Wrapping meat Safely for the Freezer??

Deadly Sushi

Deadly Sushi

Formerly The Giant Mojito
Ok.... ya go and get some type of meat at a grocery store and you need to put it in the freezer. Its wrapped in that plastic that 80% of stores use. Does it make a difference if you wrap the meat in aluminum foil too? Is it a waste of money or is it actually protecting it from freezer burn? :unsure:
 
PieSusan

PieSusan

Tortes Are Us
Super Site Supporter
My mom always taught me that to avoid freezer burn there can't be any air around the meat. It is why tin foil is sealed around it and then, people will put it in a freezer bag and try to get all the air out of the bag as well.
 
joec

joec

New member
Gold Site Supporter
I actually rap mine in vacuum freezer bags then seal them before going in. I never use the packages I get from the store except short term storage in the refrigerator.
 
Deadly Sushi

Deadly Sushi

Formerly The Giant Mojito
Thing is my father wraps ALL of his stuff in aluminum foil and he feels it saves the meat from freezer burn. I say he is wasting money, time and resources doing it because it wont keep ANY air out more than what it is wrapped in already. He doesnt have any money for a vaccum sealer.
 
Miniman

Miniman

Mini man - maxi food
Gold Site Supporter
The general advice is too unwrap fresh products and then use an appropriate wrap for the freezer - trying to exclude any air.
 
PieSusan

PieSusan

Tortes Are Us
Super Site Supporter
I may one day invest in one of the vacuum seal a bag machine. I keep waiting until they stop "improving" it. lol
 
Keltin

Keltin

New member
Gold Site Supporter
If you leave it in the original pack and wrap the original pack in foil, then you’re wasting money! The original pack has air in it and that is how you’ll get freezer burn. If you take the meat out of the original pack and wrap it in foil, then you are doing a better job than the store packing.

I use those new vacuum freezer bags instead of foil, and they work great. We’ve tried the original ones with the electric pump, and the new Zip-Loc bags with manual pump. I like the manual pump better. It grabs the bag better, and being manual, you can really add some serious “power” to the pump and get more air out that the electric version.
 
Wart

Wart

Banned
Yes, removal of all air.

I use to wrap meat(s) in dinner portions for wife and I. IE: 2 or 3 leg quarters or 2 steaks together. I would wrap first in wax paper then freezer paper.

Now I wrap and freeze each piece individually in that clingy darned plastic wrap. Freezes quicker resulting in smaller ice crystals and I need thaw only what is needed that day. IE: Old method required thawing wifes portion when she was out of town, or if there was a third for dinner I was left with an extra portion, which isn't always a bad thing.

Hamburgers are made and individually placed in fold flap baggies.

{edit} At one time freezer paper and wax paper was less expensive than 'saran wrap', seems that has flip flopped. And using baggies for burgers may seem expensive till TIME and not fighting with cling wrap is figured in. {/edit}
 
Last edited:
Keltin

Keltin

New member
Gold Site Supporter
Wart said:
Hamburgers are made and individually placed in fold flap baggies.

{edit} At one time freezer paper and wax paper was less expensive than 'saran wrap', seems that has flip flopped. And using baggies for burgers may seem expensive till TIME and not fighting with cling wrap is figured in. {/edit}
Click to expand...

I do the same thing!!! Works great doesn't it!! :applause:

Cling wrap on the other hand. All I ever do is fight with that stuff.....and it always wins! :lol:
 
Deadly Sushi

Deadly Sushi

Formerly The Giant Mojito
Keltin said:
If you leave it in the original pack and wrap the original pack in foil, then you’re wasting money! The original pack has air in it and that is how you’ll get freezer burn. If you take the meat out of the original pack and wrap it in foil, then you are doing a better job than the store packing.

I use those new vacuum freezer bags instead of foil, and they work great. We’ve tried the original ones with the electric pump, and the new Zip-Loc bags with manual pump. I like the manual pump better. It grabs the bag better, and being manual, you can really add some serious “power” to the pump and get more air out that the electric version.
Click to expand...

ALLELUIA!!!! Can I get an AMEN?????? :clap:
 
Mama

Mama

Queen of Cornbread
Site Supporter
I use a food saver. Works well for me. I buy the extra rolls in bulk at Sam's Club to save a little money.
 
VeraBlue

VeraBlue

Head Mistress
Gold Site Supporter
If the meat is sitting on one of those styrofoam trays you should remove it. There is air caught in there with the meat.

Just rewrap the meat, sans styrofoam, with a couple of layers of plastic wrap.
 
Adillo303

Adillo303

*****
Gold Site Supporter
I have a handivac and a foodsaver. To me they server different purposes. I will buy, for example a whole salmon, skin it and portion it, then I separate the portions with wax paper and put all of the portions in a gallon handivac bag, evacuate and freeze. TYhe Handivac can be opened, remove a portion and put the rest back evacuate and right back in the freeser. In that way, I am gertting several meals out of one bag. I do burgers like that too. four to a layer, two layers to a gallon bag.

I use the foodsaver for whole meal portions of say chicken (2 Thighs and a breast) or the backs, necks, wings and giblets from two whole chickens to be used later for soup. Leg of Lamb, things like that. If you plastic wrap or individual bag and then HandiVac, you can get a few uses out of the bag. I do wash and reuse the foosSaver bags as well. I read where someone turns the foodsaver bags inside out and runs them in a short dishwasher cycle.

AC
 
homecook

homecook

New member
Adillo303 said:
I have a handivac and a foodsaver. To me they server different purposes. I will buy, for example a whole salmon, skin it and portion it, then I separate the portions with wax paper and put all of the portions in a gallon handivac bag, evacuate and freeze. TYhe Handivac can be opened, remove a portion and put the rest back evacuate and right back in the freeser. In that way, I am gertting several meals out of one bag. I do burgers like that too. four to a layer, two layers to a gallon bag.

I use the foodsaver for whole meal portions of say chicken (2 Thighs and a breast) or the backs, necks, wings and giblets from two whole chickens to be used later for soup. Leg of Lamb, things like that. If you plastic wrap or individual bag and then HandiVac, you can get a few uses out of the bag. I do wash and reuse the foosSaver bags as well. I read where someone turns the foodsaver bags inside out and runs them in a short dishwasher cycle.

AC
Click to expand...

I use the FoodSaver also, especially when I buy in bulk at Sam's Club. I just portion it out and freeze.

I wash my bags in the dishwasher. They're expensive so I try to get alot of use out of them. I also cut them a little bigger than needed so I can re-use them.

Barb
 
Mama

Mama

Queen of Cornbread
Site Supporter
homecook said:
I use the FoodSaver also, especially when I buy in bulk at Sam's Club. I just portion it out and freeze.

I wash my bags in the dishwasher. They're expensive so I try to get alot of use out of them. I also cut them a little bigger than needed so I can re-use them.

Barb
Click to expand...

Great idea Barb!
 
J

jkath

New member
I use a foodsaver too and it saves TONS of $$.
A great way to get the bags really cheap: www.kohls.com always carries them, and if you get them online, you can also use TWO online coupons as well. So I always google around and find a free shipping coupon and usually a 20-30% off coupon. A little extra time, and a few days' wait, but I save a lot of cash.
 
Wart

Wart

Banned
jkath said:
on raw meat?:sick:
Click to expand...

Yes.

Don't suck the meat juices, just the air.

I haven't used a "vacuum bagger" , I've seen them though. Don't remember seeing a "catch can" to keep fluids out of the pump so I'm guessing the operator stops the evacuation process before the juices are pulled out of those bags.

And unless someone is a member of one of the groups at elevated risk for food poisoning theres little danger from sucking up a bit of chicken gunk long as you spit it out.

Just gotta be careful, really.

I've been thinking of bringing my vacuum pump into the house. Wife would love that.
 
homecook

homecook

New member
Wart said:
Yes.

Don't suck the meat juices, just the air.

I haven't used a "vacuum bagger" , I've seen them though. Don't remember seeing a "catch can" to keep fluids out of the pump so I'm guessing the operator stops the evacuation process before the juices are pulled out of those bags.

And unless someone is a member of one of the groups at elevated risk for food poisoning theres little danger from sucking up a bit of chicken gunk long as you spit it out.

Just gotta be careful, really.

I've been thinking of bringing my vacuum pump into the house. Wife would love that.
Click to expand...

I used to do the same thing before I got my Food Saver. :dizzy:

My Food Saver has a button to suck the air out of wet or dry foods (specifically meats), so the liquid doesn't get into the pump. If I'm doing soups I freeze it flat first then pump it.

Barb
 
Maverick2272

Maverick2272

Stewed Monkey
Super Site Supporter
I am cheep, I use the straw method LOL. Yes, you do have to be careful if there is a lot of juice in there, but works better than what it is wrapped in at the store. Don't use foil for the freezer as I think that is a waste. Our stuff is bought week to week so most meat is brought home, portioned out for each meal it will be used for, then put into zip lock bags, air sucked out of them, and placed in the freezer.
Works great in the short term. For the long term, FoodSavers are great and I do plan on getting one some day.
 
Maverick2272

Maverick2272

Stewed Monkey
Super Site Supporter
Keltin said:
Whoa! Another awesome tip!!! Mods, another gold star please!

Thanks for the tip. Never even thought about doing it that way! Excellent!
Click to expand...

I wonder if we can actually do that??? LOL along with the green Karma boxes we add gold stars for every time someone has a great tip to offer! :clap:

Just don't ask me to supply the gold stars...:whistle:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top