How do you bag your meat birds?

[milleryardchx]

I have a vacuum packer does anyone vac pack their chickens for the freezer or how do you bag your chickens for the freezer?

 

[goldfinches]

The few meat birds I've done I have vacuum packed. I don't like doing it. They're way too wet to make it easy. And they're too big to fit into a normal bag.

There are bags available that seal when filled with the chicken and then dropped into hot water. They're what I plan to use this time.

http://www.cornerstone-farm.com/equipment/poultry-packaging

 

[Salt and Light]

I quarter my chickens into thighs, legs and wings. They are then placed into vacuum bags that are cut to fit the different parts.

 

[Oregon Blues]

Parts and halves are vacuum sealed. Whole chickens won't fit so they are wrapped in butcher paper.

 

[RoyalPayne]

I live in Amish country, and was advised to use wax butcher paper, then place inside plastic storage bags. Not the zip ones, the ones you use with a twisti tie . Been doing this for awhile and, contrarialy, have never experienced 'freezer frost'. And the birds fit just fine.

 

[SmokinChick]

The few meat birds I've done I have vacuum packed. I don't like doing it. They're way too wet to make it easy. And they're too big to fit into a normal bag.

There are bags available that seal when filled with the chicken and then dropped into hot water. They're what I plan to use this time.

http://www.cornerstone-farm.com/equipment/poultry-packaging

I used those bags last spring with great success. am using them again this weekend on 35 CXers.

 

[Salt and Light]

I live in Amish country, and was advised to use wax butcher paper, then place inside plastic storage bags. Not the zip ones, the ones you use with a twisti tie . Been doing this for awhile and, contrarialy, have never experienced 'freezer frost'. And the birds fit just fine.

I've been wondering about using butcher paper. Has anyone tried it?

 

[lynn1961]

Love the cyro vac bags, makes a great looking end product and not hard to do.
Have also used butcher paper, try putting the bird in a plastic twist tie bag, getting all of the air out that you can, then wrap in freezer paper or butcher paper, the freezer paper makes the meat stay in better shape if you are going to be keeping it froze for a while, secure with freezer tape.

This spring we did about 20 meeties and used the cryo vac bags, the birds still look great after several months in the freeszer, have a late winter born calf that will be going in the freeezer when the weather gets cold, he is going in cyro vac bags, also in twist bags and freezer paper. Thought I would be sad at the thought of eating him, but as time has gone by he has gotten less cute and is becoming a PIA.

 

[lynn1961]

Have 14 roosters to put in the freezer very soon, will be interesting to see what kind of meat we will get out of wellsummers, and buff orpingtons, I know it will be nothing like those meaties are.

 

[RoyalPayne]

I'd like to know what the Buffs turn out to be. I'm raising them, along with Jersey Giants, and LT Bramhas for dual purpose.