Vacuum sealer?

[snugglepup]

Hi

Does anybody use a vacuum sealer to package up chickens for freezing? If so, do you recommend a brand? If not, what do you do instead?

We are getting ready to do our first 10 birds! I am very excited and nervous.

 

[CoyoteMagic]

I have a "Food Saver". I use it to package up all my meat that goes in the freezer. It does a really good job. No freezer burn like you sometimes get in other plastic bags and freezer wrap. You can use them a "boiling bags" as well to cook veggies and such straight from the freezer

Downside is cost of bags. I'm still trying to deside if the cost out weights the loss of food to freezer burn. Good thing is Wally World just came out with some no name bags that are suppose to work in there. Regular freezer bags don't. Trust me I've tried!

 

[hinkjc]

We use a food saver one too. We buy the bags that you cut to size...it saves a lot versus using gallon bags. We like ours a lot and have used it for several years now without any problems.

Jody

 

[xrayman]

Go with the Food Saver brand and use their bags too. I've had mine for 5 years and it still works great. Probably time for a new one I butcher 5 deer a year, countless pheasants and now i'll be butchering chickens. They're great for even storing things we buy in bulk @ sams club

 

[jessied1227]

We use the Food Saver vaccuum sealer also, and we just love it. I haven't used it on any chickens we've butchered, we have done that yet.

We do use it to seal fresh butchered meat. I have to buy in bulk to keep our food costs down for 6 people, and it really helps. I have stuff in the chest freezer from last year that is still good, no freezer burn at all.

The bag cost is a little better now that Walmart came out with their own brand. They work just as well for us. I have taken bags and cleaned them with soap and water and reused them, so that saves money, too.

Jess

Just wanted to add that I marinate in those vaccuum bags, also. I put the marinade in before I freeze them, then as they thaw, the marinade really soaks in. Makes the best BBQ wings ever.

 

[Chelly]

Which model do you guys use, I see there are a few out there!

 

[jessied1227]

For some reason, I think it is an Advance or something or other. It's the one at Walmart for about $124. I think it was Food Saver Advance or Plus. I've had it about 2 months.

It does have V2420 in the upper left corner.

HTH-
Jess

 

[Royd]

Quote:
I know this is an old thread, but that's what they are here for.
I found a cheaper way of packaging meat, with a vacumn packer.
If you are freezing a whole chicken, for roasting, then I would seal each bird, individually.
If you cut up the chicken and separate your pieces, what I do, is package like pieces together. I cut and seal a bag,about 2ft. long. Then, I lay the pieces in flat, but not overlapping. When I want two leg quarters or breasts, I simply cut off the top, remove the pieces I need, and reseal it.
I figure that this saves about 3-4 inches of expensive vacumn bag, per unit, if you have only been freezing 2-3 pieces of chicken, together.

I did the same thing with my ears of corn. About 20 ears per bag. Simply cut, remove, reseal.

 

[jaku]

I use shrink bags from Cornerstone Farms. They work great- they shrink by heat, as opposed to suction. They are hard to find though.

 

[saddina]

Quote:
I know this is an old thread, but that's what they are here for.
I found a cheaper way of packaging meat, with a vacumn packer.
If you are freezing a whole chicken, for roasting, then I would seal each bird, individually.
If you cut up the chicken and separate your pieces, what I do, is package like pieces together. I cut and seal a bag,about 2ft. long. Then, I lay the pieces in flat, but not overlapping. When I want two leg quarters or breasts, I simply cut off the top, remove the pieces I need, and reseal it.
I figure that this saves about 3-4 inches of expensive vacumn bag, per unit, if you have only been freezing 2-3 pieces of chicken, together.

I did the same thing with my ears of corn. About 20 ears per bag. Simply cut, remove, reseal.

I'm swiping this idea.