How long can Elk go in a freezer?

[herdbull33]

My cow has been in the freezer coming up on two years. I was thinking about making some jerky soon only because i'm not really sure how long I can keep it in there? Thanks in advance.

[Lingcod]

Wrapped or vacuum packed? If vacuum packed it would still be good till this fall for sure. Wrapped, would probably have some freezer burn, but still be good for jerky.

[Westside88]

I overlooked some Mule deer in the bottom of my chest freezer. It was 2 1/2 plus years old. I was worried it would be ruined, but I thawed some steaks out and cooked them up. They were fine so I took the remainder and added it to my pepperoni batch for this year.  I was relieved I didn't waste any, I think you'll be fine

[bobcat]

Two years is nothing if it's wrapped properly. I'd only begin the get concerned when you get near 4 years.

[bracer40]

Cooked some up a few years back that was three years. No discernible difference

[Curly]

I've recently found some elk in the back of the freezer from 2011. Those steaks tasted just fine...no freezer burn whatsoever. We wrap it in plastic wrap then butcher paper over that. And our freezer is not the frost free type.

[Bob33]

I would think that after two years it would be dead.

[jrebel]

It should be fine.  If you are worried about it, we should make some pepperoni sticks out of it.  You need to taste my last batch of spicy pepperjack!!!!!  It is divine...

[Bob33]

If the freezer temperature has been kept at around zero or colder it can go several years without problem.

[Bullkllr]

I would think that after two years it would be dead.

Deserved of recognition:

[actionshooter]

Just recently found a elk roast dated 2012 and my wife wanted to throw it out, I wasn't going for it.
 Thawed it out and it was fine. 
 Totally depends on how its wrapped.

[Rainier10]

I've recently found some elk in the back of the freezer from 2011. Those steaks tasted just fine...no freezer burn whatsoever. We wrap it in plastic wrap then butcher paper over that. And our freezer is not the frost free type.

We did vacuum seal one elk two years ago and it is actually getting freezer burned.  The packages cracked from the cold and getting banged around in the freezer.  We went back to plastic wrap and then butcher paper for everything.

[dreamunelk]

We wrap in paper than vacuum seal.  I have eaten some that was over 3 years old with no complaints.

[lokidog]

I've had vac packed meat that was seven years old, but on a regular basis eat it three years old. Sometimes you need to trim a little freezer burn, but it always tastes fine.  I no longer cut into steaks before freezing as it leaves too many edges to freezer burn.

I had a chunk of marlin that was ten years old, saran wrapped then in a baggie, it was fine as well.     

[NRA4LIFE]

Yup, I've ate 5 yer old meat that was wrapped very well or vacuum sealed and it was fine.  I now vacuum seal everything.  I also leave it in as large of chunks as possible.  I also leave the silver skin on loins and trim when eating, for an extra layer of protection.