Hey Guys

We picked up Zale's Deer from Talent meat processor in Riverside today

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Now I have ~90 lb. oF sausage, back straps and steaks in the freezer

Any tricks for keeping it from freezer burning ???. [img:left][/img]

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Thanks Guys

I think if it's vacuum packed it should be good. I vacuum pack any meat that gets put in the freezer and never had a freezer burn issue.

Yep, vacuum packed. You're good to go for at least a couple of years...

Looks good to go to me.

Even if it is vacuum packed it could "burn". I've found that not all of the packages necessarily get sealed as good as they should. I suggest you look through the freezer for any that appear to be getting iced up inside the package when you go get some to defrost. I try to use these packages first to avoid any getting so bad that they are no longer edible.

This is much more common with the home style of vacuum sealers than the commercial ones that processors usually use. Fish is what I have the most trouble with since the fillets are wet when trying to seal them.

Tim

Dry your fish before you seal them and your problem will be solved. Just pat them with paper towels. To the op, your meat will be fine. It all looks properly sealed.

thanks guys

Never had an issue with freezer burn on meats. Fish, we've found out, if you freeze them in water, will last a long long time

I put doves and duck breasts in water as well as fish. They stay good for at least a couple years

Yup we just cover them in water and add just a tad of lemon juice.

What does the lemon juice do?

I would double wrap with heavy alluminum foil too !

For you guys freezing fish and game in water,stop doing it. Get a vacuum sealer. Your meat will last much longer. At least twice as long. The problem with freezing fish in water is that the longer it stays frozen, the more flavor is lost, especially crappie. I will never freeze in water again.

Eat it

I roll up a paper towel, put it just below my seal, then vacuum seal it and the towel absorbs any blood or moisture making the seal work better. Then I move the package and seal it again just in case the first seal has a leak. Started doing this after having a couple of backstrap packages not sealing properly due to moisture compromising the seal.

Thanks for that advice!

Sounds like a good idea... Time consuming, but might add a layer of confidence...

probably should get a real stand alone freezer. Without "frost free" feature.
Read about "refrigerator defrost cycle temperature".
Depending on appliance, it can thaw outer layer of meat, re-freeze it later causing surface evaporative dehidration, even with vacuum packed meats.
Ever wondered about "freezer smell" on meat, fish, vegetables?
We moved all meats and fish to stand alone chest freezer. So far no freezer burns, even on loose packaged meats.
Yesterday pulled a deer leg that was only wrapped in two plastic sheets since opening weekend in november, not even a hint on a freeze burns at all.
Will be cooking tonight!

This is the way to do it never had a problem with a seal.

Don't use a frost free freezer. They are designed to suck the moisture out of the air to prevent frost buildup in the freezer. Stand up freezers are usually frost free. Chest freezers are generally not frost free and will generally preserve your meat longer. Also as mentioned above. If you water pack your meat it will resist feezer burn much much longer. Completely cover your fish, birds, etc in water and then freeze.

Like Spacemonkey, we too use a chest type freezer and freeze our meats in water. And we don't have any problem with freezer burn.

I started a new policy. Ducks eat rights away. Turkey within 6 months, deer within a year, dove within 18 months. And fish pretty quick or I will forget about it. I also started bagging in smaller packages and it helps so I don't feel like I need to feed 10 people each time. Luckily 3 out of 4 at home eat it all and I have a few weekends I cook for 20 people. We eat healthy too except the Kuby's chipotle sausage I love!! Thaw in 3 minutes and put in anything.

Everything is stored in a chest cooler. Otherwise a regular freezer will cause it quickly no matter what.

this

Been freezing blue cat in water for up to a year with no freezer burn, never thought about it loosing its flavor I usually fry up the fresh and give away the frozen. Think ill be getting a vacuum sealer.

Why bother vacuum packing fish? I just put the fillets in a ziplok and fill with water. push some water out until there is no air left. Just ate some trout from May 2011 and they were great.