Freezer Burnt Meat

tailchasers · Jan 26, 2018

Got a freezer that's 5-6 years old. Put our elk and deer meat away packaged just like we have for the past 25 years. Now all our meat from October 2017 is freezer burned. Checked the thermometer and it's below 0?F. First time we have ever experienced this. What the heck?! Got a another freezer today but puzzled as to what issue might be.

No elk steaks this year...

"Courage is being scared to death but
saddling up anyway."

DW · Jan 26, 2018

How was the meat wrapped?

#livelikezac

Deerlove · Jan 26, 2018

I try to eat mine by two years.

elkassassin · Jan 26, 2018

2017?

Or 2007?

RAZZIN Ya Tail!

tailchasers · Jan 26, 2018

Wax paper and butchers paper 2017.

Glad we didn't loose all the meat but every single prime steak and roast is toast. Crying in my beer...

"Courage is being scared to death but
saddling up anyway."

chipc · Jan 26, 2018

LAST EDITED ON Jan-26-18 AT 07:29PM (MST)[p]Freezer burnt from October until now ? Are you sure ? I've never heard of that. You could darn near throw meat in the freezer and it wouldn't be burnt yet. Anything else you can think of ?

TOPGUN · Jan 26, 2018

>Freezer burnt from October until now
>? Are you sure ?
>I've never heard of that.
>You could darn near throw
>meat in the freezer and
>it wouldn't be burnt yet.
>Anything else you can think
>of ?

That's exactly what I thought as soon as I read the OP. There is no way that the meat should even be close to freezer burned if it was wrapped like he stated and it's only been in the unit since October. I'm wondering if the unit possibly went out for a length of time and the meat thawed and then refroze when the unit started back up. Something just doesn't make sense!

eelgrass · Jan 26, 2018

LAST EDITED ON Jan-26-18 AT 09:24PM (MST)[p]Freezer paper has one waxy side. Shouldn't need extra waxed paper.

I don't know....weird as to why it got burnt.

DW · Jan 26, 2018

Cling wrap will get a better deal. Still shouldn't have freezer burnt so soon.

#livelikezac

ByeByeObamas · Jan 26, 2018

Grind it up and give it away to co-workers.

tailchasers · Jan 27, 2018

Here's what it looks like thawed out.

"Courage is being scared to death but
saddling up anyway."

Shadow · Jan 27, 2018

Yeah, don't think I'd eat that one. Doesn't make any sense that it would freezer burn that quick regardless of how it's wrapped. Top gun may be right, could it maybe have thawed partially? That would make me cry in my beer too.

mmwb · Jan 27, 2018

DW hit the nail on the head. Wrap the meat in cling wrap first. You can get all airspace out. Then finish with freezer paper. Frost free freezers draw moisture out of the freezing area. The older ones were better for long term storage.

tailchasers · Jan 27, 2018

I have not used cling wrap yet. Something new to try sometime. We normally use wax paper sheets followed with freezer wrap and have done so for the past 25 yrs+.

Topgun mentions a power fail but man as full as the freezer is the power would have been out for quite a while.

Three shelves down I had some Boston butts, fish, and beef roast that are older, wrapped the same way, and all ok. It don't make sense.

I'll ponder this over another beer.

"Courage is being scared to death but
saddling up anyway."

Deerdon · Jan 27, 2018

>LAST EDITED ON Jan-26-18
>AT 07:29?PM (MST)
>
>Freezer burnt from October until now
>? Are you sure ?
>I've never heard of that.
>You could darn near throw
>meat in the freezer and
>it wouldn't be burnt yet.
>Anything else you can think
>of ?

^I was thinking the same thing^^^ The place I have mine processed vacuum seals it. I have occasional found hidden packages that are 5-6 years old...and they are just as good as the day they went in.

Deerdon · Jan 27, 2018

LAST EDITED ON Jan-27-18 AT 02:15PM (MST)[p]Vacuum sealers are worth every penny. I have found hidden packages that are 5-6 years old...still look the same as they did when they went in.

Trix4me · Jan 30, 2018

I've used freezer bags then freezer paper. Never a problem But then mine almost never is there longer than a year.

heartshot · Jan 31, 2018

It looks like it didn't freeze fast enough (maybe insulated in a big pile of other packages) OR Thawed in too warm of temperatures for too long

Manti377 · Jan 31, 2018

>I've used freezer bags then freezer
>paper. Never a problem
>But then mine almost never
>is there longer than a
>year.

+1^^. Vacuum sealer is the way to go.

trophyhunter · Jan 31, 2018

Sorry about your meat loss, yeh vacuum sealers are the best way to go. Even if your butcher cuts and wraps I would stick your packages with FoodSaver Turbo Plus or equivalent game or fish sealing system. These units have bigger compressors and dont over heat after vacuum sealing 10 packages.
The Turbo Pro?s are quality units. Never purchase the regular FoodSaver it will not do the job on packaging more than 10 packages per hour.check them out on there website or BassPro.

))))???->

nocal · Feb 6, 2018

I'm not saying it happened, but it looks like....perhaps the door was left open for awhile, things began to thaw and then the door was closed.???? Again, not saying it happened, but looks like it.

I go food saver titanium & check the seals closely.

Bummer man.

n

RELH · Feb 6, 2018

I recently pulled out some elk steaks from a elk I got in Utah just over 2 years ago. It was in perfect condition. The butcher used cling wrap and then freezer paper.
If you are going to eat your game meat within 2 years, you do not need to go to the expense of vacuum sealing. I have a vacuum sealer and only use it when I package meats for dinner for two so I do not have to thaw a package of steaks for 3-4 persons when I only want a steak for two at dinner. I also do like using the vacuum sealer when preparing fish for the freezer.

RELH