How long can Elk go in a freezer?

[herdbull33]

Wow, great respond!!! Thanks for the info everyone. I vacuumed sealed everything so based off what everyone is saying I'm sure it's fine. I'll prolly end up making some jerky here soon anyways cause man it's good. Thanks y'all

[Fl0und3rz]

Wow, great respond!!! Thanks for the info everyone. I vacuumed sealed everything so based off what everyone is saying I'm sure it's fine. I'll prolly end up making some jerky here soon anyways cause man it's good. Thanks y'all

Alright Mr. Smartypants, how do you tell a joke from an honest question? 

The smiley face.    When you put that at the end of the question it is a joke.  If you don't its a question.  Sometimes even if you put it at the end of the question you get flamed. 

I wasn't sure if it was a joke or not.  I answered because I don't want to see anyone put much time, effort or money into something that does not have a high probability of success. 

Just razzing you.  I didn't get a lot of sleep last night.

[Browndawg]

Alright Mr. Smartypants, how do you tell a joke from an honest question? 

The smiley face.    When you put that at the end of the question it is a joke.  If you don't its a question.  Sometimes even if you put it at the end of the question you get flamed. 

I wasn't sure if it was a joke or not.  I answered because I don't want to see anyone put much time, effort or money into something that does not have a high probability of success.

Like shooting elk in the heart?

Sorry. I couldn't resist.

[Mudman]

I will let ya know in about 4 years! 

[180-GRAIN]

Took me 4 years to eat my Washington moose. Never lost any to freezer burn. I agree with it depends on how its wrapped comment in a previous post.

[fireweed]

Just finished the last roast of the moose I got in 2009 that was stuck in the bottom of the freezer.  Trimmed off a bit of locker burn--turned out just fine. 

[Moose Master]

Didn't see it mention, I will only keep our meat domestic or wild in a freezer that ISN'T frost free.  This advice was given to me many years ago and has help us with the lack of damaged meat.  Double wrapped is important also.  Merry Christmas to all and Happy New Year.

[Elknut1]

We've had several years go by as well with no issues at all!

  ElkNut/Paul

[PolarBear]

Frost free - not so long

Deep Freeze, manual defrost - a long long time

Frost free or automatic defrost freezers are horrible for storing meat. 

[The scout]

Obviously how it’s wraped makes a big difference, also it depends on if it’s steaks-and roasts or burger and sausage with added fat and pork. The steaks and roasts will last much longer because it’s the fat that typically makes the meat go bad.

[M_ray]

I dont have a frost free freezer so it lasts a long time. I just made tacos last night and opened a package of my elk from last year and it was perfect. 

Basically a frost free will have an element that heats up the cold plates and collects the evaporated water in a collection tray. Depending on the  model this can happen from 1-4 times a day which is why the outside edges or outside layer of your meat will burn, because basically the outer edges are defrosting and refreezing several times. all you really have to do is trim it off and the center will be good because it never completely thaws.

[PolarBear]

I found some cubed elk steaks while cleaning out the freezer earlier this summer that were marked 2005.  I thawed them out, cut a tiny bit of the ends off and chicken fried them.  They were awesome!

[luvmystang67]

While I second that freezer burn is your most likely enemy, I have had things that are vacuum sealed for 6 months versus vacuum sealed for a year and a half or two years and the meat IS different, especially burger.  It tastes fine, but the consistency changes.  It seems that some of the juice/moisture seeps out depending on how long you wait, basically becoming separate from the meat.  Meat when cooked tend to dry out a little faster.  The real risk is fat though, fat will develop a stank.  Its not awful, its just not fresh.  If I were able to take the same animal, vacuum sealed and frozen for 4 months versus 2 years, you'd be able to tell a difference.  I can.  Between 2 years and 4 years I think the difference would be small.  Its fine to eat, its just that there's a difference....

[hunter399]

Freezer burn is already partially jerkied, right?

Freezer burn is a function of sublimation.  Sublimation is the transition of a substance directly from the solid to the gas phase without passing through the intermediate liquid phase.  It does not effect the edibility of food,

This sounds like the way it goes through my belly,

[TommyGun496]

If I am lucky mine will last about 8-9 months.  Between myself, my wife and the kids it doesn’t last long in our freezer!