Anyone use FREEZER PAPER when storing meat?

[Sunny Side Up]

To save the limited room in my freezer, I usually pre-cook and de-bone the meat from my chickens, separate light from dark, and store it in packets in the freezer.

I had been using an electric vacuum sealer, but have been unhappy with the results. It takes several tries to get a good tight seal, with the plastic shrink-wrapped around the meat, but it always comes loose after a while in the freezer.

Last time I just used regular zip-lock freezer bags, and sucked all the air out with a straw. Again, I had a nice shrink-wrapped seal to begin with, but later it came loose in the freezer.

In the store I was looking at those special new kind of bags, with a hole from which you suck out the air with either a battery-powered or a manual device (sold separately). But it seems costly, a lot of $$$ for just a few bags, and not very green.

What about freezer PAPER? I remember my Mom using it for all the meat we'd buy at the store. She would remove the meat from the grocery packaging & center it on the paper, then I would wrap & seal it. My favorite part was getting to write the contents on the package with a special grease pencil and drawing pictures all around it.

But I don't remember the condition of the meat when the packages were opened

Is it a good way to preserve meat in the freezer, to keep it from getting ice particles or freezer burn? I always did the wrapping the way they show you on the box, rolling down the ends & folding down the sides, is that the best way to go?

And MUST you use the special freezer tape sold nearby, or would other types of tape do as well? Mailing tape? Masking tape?

I appreciate your imput on this matter, thank you!

 

[okiron]

Hmm, sounds interesting. I hope we get some answers cause I'd like to know too.

 

[debakadeb]

Freezer paper works very well. Make sure you don't skimp on the wrapping and wrap very tightly.Tape well. label with date and you're good to go.

We use the Food Saver vacumn pack system and it works well. We buy their plastic bag material but don't buy the bags precut. It's a little cheaper doing it that way.

If you don't have a good vacumn sealer, freezer paper is much better than ziplock freezer bags.

Edited to add: I place the meet towards one corner of the freezer paper. As I roll it towards the other end, I continually fold in the sides. So...roll, fold one side, fold other side, roll..etc. until you get to the end. You want it to be double layered or more. And, I'm sure you already know this but just in case someone doesn't, the meat goes on the slick side of the paper.

 

[okiron]

Where is freezer paper sold in stores?

 

[Sunny Side Up]

Freezer paper is usually sold where you find foil, wax paper, plastic wrap, & parchment paper. It comes in a long thin box like those other wraps.

Deb, the way you describe is more how a butcher wraps meat rather than the way they show it on the box. Do you find it better to have more than one layer of paper around the meat? (And thank you for mentioning to put the meat on the shiny side, it's not something to assume everyone is born just knowing.)

Is the freezer tape worth it for the job it does, or are there other types of tape you could use that cost less?

 

[debakadeb]

You should find it in the same section as plastic wrap, wax paper, etc. I used masking tape to tape the paper.

 

[TipsyDog]

I always use Reynolds freezer wrap. I find it works very well. I don't use tape. Just place meat in center and take each end, hold up to even out and then start folding it into 1" strips over and over till you're down to the meat. Tuck the ends in well and mark contents and date with a Sharpie.

Then I fit all the packs I can into gallon size Ziplock Freezer bags (which I use over and over) and place in the freezer. Works great!

 

[beak]

Quote:
You have my daughters cat. Give it back. LOL

 

[LA~Poulet]

My grandmother always used that (she just passed away a few years ago, but I was helping her pack & freeze ground meat & venison that way until the end). She would always make sure it was tightly wrapped, and she would double the paper.

 

[dancingbear]

Yes, I use freezer paper. I like the shrink bags for chicken, but yeah they are pricey. I've used freezer paper for chickens, turkeys, all kinds of meat, pork, beef, venison.

The meat keeps really well, I had no trouble with freezer burn at all.

The only problem I have with it is it tends to leak a little. Or a lot, if the meat has a lot of fluid. I brine my venison before I freeze, it, and even after draining it quite awhile, there was bloody water leaking out of the packages. I dealt with that by wrapping the meat in a layer of plastic wrap, then the freezer paper. The plastic wrap alone isn't very good to freeze in, but the combo was great.

Tipsydog, are you talking about foil, or some other kind of wrap? Sounds easy. I'm always interested in anything that might work better.