Batch Cooking for Beginners | My Chilli Recipe, Freezing Tips & How to Defrost Safely
If you've ever stood in the kitchen on a busy evening thinking "what on earth are we having tonight?" this one's for you. Batch cooking is one of the habits that has genuinely changed how I run my home, and today I'm walking you through everything: how I do it, how to freeze safely, how to defrost and reheat properly, and exactly why it saves you time, money and stress every single week.
I'm making my chilli recipe, a family favourite, found on page 209 of Through the Seasons, using five pounds of mince from my butcher and cooking it low and slow in the simmering oven of the AGA. It freezes beautifully, it's even better the next day, and it's endlessly versatile: jacket potato, rice, couscous, wraps. One cook, multiple meals.
Alongside the recipe I'm sharing all of my freezing and defrosting tips, the golden rules for cooling before freezing, how much room to leave for expansion, why glass containers are worth the investment, the cold-water emergency defrost method, how to bring things back to room temperature safely, and even how to freeze and reheat roast potatoes at Christmas. A downloadable freezer tips guide with all of this in one place is available on my website and linked below.
Leave a comment if there's a batch cooking recipe or topic you'd like me to cover next, I love hearing from you.
Charlie x
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Order Through the Seasons (the chilli is on p.209): https://www.askcharlie.how/shop/p/through-the-seasons (Ad/Own Brand)
Batch Cooking Online Course: https://www.askcharlie.how (Ad/Own Brand)
The Efficient Home Course: https://www.askcharlie.how (Ad/Own Brand)
Glass storage containers (the ones I use): https://amzn.to/4mYxApr (Ad/Aff)
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The free freezer Tips : PDF download it here