meat processing at home

[alcesgigantes]

Just finished cutting, grinding, packaging the meat from my moose this year. It's a big job for one person, but it's a satisfying process. I used a vacuum sealer for 90% of the meat and ziplocs for a bit that we'll be using soon. Just curious to know what system others on here use for packaging meat. I've heard of people using straight butcher paper or plastic wrap then butcher paper. What are the pros and cons of each? I'm hoping the vacuum packs will keep it fresh for longer (who knows if I'll have any luck next year), but it is a bit pricier.

[nature girl]

I use just straight freezer paper. Cost like $5.00. But if I were to get a moose we would probably vacumn seal half of it.

[Andrewh]

I use butcher paper for steaks and anything solid but use these cabelas meat bags for all the grind. http://www.cabelas.com/product/Cabelas-Ground-Meat-Storage-Bags/716081.uts

They are great and super easy to use if you keep the plastic tube on the end of your grinder, and you have the red tape dispenser they also sell.

Some of my steaks are two years old before I find them in the freezer and the paper does an amazing job if you wrap the meat well, make sure no air pockets ​and the meat will last quite some time.

[tinhorse]

I just finished mine and all meat is wrapped in plastic bags then paper. I've never had a problem with game meat freezer burning. Vacuum sealing will definetly do a great job though

[SR80]

Saran wrap, then waxed butcher paper for steaks and roasts. I also use the poly bags for burger. Meat will last forever.

[Salty]

I've done it about every way leaning to just vacusealing everything now. Or sometimes 3 or 4 butcher's paper wrapped meal sized packs vacusealed together just to make it go faster. Open one of those packs eat one and my theory is they'll all be eaten before any frost can sneak in there on the rest.

[Greg]

I use butcher paper paper for most of my meat. With backstrap, burger, stirfry and stew I can wrap the packages super tight and they last over a year easy in my frezzer. Big steaks I vaccum seal since I cant get the packages as tight. The meat wrapping paper is way cheaper and faster and works for most of my needs but large flat cuts I need the vaccum sealer. I also find in a large frezzer vaccum sealed meat and fish packages cant take a bit of a beating if people are moving things around trying to get at food on the bottum.

[Salty]

Speaking of butcher's wrap, I love that stuff, you don't need a big pristine table to butcher an animal. Any old table, plywood on sawhorses or whatever and cover it with a couple runs of butcher's wrap. Tape it up underneath so it stays put and wa-la a nice big clean working surface.

[srupp]

Hmmm coffee and then out to do moose s use chamber sealer..4 mm bags..for sausage, ground and steaks roasts..think bags are 9 cents each..and take 45 seconds to remove air, seal..cool..next.

Hmm looking like just Susan and I..other 2 hunters are gone home..big 2 days..
Cheers
Srupp

[Bear Chaser]

Ziplock bags then wrapped in butcher paper. Get all the air out of the bags and the paper helps protect the plastic while in the freezer.

[Whonnock Boy]

Nothing but freezer paper for me. I've had stuff for two years and it was as fresh of the first month, and it's a hell of a lot cheaper and less time consuming. Unless you have thick vacuum bags, they tend to get compromised when moving them around in the freezer.

[adriaticum]

I was told the best thing to do is wrap the meat in cling wrap and then butcher paper so that's what I'm doing.
Vacuum sealing only fish and fruit/veggies.

[BigMrMeats]

The goal with wrapping is to remove as much air as possible... air and moisture when frozen slowly create freezer burn. Freezer burn doesn't mean the meat is ruined by any stretch, it's still fine and good to eat... it just tends to dry out more so there is a quality issue.

-Vacuum sealing works to remove the most amount of air... but it's slow and the bags are costly. So it works the best, but it's slow and expensive.

-Butcher paper (quality butcher paper, not Cabellas or Superstore kind "freezer king". It's thicker than store bought crap and it has a waxy side to it that blocks moisture transfer. It cost's more than generic stuff and it works WAY better. Long term it keeps up with vacuum bags, it's cheaper than the bags, more expensive than generic, and faster to use. Also comes in 3 different widths or pre-cut 15"x15" sheets (which are more expensive again) but go super fast for grinds. Unless you're in the industry though, it can be harder to find.

-Grinder bags. They're small, expensive for what you get and are only good for grinds... but they work quick and are thick so they do a good job of protecting against freezer burn. If you buy "bulk" commercial lot...they're not too expensive I guess... but the ones from Cabella's are a rip off (just my opinion).... but they are fast if you have a fast grinder.

-Generic butcher paper... "freezer king"... thinner, limited moisture protection. Most people find they need to add produce bags around their product when they use this stuff. It is cheap, but you get what you pay for. If it's all you can get, it works... just "borrow" a bunch of produce bags from the veggi dept when you're in shopping. Because of all the double handling, it's also a slower way to go using these. Cheap and availiable though.

-Saran wrap. This is a desperation move. The stuff you can get at home (glad wrap) is nothing like shrink wrap used in a meat shop aside from it's kind of thin, see-through and plastic. It sticks, it doesn't do a good job of helping protect against moisture transfer. At best... it's used as a "helper" for other wrapping. (Like wrapping a steak then paper wrapping it)

-Ziplock baggies are stupid proof. You put the meat in, squish as much air out and close it up. They can be expensive for what you get, work OK at best, but are super f'n easy. Also come in enough sizes that you can put small packs of burger out or use the big ones for a whole hind quarter (yup... they come that big)

Cheers :)

[Gateholio]

Almost all butcher paper. Sometimes I'll plastic wrap then the paper. I find it's fast and works well. I bought 2 giant rolls years ago and still have a fair bit left.

When I used to be a chef and had access to a commercial vac packer I used it a fair bit but paper works pretty much just as good except for really irregular shaped stuff and doesn't cost several thousand dollars for the unit.

[alcesgigantes]

BigMrMeats thanks for the thoughts. Where would one buy the butcher paper you're talking about?

[Stone Sheep Steve]

Almost all butcher paper. Sometimes I'll plastic wrap then the paper. I find it's fast and works well.

Same here. I tried adding plastic wrap before butcher paper as suggested on here but I found that it made zero difference: however, we do a pretty good job at consuming all game meat within a year. Never had anything freezer burn.

[Fella]

My inlaws are meat experts having lived off the land in Romania, moving here and opening a butcher store etc. Butcher paper is all they use. I did my moose with just butcher paper last year and it's worked great so far, no issues with freezer burn or anything.

[Bernie O]

I got lucky years ago and bought a commercial sandwich wrapper at an auction. The big rolls of wrap last about 3 years for 1 moose and 2 deer. I squeeze out all the air and give it about 10 layers of wrap. Super easy as it has a built in heat sealer and wrap cutter. I would never go back to butcher paper.

[Sportster]

Butcher paper is all you need and and the tape.slightly squeeze the meat as you make the folds and roll. looks neat and professional.

[6 K]

The key is to get air out and keep it out
I've always used plastic wrap and butcher paper.
properly done this has lasted me four years with no sign of freezer burn

[twoSevenO]

those who butcher their own meat at home do you hang the meat? if so where and for how long?

[Surrey Boy]

Bread bags. They're airtight and free.

Otherwise Resinite from Costco, as BimmerBob instructed me years ago.

[Surrey Boy]

those who butcher their own meat at home do you hang the meat? if so where and for how long?

Up to two weeks in an old fridge in the garage. I butcher at night when the flies are sleeping.

[Brambles]

I always Saran Wrap then butcher paper.........I have had meat packaged with just butcher paper and from my experience the Saran Wrap meat lasts FAR longer in the deep freeze. Plus you don't get any leakage, where as plain butcher paper Has left my freezer bloody before it froze.

[Looking_4_Jerky]

For burger, I wouldn't bother with anything but good quality butcher paper. Because you virtually never eat burger really plain just cooked, if little spots on the outside have been in contact with a bit of air, you won't notice after seasoning. With steaks, because they tend to be eaten seasoned very little (with a bit of salt and maybe a dash of pepper), you don't want to have any spots that have co-mingled with freezer air. I'll Saran-wrap before freezer paper, but vacuum sealing would be a great alternative too. For many years, freezer wrap was all anyone used on any cut. For the most part, does a perfectly acceptable job.

Brambles makes a great point about leakage. My packets of ground which only get butcher-paper will definitely make the fridge a blood-bath if you don't thaw them in/on a plate.

[.264winmag]

Couple of those black food saver vac sealers going when processing fish/game. When the heat seal overheats they don't vacuum worth the damn, switch to the cool one. Ziplock brand pre-cut vac seal bags are cheaper, double corrugated and tougher. Working well for us. Can go through a large cooler or two of meat in short order, less than 10% will have a tiny bit of air but get eaten first.

[tomahawk]

Double layer for all meat. First layer sandwich baggies for steaks and burger and saran wrap for rib bones and roasts and then wrapped in butchers paper (not cheap wrapping paper from grocery stores). There is a proper way to wrap also and if you don't know it google how to wrap properly. Meat is good for several years if needed and no freezer burn

[BigMrMeats]

Depends on where you live. I live in West Kelowna and I buy mine at Busy Bee Sanitary Supplies. Sounds odd, but the same vendors that sell paper products for cleaning can bring in butcher paper as well.

You can also buy some online... Unipac ships in BC, I think they call them Polysheets or something like that. Suffers supply company (stuffers.com) sells butcher paper, 18" for $40.00 or so.

Being in the industry, I can help source stuff out if you need... let me know where you're at and I'll see if I can help research you a place that sells local.

Think of it this way. Professionals buy better quality products because it costs time and money to double handle everything. Buy the best product (also the right product) and you don't need to be double wrapping everything, or bagging and papering and this and that.

Cheers.

[wideopenthrottle]

another vote for butcher paper...I'd use a vacuum seal system for fish but even then if the bags are not heavy duty they get holes in them from getting shuffled around in the freezer

[huntinnut]

It depends on how long you might take to get it all eaten. We usually wrap everything in plastic first, and then butcher paper. This lasts a very long time. I found a little whitetail roast from 2011 the other day down in the corner of my freezer. Totally fine. The other nice thing about doing it in plastic wrap is that we wrap big batches of meat all at once in plastic, and then when you're wrapping in butcher paper everything is dry making it alot easier.

If you're going to eat everything in a year or up to two, butcher paper is totally fine, especially if one cuts the sheets a bit big and roll the meat twice in the paper, giving an extra layer to protect it in the freezer.

[BigMrMeats]

those who butcher their own meat at home do you hang the meat? if so where and for how long?

Depends on what you have.

Lamb, pork, deer... no age... just cut it up. (If you need I can give you the science behind that)
Elk - 8-10 days, same with moose
Beef - 14-21 days
Bison - 21 days minium

This is assuming that you can maintain an average temperature of 4 celcius or lower (down to 0 celcius) but not below. If your meat is above that temperature you have temp abuse going on (rot) and you're running the risk of bone-sour, bacterial contamination and so on.

If it's not in a meat cooler, it needs to be packed on ice or otherwise refrigerated. You're working with raw meat here.

4 Celcius or lower!!!!!!

[BigMrMeats]

It depends on how long you might take to get it all eaten. We usually wrap everything in plastic first, and then butcher paper. This lasts a very long time. I found a little whitetail roast from 2011 the other day down in the corner of my freezer. Totally fine. The other nice thing about doing it in plastic wrap is that we wrap big batches of meat all at once in plastic, and then when you're wrapping in butcher paper everything is dry making it alot easier.

If you're going to eat everything in a year or up to two, butcher paper is totally fine, especially if one cuts the sheets a bit big and roll the meat twice in the paper, giving an extra layer to protect it in the freezer.

If you use good quality butcher paper... you don't need to wrap it twice or use the bags. Bags are overkill or compensating for poor wrap... but then again... if a guy feels comfortable with them and it's working for them... really... WHAT'S THE HARM!!! :)

This is hunting and taking care of our own. If it's working for us... who's to judge!

[goatdancer]

Don't cheap out on the material you use for wrapping/bagging. Nothing worse than having meat or fish get freezer burned just to save a few cents.

[scoutlt1]

If you use good quality butcher paper... you don't need to wrap it twice or use the bags. Bags are overkill or compensating for poor wrap... but then again... if a guy feels comfortable with them and it's working for them... really... WHAT'S THE HARM!!! :)

This is hunting and taking care of our own. If it's working for us... who's to judge!

I've always used plastic and then butcher paper. Just how I've always done it (maybe just paranoid about freezer burn??).

I'll try some cuts this season with just the butcher paper and see how they last.

[bccanadian]

The goal with wrapping is to remove as much air as possible... air and moisture when frozen slowly create freezer burn. Freezer burn doesn't mean the meat is ruined by any stretch, it's still fine and good to eat... it just tends to dry out more so there is a quality issue.

-Vacuum sealing works to remove the most amount of air... but it's slow and the bags are costly. So it works the best, but it's slow and expensive.

-Butcher paper (quality butcher paper, not Cabellas or Superstore kind "freezer king". It's thicker than store bought crap and it has a waxy side to it that blocks moisture transfer. It cost's more than generic stuff and it works WAY better. Long term it keeps up with vacuum bags, it's cheaper than the bags, more expensive than generic, and faster to use. Also comes in 3 different widths or pre-cut 15"x15" sheets (which are more expensive again) but go super fast for grinds. Unless you're in the industry though, it can be harder to find.

-Grinder bags. They're small, expensive for what you get and are only good for grinds... but they work quick and are thick so they do a good job of protecting against freezer burn. If you buy "bulk" commercial lot...they're not too expensive I guess... but the ones from Cabella's are a rip off (just my opinion).... but they are fast if you have a fast grinder.

-Generic butcher paper... "freezer king"... thinner, limited moisture protection. Most people find they need to add produce bags around their product when they use this stuff. It is cheap, but you get what you pay for. If it's all you can get, it works... just "borrow" a bunch of produce bags from the veggi dept when you're in shopping. Because of all the double handling, it's also a slower way to go using these. Cheap and availiable though.

-Saran wrap. This is a desperation move. The stuff you can get at home (glad wrap) is nothing like shrink wrap used in a meat shop aside from it's kind of thin, see-through and plastic. It sticks, it doesn't do a good job of helping protect against moisture transfer. At best... it's used as a "helper" for other wrapping. (Like wrapping a steak then paper wrapping it)

-Ziplock baggies are stupid proof. You put the meat in, squish as much air out and close it up. They can be expensive for what you get, work OK at best, but are super f'n easy. Also come in enough sizes that you can put small packs of burger out or use the big ones for a whole hind quarter (yup... they come that big)

Cheers :)

Where do you find the "Quality Butcher Paper"?

[adriaticum]

Where do you find the "Quality Butcher Paper"?

Save on Foods.
15 bucks a roll.
Or Stuffers in Langley.

[twoSevenO]

Depends on what you have.

Lamb, pork, deer... no age... just cut it up. (If you need I can give you the science behind that)
Elk - 8-10 days, same with moose
Beef - 14-21 days
Bison - 21 days minium

This is assuming that you can maintain an average temperature of 4 celcius or lower (down to 0 celcius) but not below. If your meat is above that temperature you have temp abuse going on (rot) and you're running the risk of bone-sour, bacterial contamination and so on.

If it's not in a meat cooler, it needs to be packed on ice or otherwise refrigerated. You're working with raw meat here.

4 Celcius or lower!!!!!!


That's why i never understood the "science" behind people hanging game in their sheds for days on end and spraying with vinegar etc even when temp is not 4.


Anyways, send me the science behind the deer butchering not requiring hanging time.

[Whonnock Boy]

:lol::lol::lol:


Save on Foods.
15 bucks a roll.
Or Stuffers in Langley.

[adriaticum]

:lol::lol::lol:

You know it's hunting season when Wholesale is out of butcher paper

[Pemby_mess]

Depends on what you have.

Lamb, pork, deer... no age... just cut it up. (If you need I can give you the science behind that)
Elk - 8-10 days, same with moose
Beef - 14-21 days
Bison - 21 days minium

This is assuming that you can maintain an average temperature of 4 celcius or lower (down to 0 celcius) but not below. If your meat is above that temperature you have temp abuse going on (rot) and you're running the risk of bone-sour, bacterial contamination and so on.

If it's not in a meat cooler, it needs to be packed on ice or otherwise refrigerated. You're working with raw meat here.

4 Celcius or lower!!!!!!

I'd also appreciate the science behind that! - Thanks

[frase]

After wrapping or vacuum sealing and freezing I place it in boxes in the freezer. I keep say a 3 mos supply loose in the freezer. By having most of it in boxes it helps prevent accidental puncturing of vacuum sealed packages.

[tigrr]

Hanging meat. Moose, deer, bear and pork are butchered same day or next day from the kill. Never seen any difference in tenderness.
Beef hangs for a week.
Ask 5 butchers, get 5 different answers.
We buy thick freezer wrapping paper by the roll. Wrapped tight it will last 7+ years.

[rose]

We use straight butcher paper and find that the meat keeps well for a year or so. I have tried bagging the meat and then butcher paper wrapping the meat. This did keep the meat from leaking when thawing, but I'm not sure that it helped to keep it any fresher and was an extra step when wrapping the meat. I've heard that the vacuum sealers work well, but haven't made the investment yet. I've also heard that freezing the steaks on a cookie sheet and then vacuum sealing it works better than trying to seal it fresh.

[northernbc]

the father in law does the freeze idea also, just firms them up not frozen and then vac seals. it does result in all the juices not being sucked out of the meat. my self I am a wrapper and it has done me fine

[.264winmag]

There's a few comments about not having to hang game to help age and tenderize? Well I've hung a few wild animals, l bet close to 100 and hanging tenderizes ime. Don't believe me take one fillet and one backstrap eat it day of kill, hang the other ones or let sit in fridge 7-10 days and tell me which one is more tender. I've had chewy spike buck the day of kill, gotta age it.

[Pemby_mess]

There's a few comments about not having to hang game to help age and tenderize? Well I've hung a few wild animals, l bet close to 100 and hanging tenderizes ime. Don't believe me take one fillet and one backstrap eat it day of kill, hang the other ones or let sit in fridge 7-10 days and tell me which one is more tender. I've had chewy spike buck the day of kill, gotta age it.

That's been my impression as well. I've got some deer hanging in the spare fridge right now on day 5. Was waiting for "the science" to tell me otherwise. I will probably end up breaking it down tomorrow anyways.

[hickman]

I process everything by myself at home as well. I take a quarter at the time, start with the nice cuts for roasts and steaks, then stewing meat and finally ground meat. Last year I kept the ribs and they turned out real nice in the slow cooker... everything else, even the smallest bits go to the dog.
I vacuum seal as much as I can. Other than that I use freezer paper but vacuum sealing keeps it nicer for a longer time IMO.
Cutting up my buck tonight.

[adriaticum]

I process everything by myself at home as well. I take a quarter at the time, start with the nice cuts for roasts and steaks, then stewing meat and finally ground meat. Last year I kept the ribs and they turned out real nice in the slow cooker... everything else, even the smallest bits go to the dog.
I vacuum seal as much as I can. Other than that I use freezer paper but vacuum sealing keeps it nicer for a longer time IMO.
Cutting up my buck tonight.


Recipe for ribs please!!!!!!!!!

[416]

http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=hunting.meatcare I think this link has made the rounds before, but worth the read. At one time l did hang game for various periods, last year's buck was deboned in the field and processed with in a day or two.........some of the best and tender venison we have had in years. Once believed hanging had a lot to do with finished table fare, not so any more, kept clean and well looked after in the field l have found has a huge roll in how the end product tastes.....more so then aging.

[Brez]

I get the large rolls of freezer paper and rolls of bakery/produce bags from local grocery store. $50 gets you enough for 2000 packages. Never had freezer burn problems, even with 4 or 5 year old packs (stuff forgotten at the the bottom).

[Brez]

We got away from hanging a few years ago and then, because of time constraints, had to hang a couple of elk for 10 days. I will never not hang game, especially large game, again. The difference is incredible.
http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=hunting.meatcare I think this link has made the rounds before, but worth the read. At one time l did hang game for various periods, last year's buck was deboned in the field and processed with in a day or two.........some of the best and tender venison we have had in years. Once believed hanging had a lot to do with finished table fare, not so any more, kept clean and well looked after in the field l have found has a huge roll in how the end product tastes.....more so then aging.

[.264winmag]

http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=hunting.meatcare I think this link has made the rounds before, but worth the read. At one time l did hang game for various periods, last year's buck was deboned in the field and processed with in a day or two.........some of the best and tender venison we have had in years. Once believed hanging had a lot to do with finished table fare, not so any more, kept clean and well looked after in the field l have found has a huge roll in how the end product tastes.....more so then aging.

Yes hanging won't help a poorly taken care of animal. But it even says in your link aging will help tenderize and make better flavour...

[meat hunter]

I Butcher my own Deer, that's the first thing, the second is I married a woman that used to work in a custom cutting meat shop, she wraps like the pro she is. All our meat is gone before following summer.