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RE: vacuum sealing game meat
 

We used a vacuum sealer to process and freeze trout from this past summer. It worked great. By removing the oxygen in the package, the meat can't develop freezer burn and will stay very fresh.

Two years old is pretty old for meat, though. We raise beef cattle and dispose of any frozen beef older than one year although that meat was just wrapped in plastic and butcher paper.

When in doubt, throw it out.

HuntingNet Member since Spring 2001

RE: vacuum sealing game meat
 

lb, the vac'd meat is a great way to go imo. the last two deer i have gotten have been vac packed. I found some roasts stuck in the bottom of the freezer, had to be 2 yrs old. No freezer burn or anything. looked like it had just been put there. on the other hand for some reason i have had trouble with fish.

RE: vacuum sealing game meat
 

I've had the same problem with fish, two hours out of the water, cleaned properly and vac packed. Only a few months later and it smells fishy. It has been awesome for me on any meat though. I'd eat stuff three years old, no difference, I just ate some stew meat from 00 last week. Eat the roast.

I bought the high end Tilia sealer, best money I've ever spent. It has features/options you don't get with their low end models but if your doing small quantities of meat those are just fine also. I use it for everything, a great investment for us carnivores.

RE: vacuum sealing game meat
 

I love mine! It makes it much easier to put up meat. Meat will last for two years when done properly. Air is what causes meat to freezer burn. Without air it will last a long time. We eat two year old meat and you cannot tell the difference.

RE: vacuum sealing game meat
 

I have been useing one for years,and everything is great.we do everything that goes into the freezer,meats,fruts,nuts,fish.it all works good and last for several years.

I am not a hunter I am a whitetail population reduction specialest

remember keep your back to the sun, your knife sharp, and your powder dry.

RE: vacuum sealing game meat
 

I have a question... Do you vacpac before or after aging? If you do it before is the meat still tough or does the bacteria still do its thing to soften the meat?

I'm curious about this because I don't process mine until rigor mortis sets in then comes out so the bacteria will make the meat more tender.

FOOLPROOF?
Never underestimate the power of a fool!

What if the "Hokey Pokey" really is what it's all about?

RE: vacuum sealing game meat
 

It should still be good.That's assuming your freezer has been below freezing for the entire time. Freezer Burn is actually the cold air robbing moisture of a piece of meat. The Vac seal keeps the moisture in and therefore prevents freeze rburn much better than conventional wrapping.
Thundermug,
You should age your meat first, then vac it, then freeze it. The process of aging is temperature sensitive. Optimal temp for aging meat is about 40. Anything higher for an extended period will promote unwanted bacteria and expediate spoilage. I've hung Venison for as long as 21 days in my walk-in cooler and it does make a difference in texture. It's tricky though and the humidity in the cooler plays a big part. Too moist and it will "slime up" and that's not so good. Too dry and it will form what's called a "pelicle" or dry crust almost and not let any more moisture exit. It will rot from the inside out beacause of this if your not carefull.

I would say you can hang it for a week in a barn or garage without any cause for concern at all as long as the temps right.
Good luck.

Trushot }}------>

RE: vacuum sealing game meat
 

Meat & Fish, 3-5 years with Foodsaverbags.
Trebark

Become one with nature...then grill it.

RE: vacuum sealing game meat
 

I have just been useing the vacuum packing for about a year but all the meat that I have eaten has tasted like I just killed the deer or elk. It wouldn't bother me to eat it two years old. I would check it out first but if it looked and smelled ok, I'd eat it.
BowElkDwn

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RE: vacuum sealing game meat
 

I would definently age the meat before freezing. I don't see any advantage to doing it after. I have never tried it any other way but what would be the advantage.
BowElkDwn

RE: vacuum sealing game meat
 

I've worked in kitchens since 15 years old and I'm 32 now. I never stayed at a job for more then 2 years before going to a better one, worked for 5 star Hotels in Detroit,Mi.Naples, Fla. Sydney, Australia. Dallas, Texas and returned to my hometown in Michigan to open my own restaurant where we have gained numerous accolades from the press and won &quot;Best new Resataurant in Michigan&quot; last year according to AAA Magazine.... That expert enough?!<img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle><img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>

I would not reccomend aging meat after thawing. When meat freezes the water molecules expand, as we all know. This expansion breaks down the cell walls of the meat and results in weight loss as that liquid is sapped from the meat ( that puddle of blood at the bottom of the bag after you thaw your meat.)

Brief summary on aging meats.
Bacteria already pesent in the meat begins to break down the tissue (decomposition). We can now keep this relatively in check, utilizing the good bacteria while thwarting the bad, through temperature and humidity controls. The end result is a more texturally pleasing piece of meat.IE more tender. Decomposition has weakened the connective tissue and the heat breaks it down even farther.( I didn't say this was going to be pretty!<img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>) A side effect is natural evaporation of water content.
A 16 oz NY strip, fat removed, and aged 21 days will lose approx 1-1.5 oz of weight due to natural evaporation. This is one reason many beef companies have gone to &quot;Wet aging&quot;. They Cryovac that 16 oz cut and age it 21 day and still sell you 16 oz...only now it's 14.5 oz of meat and 1.5 oz of discarded hemoglobin or &quot;bloody water&quot;.

Knowing this we can guess what happens if you freeze a piece of meat, thaw it, and then hang it to age it.

I hope this makes sense. I'd be happy to answer any questions ya'll have on this subject. I'm far from knowing it all, but I know where to find most of it!<img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle><img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>

Hope I didn't sound too arrogant, just wanted to let everyone know my credentials.

Trushot }}------>

RE: vacuum sealing game meat
 

Trueshot, I want you to process my deer and elk this year.<img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>

RE: vacuum sealing game meat
 

Let me Elk hunt with you this year and it's a deal! Always wanted to hunt Big Sky country!<img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>

Trushot }}------>

RE: vacuum sealing game meat
 

I skin and quarter the deer, ASAFP, then put the quarters in the fridge in Rubbermaid containers, and age for up to 14 days for whitetail. Other animals have different max ageing times, I'll see if I can find them and post them here. This has worked for me for years. Trebark

Become one with nature...then grill it.

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