The best dishes to make with frozen meat

Dutch ovens are ideal for braising meat.

By Genevieve Ko

March 24, 2020 10 AM PT

Here are the cuts of poultry and meat that are ideal for freezing and the best ways to use them:

Chicken

Best cuts to freeze: bone-in, skin-on thighs; whole chicken legs
Best techniques: braising; stewing

LOS ANGELES, CA-April 2, 2019: Chicken thighs braised in salsa verde made with spring onions and white wine. (Mariah Tauger / Los Angeles Times)

Chicken Thighs Braised in Spring Onion Salsa Verde

1 hour

Serves 4 to 6

Creamy avocado and hearty kale round out this dish of tender chicken thighs baked in olive brine, which seasons them along with caramelized bits of lemon. Prop styling by Kate Parisian.

Brine-Braised Chicken Thighs With Kale and Avocado

1 hour 10 minutes

Serves 4

No. 7: Tuscan chicken stew

Tuscan chicken stew

1 hour

Serves 4

Indian chicken. spices for South Indian-Style Chicken with curry leaves and black peppercorns finished shot.

South Indian-style chicken curry (dakshin murgh)

1 hour 10 minutes

Serves 4

Duck

Best cut to freeze: bone-in, skin-on legs
Best techniques: braising; stewing; confit

Duck rillettes

4 hours 30 minutes

Makes about 2 cups

Thai red curry duck with pumpkin

2 hours

Serves 4

Fabiolus Cafe duck ragu

2 hours 20 minutes

Serves 6 to 8

Duck tacos

2 hours

Serves 4 to 6

Beef and veal

Best cuts to freeze: ground meat (80/20); short ribs; chuck; shank; shoulder blade; brisket; rump roast; cheeks; oxtails; veal shanks
Best techniques: braising; stewing; meatballs

Monday meatballs

2 hours 15 minutes

Serves 6

Recipe: Beef daube

Beef daube

5 hours

Serves 6 to 8

Coffee'd brisket

4 hours 15 minutes

Serves 8 to 10

Osso buco from Mi Piace Restaurant

2 hours 20 minutes

Serves 6

Pork

Best cuts to freeze: ground meat (75/25); bone-in shoulder (Boston butt); belly
Best techniques: braising; stewing; slow-roasting; dumpling filling

Melcon, Mel –– – Dumplings–Vegetable dumpling, pork dumplings, seafood dumplings, cheater's scallion pancakes.

Pork dumplings

2 hours

Makes 80 dumplings

LOS ANGELES, CA-June 28, 2019: Instant Pot Hatch Chile Pork Tacos with Kohlrabi Mango Slaw on Friday, June 28, 2019. Food styling by Genevieve Ko. (Mariah Tauger / Los Angeles Times)

Instant Pot Hatch Chile Pork Tacos With Kohlrabi Mango Slaw

45 minutes

Serves 8

Serve the curry straight from the pot.

Badmaash Goan Pork Curry

About 4 hours plus marinating time

Serves 10 to 12

A burnished roast of pork is simmered in adobo flavorings with a lightly pickled and spicy pineapple salad on the side. Prop styling by Nidia Cueva.

Pork and Pineapple Adobo Roast with Pickled Pineapple Salad

40 minutes

Serves 6 to 8

Lamb

Best cuts to freeze: ground (70/30); shoulder (whole and thick chops); shanks
Best techniques: braising; stewing; meatballs or patties

Mongolian lamb patties

55 minutes

Serves 4 to 6 (makes 16 patties)

Vander Brug, Brian –– – 135633.FO.0403.fo–passov.BRV –– Pomegranate braised lamb shoulder with sauteed porcini and potato gnocci from executive chef Todd Aarons at Tierra Sur Restaurant, inside Herzog Wine Cellars in Oxnard Friday April 4 2008.

Pomegranate braised lamb

2 hours 35 minutes

Serves 6 to 8

Spoon lamb

2 hours 45 minutes

Serves 4

Pizzeria Ortica's lamb ragu and pappardelle.

Pizzeria Ortica's lamb ragu

2 hours

Serves 12 to 16

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Genevieve Ko is the former cooking editor for the Los Angeles Times. She is a cookbook author and has been a food writer, editor and recipe developer for national food media outlets. Ko graduated from Yale after a childhood in Monterey Park.

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