Wrapping Processed Elk Meat!

[Pazn25]

So as some of you may have seen, I shot my first bull this opening day.  I have the meat quartered and hanging in my uncle's meat locker at 37 degrees.  I am going to butcher it on Saturday.  Do any of my fellow hunters have a good suggestion for what to use for wrapping and packaging the elk meat??  I know people use butcher paper, vaccuum seal, ect.  What do you all think the best way is?  I am always up for something new and improved.  Thanks guys.

[gasman]

I used Vaccume bags for a few years but the cost is vey high with an elk or a few deer.

I now just double wrap with butcher paper. Just make sure you wrap tight to remove the air.

[LittleJohn]

Plastic baggies and then freezer paper. Get as much air out of the bag as u can and then twist and tuck like a load of bread. Then wrap with standard freezer paper. U can get the bags in bulk at most bakeries

[Galpster]

Vacuum seal is the only way to go. Keeps the meat good all year till next year. Wrapping paper is okay but it does allow freezer burn after 5 or 6 months unless it is double wrapped.

[BLKBEARKLR]

I myself vacumun seal everything, I save the bags after I take the meat out and wash them, I usually make them a little bigger so when I cut them there is still enough bag for future use.

However my brother uses saran wrap, he double wraps in saran wrap and then one time in butcher paper and he keeps deer and fish fresh like that for two years plus.

Joe

[ICEMAN]

We have been wrapping meat in our family for 30+ years, and here is how we do it;

Layer 1, 18inch long piece of normal plastic wrap, wrap a pile of steaks as tight as you can, making sure to squeeze really hard to get any air bubbles out from between individual pieces of steak. Also be sure to wrap the ends in (over) as you near the end of the plastic. You will have a "bulging brick of meat.

Layer 2, repeat above.

Layer 3, 18" by 18" waxed butcher paper, wrap the steak well, tuck the corners as you finish, and masking tape the end down. Remember, waxed side in towards the meat. Label with an elmarko type pen.

This is the best in my opinion, it is an inexpensive way to go, the steaks stack nicely, are easy to label with a pen, and they also take abuse in the freezer well, as you dig around looking for those salmon eggs later.....the waxed paper protects the multiple layers of plastic. I found that using a vacuum packer was expensive, hard to label, would not stack well in the freezer, and if you bashed them, they would occasionally lose their seal or leak at the crack and let air in...

[Jamieb]

I like Vacuum seal the best but it takes too long for a elk. I use butcher paper, you can buy it from just about any grocery meat Dept. by the roll. Mine says Albertsons on it.

[ICEMAN]

I might add, I have unwrapped 8 year old steak wrapped this way, and it looked like you wrapped it yesterday. Trust me, I have pics...

[Pazn25]

Thanks ICEMAN, I like your ideas!!!

[jackelope]

Iceman's method is the same way i have seen it done by morton meats too.
i will add that we wrap in freezer paper without plastic wrap and don't have any freezer burn issues a year or 2 later. usually the meat is gone a year later but i have had some random pieces that were still fine.

[whacker1]

Iceman's Method

or

Vacuum Seal

[ICEMAN]

I know my "8 year old meat is still good" claim sounds bogus, so I took photos...

I was completely going thru my meat locker, and found some older stuff to make some shishkabob's out of... I thawed six packages of meat, varying in age from 2 to 8 years old.

The 8 year old steak, double wrapped in plastic wrap, then overwrapped in waxed paper, looked brand new. Here are the pics...

[Moosehunt]

Layer 1 - heavy duty plastic wrap - the stretchy kind like costco's
Layer 2 - butcher paper - wax side in
Been doing this for 25 years.  One last tip.....my family and I do not cut into steaks/stew/etc.  We cut it into meal sized chunks and cut it into eating sized pieces when it is thawed out and ready to cook.  Less air - less freezer issues - less everything.  2-3 years later and no freezer burn.

[rasbo]

vacume seal for me

[stumprat]

I package like Iceman.
To also avoid freezer burn. Stay away from frost free -------self defrosting freezers.

[Holg3107]

I wrap the same as IceMan except i only use 1 layer of plastic wrap, works great, vacume seal is a great way too its just really expensive.

[BULLBLASTER]

i used to do the same as iceman, but i really hate plastic wrap ... or maybe i am just not talented enough to use it  now i use ziplock freezer bags from wally world and wrap those in freezer paper. woks real good and is easy to do

[WAPITIHUNTER]

We have been wrapping meat in our family for 30+ years, and here is how we do it;

Layer 1, 18inch long piece of normal plastic wrap, wrap a pile of steaks as tight as you can, making sure to squeeze really hard to get any air bubbles out from between individual pieces of steak. Also be sure to wrap the ends in (over) as you near the end of the plastic. You will have a "bulging brick of meat.

Layer 2, repeat above.

Layer 3, 18" by 18" waxed butcher paper, wrap the steak well, tuck the corners as you finish, and masking tape the end down. Remember, waxed side in towards the meat. Label with an elmarko type pen.

This is the best in my opinion, it is an inexpensive way to go, the steaks stack nicely, are easy to label with a pen, and they also take abuse in the freezer well, as you dig around looking for those salmon eggs later.....the waxed paper protects the multiple layers of plastic. I found that using a vacuum packer was expensive, hard to label, would not stack well in the freezer, and if you bashed them, they would occasionally lose their seal or leak at the crack and let air in...

Exactley what Iceman said!!! Plastic wrap and paper has worked the best for me also.

[Pazn25]

Thanks to all of you, what an awesome group of guys to be a part of.  I think I have all the ideas I will need to get that elk in the freezer.  Paz

[bow4elk]

We have been wrapping meat in our family for 30+ years, and here is how we do it;

Layer 1, 18inch long piece of normal plastic wrap, wrap a pile of steaks as tight as you can, making sure to squeeze really hard to get any air bubbles out from between individual pieces of steak. Also be sure to wrap the ends in (over) as you near the end of the plastic. You will have a "bulging brick of meat.

Layer 2, repeat above.

Layer 3, 18" by 18" waxed butcher paper, wrap the steak well, tuck the corners as you finish, and masking tape the end down. Remember, waxed side in towards the meat. Label with an elmarko type pen.

This is the best in my opinion, it is an inexpensive way to go, the steaks stack nicely, are easy to label with a pen, and they also take abuse in the freezer well, as you dig around looking for those salmon eggs later.....the waxed paper protects the multiple layers of plastic. I found that using a vacuum packer was expensive, hard to label, would not stack well in the freezer, and if you bashed them, they would occasionally lose their seal or leak at the crack and let air in...

Ditto!! Well put, ICE!!  Only difference to my method is the rubber stamps.  Got tired of all the writing so I ordered some custom stamps from OfficeMax.  Pretty cheap and the kids can now help by whacking the finished packages with the appropriate stamps.  Sometimes they will add their own butterflies, smiley faces, etc. too which is fine 

[ICEMAN]

Yeah, I thought of getting those stamps, but as you can see by the writing examples in my photo, lots of different folks helping label at the end of meat wrapping day each year...kids too... 

[bow4elk]

kids are good tape-tearer-offers too.  I usually have little 2" tape strips hanging on everything for the production line wrapping.

[buckhorn2]

I vacuum seal all of our meat but quit putting the dates on anything after I read where you could;nt keep wild game meat after august of the kill year unles you contact wdf and have it checked. Has anyone else read this I have but can;t remember where.

[ICEMAN]

Can you imagine all hunters contacting wildlife to stop by their homes and look in our freezers and check meat dates.....?

[Buckmark]

I keep our tags in the freezer until all the meat is gone..

[buckhorn2]

my wife says that I have been wrong before but I thought I read that somewhere. I keep my tags in the freezer also.

[sdwwaverider]

We have been wrapping meat in our family for 30+ years, and here is how we do it;

Layer 1, 18inch long piece of normal plastic wrap, wrap a pile of steaks as tight as you can, making sure to squeeze really hard to get any air bubbles out from between individual pieces of steak. Also be sure to wrap the ends in (over) as you near the end of the plastic. You will have a "bulging brick of meat.

Layer 2, repeat above.

Layer 3, 18" by 18" waxed butcher paper, wrap the steak well, tuck the corners as you finish, and masking tape the end down. Remember, waxed side in towards the meat. Label with an elmarko type pen.

This is the best in my opinion, it is an inexpensive way to go, the steaks stack nicely, are easy to label with a pen, and they also take abuse in the freezer well, as you dig around looking for those salmon eggs later.....the waxed paper protects the multiple layers of plastic. I found that using a vacuum packer was expensive, hard to label, would not stack well in the freezer, and if you bashed them, they would occasionally lose their seal or leak at the crack and let air in...

 
Cash & Carry or Costco usually has a good deal on paper & plastic wrap. There's enough to use for a few years.

[Galpster]

Any meat over 2 years old I wouldn't eat. I am surprised everyone on here is like that is no biggie. I just do not see meat that old tasting very good.

[robb92]

I do the vaccum sealer, like was posted before, I cut the bags a little bigger and will reuse them.

[carpsniperg2]

cling wrap and freezer paper for me

[NRA4LIFE]

Layer one is either baggies or plastic wrap, whichever I have and then a layer of waxed butcher paper real tight and secured with heavy masking tape and then into the deep freeze.  I too have done this now for 25+ years and I routinely eat 2 year old meat and sometimes older.  Never had a freezer burn problem.  I too leave the meat in as big of chunks as possible, removing as much fat and all the bones.  I also leave the silver skin on the loins as I believe it adds an extra layer of protection.  Besides, it delays work that way too if you're doing multiple animals.  I also only grind and mix small bunches of burger and sausage from the bigger chunks throughout the year as I need it.

[Broken Arrow]

I'm an Ice Man guy....god that sound gay!

[HUNT]

I buy the produce bags that they use in the grocery store.  They will sell you a whole roll and that will last you years and years.  I put the meat in that and get all the air out.  Then wrap in paper.  Never had a problem with freezer burn.  The bags are much easier than the saran wrap. 

[duckmen1]

vaccume sealer works great

[GoldTip]

I buy the plastic bags I believe they refer to as "bread bags" at the grocery store.  Stuff a good portion of meat/burger, about a pound and get all air out that you can.  Then roll them up, usually the plastic is 3 thicknesses thick by the time you roll it.  Then single wrap in butcher paper.  I've unwrapped stuff 3 years old and not noticed any freezer burn.

[HntnFsh]

I have a commercial roll of paper and a commercial roll of saran wrap on commercial rollers.With the cutting edges where it cuts the paper and saran wrap off smooth.
I place the paper roll about 4 inches higher and behind the saran wrap.Run the paper under the saran wrap roll.Out its roller.Then I grab the end so the paper and saran wrap come off together.Tear off the length I need.The saran wrap is on top of the paper in one easy motion. Ready to wrap meat.
Fast efficient effective.

These rolls will last me a lot of years.They keep my game looking good for a few years.I would not hesitate to eat well wrapped meat after 3 or 4 years.

As mentioned frost free is not the way to go for keeping meat fresh.It will burn much faster.

[billythekidrock]

I too use plastic wrap and waxed butcher paper. Done right the meat will last for a couple years.

As for vacuum packing..that is great too, but it gets spendy. One way to do it is to weigh out 2lb packages of burger. Place in bag and flatten to less than an inch and vacuum seal. They stack nice and only take a few minutes to thaw.

[billythekidrock]

As for marking the packages. Some of mine look like this.

09 v bs stk = 2009 venison backstrap steak
09 e tl sf = 2009 elk tenderloin stir fry
09 bsr = 2009 backstrap roast (bear only)
09 v hq stk = 2009 venision hind quarter steak

v = venison
e = elk
stk = steak
bs = backstrap
tl = tenderloin
sf = stir fry
bsr = backstrap roast
hq = hind quarter

You get the idea.

[TheHunt]

My meat never last more then a year.   Feeding my son and his buddies will consume an entire elk and deer. 

[Pazn25]

Yea I cant see my elk lasting more then a year.  I have a family of hunters and they all have been waiting for this elk.  And I had my first steaks tonight with my wife and sister, mmmm they were delicious.