frozen meatloaf right into the oven?

[Wugmama]

I want to be able to make up meatloafs ahead of time and freeze them. I want to be able to take them right from the freezer directly into the oven, as I don't want to have to plan ahead and take them out of the freezer the night before.

Can I do this? Would I put them in the freezer raw? I've never done feed the freezer meals before but would like to. The most I do is put a container of left overs in the freezer to take to work to put in the microwave for my lunch, which is a whole 'nother thing.

TIA,
Tracy

[kellid]

sub'in :

[gmvh]

I'd do it but it will likely take a lot longer to cook. Ideally, it would spend the day in the fridge before going in the oven.

[KatWrangler]

Since it would have to cook longer, I would suggest a piece of foil over it to keep from getting too brown.

I say go for it!

[Carley]

Definitely post back & let us know how long the cooking time was!!! If you have a microwave with a defrost feature it'd probably cut down the cooking time consderably.

Every time I make meatloaf I freeze a couple raw prepared loafs, 1-2 family sized & 1-2 mini loafs (for "microwave dinners"). I take the big ones out a day ahead, though, & cook them normally. It's a fantastic meal to have in the freezer. Comfort food at its finest!

[jjawm]

I do this all the time. I take it completely frozen and put it in the oven. I don't even use foil. I check the temp to make sure it's safe. It takes about 1 - 1 1/2 hours to bake.

To freeze I cover it with one or two pieces of foil, and freeze in the pan I'll bake in.

[akichan]

If you can put a frozen turkey directly into the oven, I don't see why you shouldn't be able to do a frozen meatloaf, too.

[Irishmommy]

I do it all the time. I'm organized enough to make and freeze them, not organized enough to defrost them in time! How long it takes to cook depends on the size, but count on at least 50% more cooking time.

[Wugmama]

You guys rock! Part of why I don't want to defrost it too is because what is "defrosted"? I take out a lbs of frozen hamburger the night before and it is still solid in the am. So I don't want to screw up the cooking time if my loaf isn't as defrosted as the person's who wrote the recipe. I get real hung up on the details as I have never cooked much so very inexperienced. Now have to cook everything due to nursling allergic to wheat and all sources of gluten, eggs, soy, dairy, corn, potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, eggplants and peas. So yeah, my meatloafs aren't your mother's meatloaf of days gone by, no bread crumbs, eggs or ketchup here! I'm learning to deal but cooking ahead will really help me so I don't have to cook every.single.night.

Someone mentioned checking the temp so it's safe. I just got a food thermometer (I'm so proud ) - what temp should the meatloaf be?

Oh, and how the heck does this work:

mini loafs (for "microwave dinners")

Thanks all!
Tracy

[Amys1st]

I have made up meat loafs ahead of time and baked one and put two more wrapped up in wax paper and foil in the freezer raw. Also, if you take meat out of the freezer to make the meatloaf, you MUST cook it first because you cannot re freezer uncooked redmeat once its defrosted.

For the raw meatloaf, I take it out the night before or that morning and let it defrost in the fridge until an hour before hand. Than I let it defrost COVERED on the counter before putting in the oven unwrapped.

[ErinEmily]

Originally Posted by Wugmama

Someone mentioned checking the temp so it's safe. I just got a food thermometer (I'm so proud ) - what temp should the meatloaf be?
Tracy

The internal temp should be 74 degrees F I can check what the C temp should be if you need.

[LoveLife]

My cookbooks say beef is "well done" at 160 degrees F.

Pork is the same while poultry is 180 degrees F.

This is cooking from raw, where reheating cooked meat would be much less. Off to go double check!