I have always thought that burgers are basically the perfect freezer meal. In fact, they are a grocery item that many folks pick up in the freezer aisle! They almost always make an appearance on my menus, especially in warm weather. But let’s face it – they are the main dish in 95% of cookouts and summer parties. If you are looking to do something different, to go beyond burgers, then I will let you in on a secret. There are a host of freezer friendly and grill friendly recipes out there that are flavorful and unique!
If you want to host the best summer cookout, come learn our best tips and tricks for two freezer friendly, unique grill recipes.
The Kebab
Food on a stick is famous the world over. Meat or veggies or both – chop them up, grill them on a stick, and you’re ready to party. You really don’t even need a plate! Bowls for sauces might still be handy though, because food on a stick is perfect for dipping. The trouble is that the chopping and the assembly can take a bit of time, so you will want to prep and freeze these in advance for easy entertaining.
We know that food on a stick is a little awkward to freeze. They don’t always fit in the bag. And there are pointy ends. The last thing you need is your marinade leaking out because the skewer poked a hole in the bag! But never fear. We have some fantastic test cooks in the Once A Month Meals kitchen who have come up with some ingenious tips. Come check out the unique grill recipes we have to offer.
How to Freeze Kebabs Without Losing an Eye
- Remove the sharp end or cover it. After you have skewered the ingredients, snip off the point with kitchen sheers. Alternately, you can cover the end with a vegetable (mushrooms work nicely) or a small ball of foil.
- Use tougher bags. The disposable freezer bags are easy to pierce, but many of the “green,” reusable freezer bags, such as Fresh Menu Kitchen, are made of a tougher plastic that won’t be pierced by the skewer tip.
- Use a foil pan. If you want to keep things disposable, you can freeze your kebabs in a foil pan instead of in a freezer bag. You will likely need a 9 x 13″ pan to fit them, but check your skewer length.
- Wait to skewer. If you will have the time to prep on your serving day, you can always wait to assemble your skewers then to avoid them poking through a bag.
Foods You Can and Cannot Skewer
When you are getting creative and choosing ingredients to skewer, you will want to consider a few things. First, there are typically three parts to a kebab: the meat, the produce, and the marinade. When it comes to meat, you want to choose a cut that will hold up to high heat over the grill. See our additional resources at the bottom of this post for some help choosing.
Ideally you want to choose meats and produce that require approximately the same cooking time. Otherwise one half of the stick will be overdone or you risk serving something under cooked! One way to allow yourself to be extra creative and avoid this problem is to put only meat on half of your skewers and only veggies/fruit on the other half. Then you can allow them adequate cooking time.
As far as produce that can or cannot be skewered, there aren’t really any hard and fast rules, but you are limited by size, shape, and sometimes texture. Food like squash, peppers, onions, small tomatoes, stone fruits, pineapple, etc. are easy to skewer and stand up to the heat of the grill. But you are never going to get asparagus, green beans, or carrots onto a stick (save those for idea #2 below – The Foil Packet). Remember, you aren’t limited to just veggies. Fruits are amazing on the grill too! Below are a few our favorite kebabs to add to your custom meal plan or provide inspiration.
- Asian Steak Kebabs
- Sweet Summer Mango Kebabs
- 5 Ingredient Coconut Curry Kebabs
- Traditional Russian Shish Kebabs
- Balsamic Chicken Sausage Kebabs
- Creamy Shrimp Skewers
- Pork Pineapple Kebabs (Freezer Version – log in required)
The Foil Packet
The best part about grilling is the clean up because there really isn’t any aside from finding the trash can! The foil packet is the ultimate in grilling efficiency. It is your prep bowl, cooking utensil, and serving plate all in one. And of course it is disposable. The foil packet works best when you want to cook something that is a little more complicated, uses more fragile ingredients (think fish or tender veggies), or you want to create an all in one meal with no sides needed. This dish has long been a campsite favorite, but it is a fun option for summertime parties or busy weeknights too. We can help you prepare unique grill recipes!
Build a Packet
One of the fun parts of the foil packet is getting creative with what you have on hand or varying them based on the seasons. We have some full recipes listed below that might help you see how this all comes together, or try your hand at assembling a unique foil packet with these basics:
- Choose a Protein – For most of you this is going to be your slab of meat. Cuts of chicken and seafood that are too fragile for the grill make a good choice, but it could be anything you like. Tofu is a great vegetarian option or just add more of the other ingredients.
- Choose Some Veggies – Seasonal produce is abundant during the warm weather months. Again, this is your opportunity to try something that is difficult to grill directly but delicious with some smoke, like asparagus. Get creative!
- Choose a Starch – This is where the foil packet is fun because you typically don’t think of grilling starches like rice, pasta, or even potatoes. But because they’re sealed in the packet you can create fun side dishes or an all in one dish that saves you from dirtying another bowl.
- Choose Your Seasoning – Butter, olive oil, a favorite marinade or flavorful sauce will enhance your ingredients but will also keep them tender and ensure they don’t stick to the foil. Don’t forget the salt, pepper, fresh or dried herbs, or your favorite spice mix. And I saved the best surprise for last – you can put cheese in a foil packet without making a mess of your grill!
Add One of Our Foil Packet Recipes to Your Custom Meal Plan
If you aren’t feeling inspired or you want to add your foil packets to your regular freezer cooking day, try one of these recipes. Or maybe you doubt that some of the ingredients listed above will really work – see for yourself!
- Classic Foil Packets – Sausage, veggies, and potatoes
- Santa Fe Chicken Packets – Corn, tomatoes, and black beans over chicken
- Tilapia and Pesto Foil Packets – Fish and homemade pesto sauce
- Grilled Pasta Packets – Pasta and gooey grilled cheese (Yes, you read that right!)
- Chicken Casserole Packets (Freezer Version – log in required) – A favorite cheesy casserole adapted for the grill!
Additional Resources
- How to Make Great Grilled Kebabs from Serious Eats
- How to Cook Different Cuts of Meat Part 1
- Choosing a Grill: Gas vs. Charcoal (also has some suggestions for the best grill tools!)