A handy trick?

[otto]

Probably someone has already thought of this. But as I got ready to cut up chicken thighs into one ounce pieces I wondered how ever was I going to freeze them so they didn't become one big frozen blob? I ran into that trouble with the gizzards/hearts, though I was able to smack and bang on the bag enough to separate them (then had to put them in a new bag without holes)

My eye fell upon the ice cube trays I use for Jennie's pumpkin portions and a light bulb went on. Cut and weigh, put them in the cube tray until frozen enough to stay shaped, THEN put them in a freezer bag.

TA DA!

Is there any reason why it should not be done this way?

 

[ldg]

If you put the entire tray in a bag to protect them, I see no reason not to.

 

[otto]

Oh right, I didn't think to cover them while they are freezing. I don't have a bag big enough, so I covered them tight with foil. They are only going to be in there long enough to freeze, then stored in a freezer food bag.

 

[wolcar]

This is a neat idea.

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

As long as they pop out of the ice cube tray, you should be good to go.  What I do is portion mine out and put it on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper, then set that in the freezer for a couple of hours.  Then I pull the "chunks" off the wax paper and put into a large freezer bag.  Same thing, basically.  (and I have never even covered my cookie sheet, since it's only in that state for a couple hours.  But I'm thinking you don't have room to do that in your "mini freezer".

 

[goingpostal]

As long as they pop out of the ice cube tray, you should be good to go.  What I do is portion mine out and put it on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper, then set that in the freezer for a couple of hours.  Then I pull the "chunks" off the wax paper and put into a large freezer bag.  Same thing, basically.  (and I have never even covered my cookie sheet, since it's only in that state for a couple hours.  But I'm thinking you don't have room to do that in your "mini freezer".

I do this with most of my cat/ferret meats and organs.  I do make a "mush" for my ferrets that I freeze in ice cube trays though.  One by one all "our" food items/containers have gone to the animals. 

 

[otto]

As long as they pop out of the ice cube tray, you should be good to go.  What I do is portion mine out and put it on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper, then set that in the freezer for a couple of hours.  Then I pull the "chunks" off the wax paper and put into a large freezer bag.  Same thing, basically.  (and I have never even covered my cookie sheet, since it's only in that state for a couple hours.  But I'm thinking you don't have room to do that in your "mini freezer".

Yep, you guessed it, I have no room for a cookie sheet in my freezer. That was my first thought, before noticing the ice cube trays.

Thanks Sally, and to everyone else, for your input!