Freezing butcher meat

[Cooking Goddess]

Andy, you make a great argument for not buying a Foodsaver but for buying and cooking only fresh meat! Everything else sounds spot-on, too.

Who needs a car, when you have a horse?

Seriously, it is the same thing. Nobody "needs" a vacuum sealer....

Similarly, why should I buy that Lincoln Navigator when I'm perfectly happy with my Hyundai Santa Fe? Some of us don't need or want to freeze steak for a year. We have beef so seldom it never hits the freezer, unless it's ground meat for chili or taco. For that, my ziplock sandwich bag squeezed free of air, then double-bagged in a freezer bag. For us, steak has to be fresh and fresh-bought.

Different strokes for different folks.

 

[taxlady]

Waitingformagic, why not ask the butcher how long the various meats will stay fresh in the refrigerator? If you use any ground meat and poultry soon after purchase and "chunks" of meat later in the week, you may find that you don't need to freeze most or maybe even any of it.

 

[tenspeed]

Regardless of storage method, any piece of meat will degrade some with freezing and thawing. Think back to the last time you thawed a frozen piece of meat. The thawed meat is in a puddle of meat juices which were forced out of the frozen then thawed meat. Those meat juices are better in the meat when you cook it. So freezing and thawing, all other factors being equal, cannot be as juicy as never frozen meat.

In addition to what Andy said, it's not just meat that degrades when it's frozen. When Birdseye introduced frozen vegetables, it stated "Do Not Refreeze" on the package. It's not for food safety reasons, but because the texture deteriorates, and Birdseye wants to preserve their quality.

When water freezes it expands, and tends to break cell walls.
There's a link to a video on how to purge air from a ziploc bag in this thread.


[FONT=&quot]http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f8/ziploc-brand-bags-for-sous-vide-102188.html[/FONT]

 

[caseydog]

I don't have a Food Saver, but I look at the cost of the bags and wonder just how much you can save with them. If you use Food Saver brand bags it looks like it's in the range of $0.30 to $0.50 per bag, but perhaps someone who has one can provide better information.

The rate at which food is frozen has a big impact on quality. A slow freeze allows ice crystals to grow larger, affecting the texture of the food, so you want to freeze food at the fastest rate possible. Clarence Birdseye (of Birdseye frozen food fame) learned this when he was in Labrador, which led to his success in the frozen food business. Mark Kurlansky's "Birdseye" is an interesting story of the development of the frozen food industry, which is something we take for granted today. Home freezers became popular only after the 1940's.

Yeah, the bags are really expensive. Since I live alone, I justify the cost by being able to buy really nice cuts of meat, and have them available to me whenever I want. I also cook sous vide, and vacuum sealing is nice for that, too.

I have a lot of nice cookware, and other toys. But, I would rank my Foodsaver as the best kitchen purchase I ever made.

CD

 

[caseydog]

Hmmm, while there are differences of opinion of what works best for them, I don't think anyone is arguing or saying that their way is the only way. Unlike some other topics, like cooking wine, slow cookers, or what to call Taylor pork.

It's Pork Roll. Nuff said.

I miss buckytom. Not sure why.

CD

 

[Cheryl J]

I have a food saver, but haven't used it much lately. It's about 8 yrs. old and I'm surprised it's still working. Like CG mentioned, I won't freeze a nice steak, I grill those beauties within a day or two of purchase.

To be honest, I need to use what's in my freezer before I even think of freezing more stuff. I have some portioned and vacuum sealed berries, nuts, and shredded coconut* in the freezer, which are kind of nice to have, but they have been in there long enough and I'm trying to use things up.

*coconut shrimp will hopefully be on the menu soon

 

[caseydog]

Just so everyone knows, I respect those who don't believe in vacuum sealing... even though you are wrong!

Just kidding. I never expected we would have a Foodsaver debate on DC. It's amazing what we can argue about.

Hey CG, your Santa Fe is a whale compared to my MINI CooperS. But, then again, you are a Cleveland Browns fan, so I just assume you are going to make bad choices.

Just getting warmed up for AFC North Football season.

CD

 

[Andy M.]

You can get vacuum sealer bags at Walmart. They sell 8” and 11” wide rolls.

 

[Cooking Goddess]

...Hey CG, your Santa Fe is a whale compared to my MINI CooperS. But, then again, you are a Cleveland Browns fan, so I just assume you are going to make bad choices.

Just getting warmed up for AFC North Football season.

CD

Hey cd, you don't share that MINI with a 6' 2" spouse and add in 2 or 3 adults when you visit back home with your family. Or take driving vacations 1400 miles away. Besides, I'll need a big vehicle for that Super Bowl banner on the bumper. [emoji38]

That's if Brady and Belichik retire...

 

[caseydog]

That's if Brady and Belichik retire...

Don't forget Ben. He's not done, yet.

CD

 

[Cooking Goddess]

I dunno, casey. The Pats have been in the Super Bowl four of the last five years. I'm afraid Brady doesn't know how to share...

 

[Just Cooking]

Yeah, the bags are really expensive. Since I live alone, I justify the cost by being able to buy really nice cuts of meat, and have them available to me whenever I want. I also cook sous vide, and vacuum sealing is nice for that, too.

I have a lot of nice cookware, and other toys. But, I would rank my Foodsaver as the best kitchen purchase I ever made.

CD

We have discussed this before here..

I have had 3 Foodsavers over the years.. Great product with the single problem being it has to sit on the counter.. Never did like that..

When we downsized and moved to Missouri, I picked up this hand held @ Walmart.. Also available on Amazon and other places.. $25 or less, stays in a counter drawer when not needed.. Bags are $8 for a dozen and I reuse them many times over (I've bought 2 sets of bags in a year).. This product is as good as was my counter top ones and 1/4 the cost..

I understand just not wanting or needing one but, if its a space problem, this is the one I'd suggest..

Ross

 

[Andy M.]

...Great product with the single problem being it has to sit on the counter.. Never did like that...

I have no available counter space. My $2 FoodSaver (Salvation Army Thrift Store) sits in a cut down box I got from Costco with the rolls of plastic. I bring it out when I need it.

 

[Just Cooking]

I have no available counter space. My $2 FoodSaver (Salvation Army Thrift Store) sits in a cut down box I got from Costco with the rolls of plastic. I bring it out when I need it.

Not only does my apartment counter space have no room for a standard Foodsaver, I have no room for a Costco box to keep one in..

My hand held sit nicely in a drawer..

I do like your $2 buy tho..

Ross

 

[tenspeed]

I reuse them many times over (I've bought 2 sets of bags in a year)..

You reuse plastic bags that held raw meat? YIKES!!!

 

[Kayelle]

You reuse plastic bags that held raw meat? YIKES!!!

I'm betting he does a good job of sanitizing them TS. If I had a FS, I'd do the same.

 

[caseydog]

There are generic bags for Foodsavers online. Amazon has some. Just do a Google search. You can get 50-foot rolls for less than ten bucks. I have used them, and they work just fine. They look different, but work the same.

Tilia FoodSaver bags, generic foodsaver bags, vacuum bags, vacuum rolls at Goodman's.

CD

 

[Just Cooking]

You reuse plastic bags that held raw meat? YIKES!!!

Every thing I vacpak and freeze, both raw or cooked, is wrapped in film.. I remove items from the vac bags before defrosting..

Each used bag is washed with sudsy hot water and dried before reuse..

I suppose we all have little things which cause us concern.. Reusing vac bags is not one of mine..

Ross

 

[CraigC]

Our Food Saver (free) lives in our kitchen cart with the "bags" until needed. I'm not about to put 30# of homemade sausage into regular freezer bags or any charcuterie for that matter. chicken or other meats that get used up quickly is a different matter.

 

[Kayelle]

Our Food Saver (free) lives in our kitchen cart with the "bags" until needed. I'm not about to put 30# of homemade sausage into regular freezer bags or any charcuterie for that matter. chicken or other meats that get used up quickly is a different matter.

Craig, with the amount of delectable foods you and Med create, you definitely need a Food Saver!



Great idea Ross...

Every thing I vacpak and freeze, both raw or cooked, is wrapped in film.. I remove items from the vac bags before defrosting..