25 years [and] works nice. Quick thaw.” Another one commented: “I do this now, it’s so much easier!”
A third user recommended: “Vacuum sealer is better,” with a fourth one adding: “If you score it into halves or quarters, it breaks easily whilst frozen and you don’t have to defrost it at all.”
Instead of getting rid of the unused meat or keeping it in the fridge for days until it goes bad, you can store it in the freezer for future meals. Freezing is an alternative way to keep food for a longer period. However, keeping it for too long can also affect its colour and flavour.
According to Scott Brothers Butchers, it’s important to freeze food within its use-by-date and don’t freeze raw meat that has been frozen before. Meat can be stored in the freezer for six to twelve months.
The site said: “The best way to defrost frozen items is in the fridge. If that’s not possible, use the defrost setting on a microwave just before cooking. You can also defrost items under cold running water, but keep raw meat and poultry in sealed containers to avoid cross-contamination and don’t use warm or hot water.”
They also explained that small pieces of meat can thaw in around six hours in the fridge, whereas large items can take up to 48 hours. “Once the food is defrosted, eat it within 24 hours. Do not refreeze raw meat once defrosted, though once cooked it can be then refrozen,” they added.
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