freezer life of game meat
- Thread starter fogducker
- Start date
When it looks too freezer burnt to eat.
If you keep the freezer really cold, and keep the meat from drying out (by being well wrapped, vac-packed, or packed with a bit of water), the meat will last for several years.
Case in point, there have been several reports of frozen mammoth meat being dug out of the ice in northern areas, and being eaten with no ill effects.
Keep your freezer barely frozen, don't wrap your meat well, it'll be crap in way less than a year.
Cheers
Trev
If you keep the freezer really cold, and keep the meat from drying out (by being well wrapped, vac-packed, or packed with a bit of water), the meat will last for several years.
Case in point, there have been several reports of frozen mammoth meat being dug out of the ice in northern areas, and being eaten with no ill effects.
Keep your freezer barely frozen, don't wrap your meat well, it'll be crap in way less than a year.
Cheers
Trev
superd222
CGN frequent flyer
How deep did you dig and how old is it?
I've kept deer, moose liver, squirrels and rabbits in the freezer for up to one year and have enjoyed it as much as the day it went in. As long as it's wrapped tightly in freezer paper (with no air), it shouldn't get freezer burn.
I've never had the chance to try it out past 1-year. Usually try to flip my inventory and get the stock down to zero to start the next hunting season.
I'm sure there's a life to any frozen meat - thaw a piece and try it out!
I've kept deer, moose liver, squirrels and rabbits in the freezer for up to one year and have enjoyed it as much as the day it went in. As long as it's wrapped tightly in freezer paper (with no air), it shouldn't get freezer burn.
I've never had the chance to try it out past 1-year. Usually try to flip my inventory and get the stock down to zero to start the next hunting season.
I'm sure there's a life to any frozen meat - thaw a piece and try it out!
I`m still finding pieces of 2006 mule deer in nooks andcrannies of the freezer and it`s still good.
Moose and elkare so non-fatty that well wrapped, are still perfectly edible after three years. Trying to consume it before it is 2 years old is better, though I´ve found piece of `mystery meat` that mighta been bear,mighta been deer that the masking tape labels had fallen off off that Ive eaten after over three years.
Moose and elkare so non-fatty that well wrapped, are still perfectly edible after three years. Trying to consume it before it is 2 years old is better, though I´ve found piece of `mystery meat` that mighta been bear,mighta been deer that the masking tape labels had fallen off off that Ive eaten after over three years.
As has been said, remove any freezer burn [and any residual fat] from the meat, cook and enjoy. I found a 2+ year old Elk roast that had somehow been missed in our freezer. It was none the worse for the time, and tasted great! Regards, Eagleye.
- Location
- The Conservative part of Ontario
It's no good at all. Just drop it off here, and I'll ... dispose... of it for you 
When I was living at home the old style freezer would seem to burn stuff within 18 months. I bought myself a frost free freezer(do they even make the old kind anymore?) and havent had a problem with storing anything up to and around two and a half years before it started to show signs of freezer burn, thats with doing my own cutting and wrapping and just using the typical butchers paper.
Like already mentioned, if it looks red after opening the freezer paper and not a yellowy white you're good to go.
I put all the cuts in a zip lock freezer bag and put enough water in the bag to cover it and lock it, with no air in the bag.
Could potentially last for years that way.
I find the odd surprise in my freezer once in a while with no ill affect if packed right. Still as fresh as the day I froze it.
I put all the cuts in a zip lock freezer bag and put enough water in the bag to cover it and lock it, with no air in the bag.
Could potentially last for years that way.
I find the odd surprise in my freezer once in a while with no ill affect if packed right. Still as fresh as the day I froze it.
- Location
- The Conservative part of Ontario
Think of the history there. In the early days of sail, sailors used to pack pork in barrels of salt, they had no refrigeration. It would last 'till the end of the voyage, months, maybe years later. They just cut the spoiled bits off the outside, and had at 'er.
I found a package of backstraps a couple of weeks ago that I had missed in th ebottom of the freezer that were marked 2005. Thawed them out sliced into medallions and pan fried them in olive oil, they were awesome. I wrap all my meat in cellophane first and then butcher/freezer paper. If you can keep air and ice crystalization off the meat it's usually good for at least 2 years if not longer.
heavyBullet
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Just off the island of MTL
I go by looks, if it looks ok, I eat it. I vac pack all my meat so it lasts quite a while, though my deer meat usually never last longer than a year anyway.
I just got my Jerky kit in the mail yesterday
and was also diggin in the freezer for some venison. Cannot wait to try it out.
Have not tried it yet, but looks great and very sturdy. The pan and racks are very solid, and heavy. Funny enough, Cabelas would not ship to Canada due to some Food and Drug administration rule. I had to have a friend of mine in Vemont ship it to me.
Problem with animal fat is it goes rancid much faster than meat.
So when I make sausage, I dont try to make more than I will consume or give away, in the next three or four months(not a hard fast rule).
Perhaps better to keep the meat frozen separate as it lasts much longer that way than when mixed with the pork fat.
Then when in the mood or have time on you're hands, grind up the frozen meat with fresh fat and have much fresher sausage.
Just my thoughts on the subject....
X2 on that time frame. freezer burn will not hurt u.
ever eat freez dried food?? put in bioling water to rejuvinate. freez dried food will last for 20to 30 years.
i all so keep my deep freeze setting on max cold, in a power outage, it wiil last longer and the meat keeps
for many years
well during my cleaning up on the freezer..i came across 4 packs of moose stew meat.i always date my packages of game meat to keep tabs on it..
they were dated from 2005..
the stew was cooked in a crock pot all day,damm fine tasting stew if i may so to
they were dated from 2005..
the stew was cooked in a crock pot all day,damm fine tasting stew if i may so to
The best advice is to ensure that your butcher (or better if you cut your own meat) wraps the meat generously in plastic wrap which keeps the moisture in, then use butcher paper to keep the inevitable jostling and handling inside the freezer from punching holes in your wrap. This kind of wrapping prevents water separation from the meat and freezer burn. Two years later and you unwrap the meat to find no freezer burn and an appealing appearance and texture.
If you're a regular hunter and consumer of wild meat, then the meat will last one year in fine shape.
If you're a regular hunter and consumer of wild meat, then the meat will last one year in fine shape.
