Butcher wrapping question
Elk
Trying to decide which route to go for DIY elk butchering. I have 99% of my elk from last year still in the freezer after having to get through multiple animals from 2 years ago. So assuming I get a couple elk this year, there’s a good chance it will sit in the freezer for 10 months before it gets touched and probably won’t get finished for 18+ months.
I noticed that the meat started to change flavor after about 14 months being single wrapped with waxed butcher paper (from the butcher). I don’t want to repeat that.
Option 1. Wrap in Saran Wrap and wrap in butcher paper.
Option 2. Wrap in Saran Wrap and vacuum seal using my cheaper vacuum sealer that does an ok job but after a while the bags seem to start to lose their air tight-ness.
Last question, if I go the butcher paper route, does the waxed paper provide better freezer protection? Any recommendations?
I’ve just been vacuum sealing everything without Saran Wrap. Holds up well. Have a cheap vacuum sealer and sometimes the bags get loose and les some air in. If there is a little freezer burn, I just trim it off.
Saran Wrap and butcher paper for me. Because of what Travis describes. I don’t have that problem if I do it this way. But, my animals aren’t likely to last 18 months either.
Justin what butcher paper are you using? Waxed? Looks like amazon has a bunch of different kinds.
Look at Waltonsinc.com for butchering supplies. There's good reviews on all the wraps they offer there too.
If using butcher paper that is unwaxed, use saran wrap or something similar inside. If it is waxed I wouldn't bother with saran wrap.
I would buy higher quality rolls for any vacuum sealer, especially if I wanted it to last more than a year.
I always double wrap with waxed freezer paper. I've had some meat 2 years with very mild freezer burn, I just trim it off. Usually make jerky out of the older stuff anyway.
I use ziplock freezer bags and buther paper and dont get freezer burn. Have found meet over two years old that still tastes fresh.
Option 1 is fine. Normally, butcher paper is meant to be understood as waxed.
We do all of our own meat. Just last week I found some Elk round steaks from 2016 in the bottom of the freezer. Vacuum sealed, key is to get a good seal, and they were just fine. The family thought they were great.
Saran Wrap and butcher paper for me. I have a cheap vacuum sealer and it doesn’t seem to work well. Let’s air in and ruins meat. Saran Wrap and butcher last longer for me
Get sara wrap made for freezer use, their is a big difference in it's quality and strength. I buy a big roll of butcher paper thru my local butcher. Will use Alcoa in a pinch. Qualtity freezer tape. Learn proper butcher folds. I hardly use my vacuum sealer.
This seems to be about the best deal I can find on quality paper. Anything better out there?
18”x1100 feet at $65 shipped.
saran wrap then waxed butcher paper here. meat lasts a long time in the freezer as opposed to one or the other.
John, make sure to get a stand/cutter with that roll. I don't think you'd want to hand cut each piece with scissors. As for Saran wrap, call one of the local food distributors and see if they'll sell you a roll(in a box with built in cutter on edge). I can't recall where I bought mine from but it lasted a couple of years. I purposely try to eat all the game meat within a year - makes me more motivated come fall!
I think vacuum sealers work great but too much trouble for me....I use ONLY Ziplocs no freezer paper I don't see the point....also I have been leaving meat in bigger chunks and bring it our and eat off it until it is gone....burger..... grind no additives and add olive oil when cooking...
20+ years custom butcher experience. My method is double wrap wrapping paper. This will work for your time frame. Should be good for 2 years minimum.
I use 1 gal Baggies, twist to get air out then wrap with freezer paper. Lasts a looonng time
I used Saran Wrap and butcher paper for many years.
Get it wrapped up tight the air pushed out of the Saran and then wrap in butcher paper. Still have part of a big roll on a cutter in my pile of butchering equipment and will use it if I run out of vacuum bag rolls or to wrap chunks that I will break down later.
The Saran/butcher paper method is probably cheaper but takes more time. If the air is kept out, either way will keep just fine for a couple of years.
After 30 years of being a butcher here is my recommendation. Wrap in a plastic film designed to withstand a freezer. Then wrap in freezer paper. It’s not “waxed” but polyethylene coated freezer paper. Make sure to wrap the plastic tight. This will last many years. If you vacuum seal I would still wrap in the plastic first. If the bag weakens or pops then the meat will still have a layer of protection.
We wrap all fresh meat in freezer plastic then freezer paper. Bacon and hams get wrapped in plastic then vacuum sealed. All jerky and stack stick products are vacuum sealed.
My last personal animal I processed I wrapped in plastic then vacuum sealed. I go back and forth with my personal stuff. They real key is to wrap in plastic first. There are companies that will sell freezer plastic from 30 weight and up to 80 weight. Cost is usually about $50 and up depending on thickness. You would need a stand to hold it and cut it as well.
You probably wouldn’t need the commercial grade plastic. Pick up a roll at cosco, Sam’s club, shamrock foods, Sysco, etc and it will work just fine.
I used to Saran-wrap then Freezer paper. I have much better luck now with Zip-Lok freezer bags getting as much air out as possible, then wrapping in freezer paper. I have roasts that I find once and a while that are three years old or more and they are just as fresh as three months old would be.
John, I am using waxed paper. I lay everything in Saran Wrap for that package. Fold it up good and air tight, then wrap and tape.
After seeing brads pic, it looks a lot like that. I get all the air out. Might have to start using the baggy system as Saran Wrap can be a pain.
Vacuum sealer hands down lasts years. I’m running into the same problem with wild game. My wife won’t eat it anymore so I still have some bear, deer, pheasant, and turkey. Honestly I’m starting to wonder if I should be shooting animals anymore ha. I guess I will be giving away a lot more from now on.
Ground hunter sure you can get almost 100 percent of the air out of ziplocks ....just burp towards that open corner and then seal
I think 14 months is pushing it no matter what route you go.
I think in general most game meat is "best" consumed before 1 year. After that I'm sure quality starts to fall off.
Still safe I'm sure, but you are going to lose quality
Give it to friends and family if you are able to fill tags every year and not finish your meat. Some will even give a simple donations to next years hunting gear ;)
I really want a chamber sealer but the prices have gone through the roof. Someday...
I shot 2 elk in 2013. Still eating on one of them with no problems at all. Still have an elk from 2017, Oryx from January 2019, antelope 2019 and a mixture of pork and beef. Your meat will stay good a long time wrapped in plastic and freezer paper or vacuum sealed.
Probably overkill but everything i do gets the Saran Wrap, waxed butcher paper then into large freezer ziplocks.
Started cutting my own meat in 1964. Always use plastic (Saran, etc.) and then freezer paper. Paper is to protect the plastic. We always get through our meat by about 18 months.
Just using freezer paper often allows some freezer burn.
Think vac sealing is a waste of money except for sausage and fish. Even summer/salami sausage is pretty good with just plastic wrap.
My saran wrapper
My saran wrapper
If your vacuum sealer works correctly that’s all you need. Seal It in vacuum bags. No need to prewrap in more plastic. It will last years and be just as good as the day you wrapped it.
Last of this elk. Making lasagna this weekend
Your vacuum sealer can work correctly but the bags can still become brittle when frozen and when moved around will get small tiny holes in it and allow air back in. Wrapping in plastic is one more step but it really doesn’t take that long to do. It’s also much cleaner when sliding it into your vacuum bag. There is even a little tool you can use to help in sliding the bags over the meat.
We may be a little overkill at my meat plant but we do it right and I believe in a quality product and quality processing all the way to the freezer.
My big double chamber vacuum sealer.
Smaller table top chamber sealer.
I can see why it wouldn’t make sense for a butcher to do it. Hard to argue with a guy doing 1-2 animals a year. Im going to do the plastic and butcher paper. Thanks for the help!
Loading vac bags is easy if you take a 2 quart plastic milk jug and cut the top and bottom off. It will fold up and slide easily into the bag, then you open it and slide the meat or fish in. I used to put up nearly 100 red salmon in a half day using this trick. Keeps the bag opening clean. I had a half dozen or so and would wash them if they got too slimy.
As long as you get the air out you'll be good. Vac or plastic wrap with paper. One other option you may consider, give some meat away. Why eat 18 month old meat when you can eat fresh month old meat. Have a big wild game cook out with family and friends.
