There are two things that ruin the wild game meat, the time and exposure to the air. While storing in the freezer, it is necessary to protect it properly, to avoid freezer burn and spoilage. While wrapping meat in plastic to be stored in the freezer can help prevent trapping the meat moisture in, but most of the plastic wraps are permeable to air and water vapor.
Even multiple layers of plastic wrap can’t stop it from freezer burn. Taking special care from the harvest to the freezer is a debt we owe to the life taken. Wild Games Vacuum Sealers are the most valuable possessions that preserve hard-earned meat.
Here are two best practices to ensure the meat inside remains as good as the day you harvested it.
Make Sure Everything is Clean
When it comes to ground meat, clean working space is a must. Be extra vigilant to make sure the water is soapy and you have washed down all the surface with hot.
You must keep a bottle of kitchen cleaner and some paper towels nearby to wipe up messes. Before cutting the wild meat into small pieces, wash the knives and the plates carefully and make them dry also.
While storing wild game meat in the refrigerator, make sure meat juice will not be dripping onto other food items in the refrigerator and clean all surfaces and utensils that come in contact with new raw meat.
Air is Your Enemy
is is the enemy and it causes the dreaded freezer burn when it comes to freezing. You need to prevent air from ruining ground meat. There are many packaging options such as a tube, wrap, or vacuum seal.
The meat tends to freeze and burn faster in tube-style bags. But the vacuum sealing ground meat is good butcher wrap and these are best for long-term ground meat storage.
To prevent freezer burn, use heavily waxed freezer wrap, laminated freezer, and that must be heavy-duty aluminum foil or plastic freezer storage bags.
Freeze Flat
Vacuum sealing can press the bags of ground meat into a flat rectangle which maximizes the precious freezer space. Flat rectangles of ground meat freeze and thaw faster than the bulky packages. You can freeze a big package of ground meat portioned into smaller serving sizes.
Before sealing, just press out all of the air, and label the wild packages with contents and date. Try to avoid overloading the freezer, and freeze only the amount that will become solidly frozen in a day.
Thaw Meat Safely
If you want to enjoy a delicious dinner, it’s good to remember that the safest way to thaw meat is in the refrigerator. If possible, try to plan meals ahead of time, and thaw ground meat on a plate in the refrigerator over a day or two.
When meat thaws in the microwave may expose it to temperature levels in the danger zone between 40 and 140 degrees. At this temperature, the chances of bacteria thriving increased.
Here are some other methods to thaw meat safely such as:
- Refrigerator method
- Cold water method
- Room Temperature method
- Pounding method
- Hot water method
- Microwave method
All these methods can be adapted to freeze your wild game, but some are safer than others. The refrigerator method is one of the recommended methods to freeze your wild game for a long time. And thaw in the refrigerator until most of the ice crystals have disappeared.
Frequently Asked Question:
Here are some frequently asked questions about freezing wild game meat:
How do you freeze hunted meat?
Divide the meat into meal-size quantities. To prevent freezer burn, use moisture/vapor-proof wrap such as heavily waxed freezer wrap, laminated freezer wrap, heavy-duty aluminum foil, or plastic freezer storage bags. DO NOT use garbage bags. Press out all of the air before sealing.
How do you store wild game meat?
Wrap the meat in moisture-proof plastic wrap and store the meat in the refrigerator. Use this meat within 2 or 3 days. To Freeze Game properly, you must freeze meat while it is fresh and in top condition.
How long is wild game meat good in the freezer?
Game meat should be stored frozen until preparation for cooking. Properly wrapped game meat can be stored in a freezer for 9-12 months. To avoid quality deterioration, never refreeze thawed game meat. Always thaw venison properly in a refrigerator or a microwave.
