Vacuum Packaging Bags For Meat? Top 99 Best Answers

When it comes to preserving your food, using a vacuum sealer is one of the best ways to dramatically extend its shelf life. Whether you’re storing ingredients in the pantry or keeping them fresh in the fridge, your FoodSaver® vacuum sealing system can keep your food fresh for up to five times longer than traditional storage methods.

freezer

Do you store your goods long-term? Your freezer is well equipped to store food safely for long periods of time, but this area is susceptible to certain conditions that can affect the texture, flavor and quality of your food. Using a vacuum sealer, as well as following the proper freezing guidelines for each type of food, can prevent freezer burn for longer while preserving the integrity of your food for longer. Meat, such as beef, poultry and fish, usually only stays fresh for about six months when stored in the freezer. Using your vacuum sealer can extend this shelf life to around two to three years. Vegetables also do well in your freezer, but it’s important to blanch these foods before vacuuming, as this can extend the shelf life from eight months to around two to three years.

refrigerator

Your freezer isn’t the only place where your vacuum sealer can have a significant impact on the quality of your ingredients. Cheese generally lasts one to two weeks when stored, but using your vacuum sealer will add four to eight months to that duration. The same goes for fruit and berries—while most fresh fruit keeps for about one to six days in the fridge, vacuum sealing can keep them fresh for about a week or two. The National Center for Home Food Preservation found that storing fruit in a drawer can further prolong the freshness of that food.

pantry

Dry foods and baking ingredients are great for your pantry, but can they be vacuum sealed? The answer is a resounding “yes” – not only can you use this device, but you also drastically increase the freshness time of these ingredients in this area. Your flour and sugar, for example, can last up to six months in the pantry, but storing it with a vacuum sealer increases that reach to about a year or two. Your rice and pasta can achieve the same results — both can last up to six months in conventional storage, but that number jumps to one to two years when vacuum sealed.

For safe storage of cooked and pre-cooked meats, some people recommend investing in a vacuum sealer. Vacuum sealing food is a time-consuming task, so is it really worth the investment?

Why vacuum sealing is popular

People invest in vacuum sealers for a reason: they help keep food fresher for longer. One of the culprits when food (including meat) spoils is the addition of air (which helps bacteria to multiply).

When you put food in a zip-locked plastic bag or container, air will remain. Even squeezing the air out of a plastic bag with your hand will not vacuum seal it. This airtight seal can mean your meat lasts from as little as one to three days to as much as two weeks in the refrigerator. In the freezer, vacuum sealing can help prevent freezer burn and lock in flavor.

The cost of vacuum sealing

Before you can determine if it’s worth it for you, consider how much meat you buy and eat in your household. Also consider other times you may need to vacuum food, such as B. when using a precision cooker.

advantages

A vacuum sealer is definitely worth the expense if you regularly eat meat at home and find yourself throwing things away too soon because you didn’t get there in time. If you hunt or fish, a vacuum sealer will help keep your large stash of meat in the fridge and freezer fresher.

A good countertop vacuum sealer costs around $50 for a simple but very reliable model. If you want something with a lot of bells and whistles, like can sealing attachments and the like, expect to spend closer to $150-$200.

Disadvantages

However, the initial investment in the machine is not where the costs add up; it’s in the pockets. Bag costs can vary and are definitely more expensive than regular sandwich and freezer bags. While you can use generic bags, most people report that they have better luck with the branded bags – the texture of the bag plays a role in how the vacuum-then-seal feature works, and cheap bags often come with a flat and poorly designed one Texture. which makes for a bad experience.

Using a vacuum sealer is a little more time-consuming than tossing your meat into a ziplock bag, but you’ll still get the same amount of waste between the two, so that’s not really a consideration.

on the fence? Focus on the workflow in your grocery shopping and kitchen. Do you buy meat and use it in dishes immediately? Unless you’re into sous vide cooking, a vacuum sealer probably doesn’t have much appeal. Do you buy meat in bulk and freeze it? A vacuum sealer will be your best friend.

Posted on August 22, 2017

Many people who are new to vacuum sealing and sous vide cooking are reluctant to try cooking food that is sealed in food-safe bags. They fear that chemical or harmful substances will get into their food from the bag. Improper sealing experiences and false stories increase their fear.

The reality is that cooking food in vacuum bags designed for this purpose is not only an effective cooking method, it is also 100% safe. Thousands of chefs in restaurants around the world have been using this method for years. FoodVacBags are BPA-free, phthalate-free, and made from only FDA-approved food storage materials.

Watch Brad from Bon Appetit prepare a sous vide steak >

As long as you use a FoodVacBags vacuum bag and make sure the cooking pot is big enough and has enough water in it, your food will turn out great!

Are you new to sous vide cooking? Check out this handy blog post: What is Sous Vide Cooking?

Looking for a sous vide device?

If you have a great sous vide recipe, please let us know in the comments below!

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A guide to vacuum packaging

Vacuum packaging or vacuum packaging is a form of modified atmosphere packaging found around the world. Vacuum packaging removes atmospheric oxygen from the primary packaging in which products are enclosed. Oxygen is the main source of product degradation. Oxygen removal can often go a long way in extending product life. Consumable and non-consumable products are protected by vacuum packaging.

The basic form of vacuum packaging removes oxygen from a vacuum bag and seals the bag once a vacuum cycle is complete. There are a variety of new processes that can be involved in vacuum packaging, some of which are discussed below.

The history of vacuum packaging

Although early experiments in modified atmosphere packaging can be traced back to the early 19th century, most accounts of vacuum packaging are not recognized until after World War II. In France before World War II, rubber latex bags were deaired and the bags sealed. This concept has been proven to extend the shelf life of frozen products. After plastics became more popular and commercialized during World War II, this opened the door for vacuum packaging applications.

The Cryovac vacuum packaging process, developed in the 1950’s to package whole turkeys, was the first commercial application of vacuum packaging perishable goods. Since the advent of industrial vacuum packaging, many companies and individuals have contributed new methods, materials, and machines that have improved people’s quality of life.

In the 1970’s, the idea of ​​introducing an inert gas into vacuum packaging helped dramatically extend the shelf life of perishable products. Since then, advances in vacuum packaging efficiency and increased shelf life have made incredible strides.

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Imagine this scenario. You bought a bunch of frozen meat at a grocery store flash sale and now you don’t know what to do with it. You have a vacuum sealer but are wondering if it can be used for this purpose.

You can vacuum seal frozen meat, and you should. Vacuum-sealing frozen meat keeps it fresher longer and reduces the risk of freezer burn during long-term storage.

Vacuum sealers are expensive but generally worth the investment.

In this article I will discuss the reasons you might want to vacuum pack your frozen meat and the best ways to go about it.

How long does vacuum sealed raw meat last in the freezer?

Vacuuming removes all of the air from the packaging when you refrigerate or freeze your meat. Air is required for the growth of bacteria, fungus and mold, all of which speed up the process that makes your food unsafe to eat.

Vacuum-sealed raw meat can last up to five times longer in the freezer than traditional packaging methods. Vacuum sealing can keep your meat in the freezer for years, depending on the type.

If your meat has a shelf life of around six months to a year in your freezer in conventional packaging, you can extend that period to two to three years by vacuum sealing it before freezing.

Type of meat Vacuum frozen Storage times Beef, game 18–36 months Minced meat/minced meat up to 12 months Sandwich meat 4–6 months Poultry 18–36 months Source1 Source2

This data is a guide based on a 0 degree F temperature. Data may vary depending on the quality of retention practices.

Does vacuum packed meat last longer in the fridge?

While frozen meat can last for years without compromise, raw meat stored in the refrigerator has a much shorter shelf life.

Vacuum-sealed meat can stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to two weeks, while unsealed meat only lasts a few days in the refrigerator. This is because unsealed meat is more likely to mold because of the extra air in the package.

How long you can safely store your meat depends on what type of meat it is and how long you’ve had it before vacuum sealing.

Check out this chart from the Colorado State University Extension if you’re curious about how long you can safely store certain meats, as well as other perishable foods, in the refrigerator and freezer.

Using vacuum sealing as a way to preserve freshness

Vacuum packing your meat not only extends its shelf life but also ensures your meat stays fresh and tastes good whenever you get around to eating it.

By not giving him access to oxygen, you prevent freezer burn. This affects the freshness of the meat and you avoid aerobic bacteria that can have side effects such as odors or changes in the iron content of your meat.

Using vacuum sealing as a means of preventing freezer burn

If you intend to freeze your meat to keep it fresh longer, you run the risk of exposing it to freezer burn. Freezer burn occurs when food has been exposed to the dry, cold air in your freezer for a long time, causing food to dry out over time.

The grey, dusty color your food gets after months in the freezer is caused by dehydration, which can seriously affect the flavor and quality of your meat.

Vacuum sealing meat prevents freezer burn because the plastic barrier and lack of oxygen lock in the meat’s natural moisture content.

Should I vacuum dry or wet steaks?

Depending on the type of vacuum sealer you have, you have two different options for sealing your vacuum bags, including dry or wet mode.

You should vacuum the steak wet if marinated, or dry if not marinated. Most foods are designed to be sealed in dry mode. Only particularly juicy or moist foods need to be sealed in moist mode.

Success in vacuum sealing meat is about understanding how to use your vacuum sealer to get the best results. Your machine’s moisturizing function is designed to trap more moisture and create a seal that is strong enough that the moisture in the food does not weaken the seal over time.

However, remember that your vacuum sealer’s dry mode is the default mode, designed to effectively seal most foods.

If you find that you have less success sealing your steaks with the wet mode, try using the dry mode a few times to see which mode you have more success with.

How to vacuum seal meat with liquid

If you’ve prepared a large batch of food that you need to store, or if you know you want to marinate your meat ahead of time, vacuum sealing your meat with liquid is easy and effective.

High-quality vacuum sealers should offer you the option of vacuuming liquids without much effort. However, many people find it difficult to vacuum seal liquid foods, even with the best products on the market. If you’re having trouble vacuuming liquid-filled meat, there are a few simple things you can consider to improve your success rate.

To vacuum seal meat with liquid:

Freeze the liquid before sealing your vacuum bag. Fill your vacuum bags with the meat and liquid and leave them in the freezer for a few hours until the liquid freezes. Once the liquid has set, you can seal the bags and store in the freezer or fridge until ready to eat.

If you don’t have enough space in your freezer for your bags to freeze before sealing, you can use an ice tray to isolate and freeze the liquid.

Simply pour the liquid marinade or sauce into an ice cube tray, allow the liquid to freeze, then spread the ice cubes onto your vacuum bags of meat and seal before refrigerating or freezing.

It is totally safe and convenient to vacuum liquid. There are workarounds to temporarily solidify your liquids if you are having trouble sealing your vacuum bags without liquid getting into the seal.

Benefits of vacuum packing meat

There are several benefits to vacuum packing your meat.

First and foremost, vacuum sealing is a highly effective way to extend the shelf life of your meat. It guarantees the removal of oxygen from the packaging, meaning your meat will last significantly longer whether you freeze or refrigerate it.

The vacuum seal also prevents freezer burn, odor, or the growth of bacteria, fungi, or mold that would render the meat inedible or unappetizing. Additionally, vacuum sealing is significantly less labor intensive than other forms of meat storage, as you simply place your meat in a bag and press a button.

Other methods may require wrapping and sealing your meat in multiple layers for a less effective sealing effect.

I should have taken these out of the original packaging and vacuum sealed them myself.

Disadvantages of vacuum sealing meat

The main disadvantage of vacuum sealing meat is the cost. Vacuum sealers can incur significant upfront costs, not to mention the ongoing costs of purchasing vacuum bags. However, depending on how much meat you want to store, you can offset the cost of the vacuum sealer against the price of the meat itself if stored improperly and wasted.

In addition to the cost of the vacuum sealer and vacuum bags, you should consider the storage options you have for a vacuum sealer.

While you can keep a roll of butcher paper in a drawer, a vacuum sealer, especially a commercial one, can take up a lot of space in your kitchen.

Does vacuum sealing actually preserve meat?

Considering the pros and cons of vacuum sealing meat, you might still be wondering if vacuum sealing actually preserves meat.

The vacuum seal actually preserves the meat by depriving the meat of oxygen from access that would otherwise cause discoloration or the growth of bacteria or mold.

The primary function of a vacuum sealer is to extend the shelf life of perishable foods.

When used on meat, it can extend frozen shelf life up to five times longer. Vacuum sealers are effective in preserving meat in both the fridge and freezer and, when used correctly, are one of the best meat preservation methods available.

It also allows you to preserve meat with sauce, marinade, or other liquids, making it a more effective storage solution than options like butcher paper or plastic wrap.

Should meat be frozen before vacuum sealing?

If you’re vacuuming meat with a lot of liquid and freezing it to set the liquid, you don’t need to freeze the meat before sealing. However, it is advisable to freeze your meat before vacuum sealing, regardless of the liquid content.

Meat does not have to be frozen before vacuuming. If it’s fresh and you freeze it right after vacuuming, it will stay fresh even if it wasn’t frozen first. However, it can affect the flavor of the meat if not frozen first.

Freezing your meat before vacuum sealing offers an opportunity to kill any harmful bacteria that may be growing before canning. This means the bacteria are not preserved along with the meat itself.

As well as improving safety, by freezing your meat before vacuum sealing you can also benefit flavor by freezing any natural juices before beginning the preservation process that takes place after the meat is sealed.

One thing to keep in mind when freezing your meat before sealing is that your meat may have some hard edges that could potentially puncture the vacuum bag and render your vacuum bag inoperable.

Although vacuum bags are relatively durable, you should double check the bag before placing it in the fridge or freezer to make sure there are no holes.

Freezing first is probably the best solution.

Is vacuum sealing better than butcher paper?

Many people choose to store their meat in butcher paper and sometimes even put meat bought from the butcher or a store straight into the freezer without further sealing the wrapper.

Vacuuming is better than butcher paper. While you can store meat with butcher paper and even remove a lot of air with this option, vacuum sealing offers a more practical storage solution than butcher paper.

The best way to effectively store meat in butcher paper is to first wrap it tightly in butcher paper and tape it shut. You should then wrap that layer in another layer of aluminum foil or plastic wrap and tape, which will also close to prevent oxygen from reaching the meat.

But even if you do it to the best of your ability, you still won’t be able to remove as much oxygen as you can with a vacuum sealer.

However, unless you intend to store your meat for long periods of time, butcher paper is a much more economical method of storing meat.

Can I vacuum pack frozen meat in butcher paper?

You can vacuum pack meat in butcher paper, but this is not necessary as vacuum sealing is enough to prevent the meat from spoiling or getting freezer burn. If you want to leave the butcher paper on your meat, consider wrapping it in plastic wrap before vacuum sealing.

While you can vacuum pack frozen meat in butcher paper, it really isn’t necessary.

If anything, keeping the butcher paper can reduce the effectiveness of the vacuum seal, and even if it doesn’t, the end results are the same whether you keep the paper or take it off.

Final Thoughts

Vacuum packing your meat is an excellent choice if you often have leftovers or buy your meat in bulk or hunt. Vacuum sealing allows you to extend the shelf life of your meat three to five times and preserve the meat’s natural taste.

While there are other storage options for your meat, such as B. butcher paper, vacuum sealing offers a long-term solution, ensuring that air cannot get to your meat while it is stored in the fridge or freezer.

If you’re considering long-term storage of meat in your freezer, consider vacuum-packing it for best results.

See How to cut frozen fish (which tool to use) for more information.

Hey, I’m Jim and I’m the author of this website. I’ve always been interested in survival, fishing, camping and all things natural. When I was growing up, I actually spent more time on the water than on land! I’m also a best-selling author and have degrees in history, anthropology and music. I hope you find value in the articles on this site. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions or input!

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If you’ve been wondering if a vacuum sealer would be of use in your life, here are some benefits of a food vacuum sealer:

1. Vacuum food sealers save time

Seal and freeze family portions of meals or single servings of snacks or vegetables. When it’s time to eat, fix the portions you need and you’re done. This is particularly useful when cooking sous vide – add required portions to your VacMaster sous vide pot and cook until done. Food is served.

2. Vacuum sealers save money

Buying meat in bulk, dividing it into meal-sized portions and sealing it allows you to store fresh meat for up to 6 months. This results in an incredible cost saving over buying your meat off the counter before each meal.

3. Vacuum sealers preserve food

Vacuum sealers preserve food by preventing the growth of mold or bacteria. Vacuuming removes the oxygen from your food. Mold and bacteria cannot grow without oxygen.

4. Vacuuming protects food

Vacuum sealing protects food from drying out and freezer burn. Freezer burn occurs when water gets into your food. The vacuum bag keeps your food from coming into contact with air, preventing moisture from evaporating, making it an excellent barrier against the elements.

5. Vacuum sealing extends shelf life

The shelf life of your food is significantly extended by vacuum sealing. Vacuum sealing food keeps it 3 to 5 times longer than food stored in plastic containers or bags. The exact lifespan of food when vacuum sealed depends on whether you’re storing it in the fridge, freezer, or pantry.

6. Food lasts longer

Vacuum-sealed frozen foods last an average of 2-3 years, while other storage methods average 6-12 months. Most vacuum-sealed foods last 1-2 weeks in the refrigerator, which is much longer than the typical 1-3 days foods last when traditionally stored in the refrigerator.

7. Efficient food organization

Vacuum sealing ensures efficient, organized packaging. Vacuum sealed foods take up less space in your fridge or freezer and allow you to easily see the foods you are storing.

8. No freezer burn with chamber vacuum sealers

The vacuum seal provides food with an airtight environment and prevents the crystals that cause freezer burn from forming on your food. Vacuum sealing retains the moisture in your food for a longer period of time, so you can enjoy food that tastes fresh months after it’s been stored.

9. Vacuum-packed food tastes better

Vacuum sealing keeps food’s moisture, juice and flavor locked in. You will notice the difference in taste.

10. Vacuum sealed keeps food safe

Vacuum sealing removes most of the oxygen, preventing oxygen-induced chemical reactions that lead to food spoilage. It also prevents the build-up of bacteria that can spoil food.

11. Vacuum sealed keeps food fresh

Not only does vacuum sealing prevent food from spoiling, it also prevents the fats in the food from going rancid, food from discoloring like it often does in the freezer, and from getting a slimy film or bad smell.

12. Simply store liquids under vacuum

Put the liquid in the freezer for a couple of hours to harden it up a bit. Then place the partially frozen liquid in a sealing bag, leaving space at the top to seal. You can also seal liquids in a jar and vacuum seal the jar.

13. Vacuum the leftovers

Vacuum seal any leftovers from your meal immediately. This eliminates the need to throw away food and gives you another easy meal for the future. Freeze leftover portions and they’ll last for months — so you don’t have to eat the same meal three nights in a row. Pull it out a few weeks later for a meal that tastes fresh.

14. Reseal chips

A vacuum food sealer comes in handy for resealing chips. Just remember not to use the vacuum sucker or you will crush the contents. Leave a few inches of space at the top of the bag, press the seal button and place the bag in the sealer (make sure the top is straight).

15. Vacuum trail mix and snacks

Separate snacks or trail mix into individual portions and seal. This makes it easy to take snack-sized portions with you on the go – keep them in your purse, backpack or lunch box for a quick energy boost.

Tip: To get the most out of the freshness of your food, write the date on the bag after vacuuming. You can track when it was stored and by when it should be used or eaten.

To further extend the life of your food, be sure to clean it thoroughly before storing it. Also, between packs, wipe down all surfaces used to avoid cross-contamination. VacMaster offers vacuum sealers and bags to help you keep organized while preserving your food.

Vacuum sealers are lifesavers, especially for those who have busy schedules. These useful gadgets preserve, protect and extend the shelf life of food in the pantry, refrigerator and freezer. You can vacuum seal snack-sized or dinner-sized foods while saving fridge space.

Although vacuum sealing is a great convenience and can save a lot of money, there are some foods that should never be vacuum sealed as the deprivation of oxygen can spoil them more quickly. In the absence of healthy bacteria, anaerobic bacteria can thrive and make you ill. Read on to learn which foods should never go in a vacuum bag.

RELATED: 20 things you should never put in the fridge

1. Soft cheese

While it’s satisfying — and perfectly fine — to preserve the life of your hard cheese by vacuum sealing it, it’s a bad idea to apply the same preservation technique to soft, wet, or crumbly cheese. Cheeses like brie, blue cheese, goat cheese, ricotta, and mozzarella tend to go moldy in a vacuum. When in doubt, check if the cheese is fresh, unpasteurized, stored in liquid, wet or gooey, or double or triple creamy. If your cheese fits any of these descriptions, don’t vacuum pack it.

2. Raw onions and garlic

You know those fumes that onions give off when you chop them? They continue these gases even after vacuuming, as does garlic, another leek of the lily family. This gas can inflate the bag and possibly cause vacuum leaks. In fact, vacuum-sealed onions and garlic spoil faster than if you never sealed them.

3. Cruciferae or Brassicaceae vegetables

Like raw onions and garlic, raw vegetables from the Cruciferae and Brassicaceae families, which give off gases, should not be vacuumed. These vegetables include cabbage, broccoli, kale, radishes, bok choy, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and arugula. In order to be able to vacuum them safely, you must first blanch them and let them cool thoroughly. While many vacuum sealers have a “wet” setting, drying these veggies before placing them in the bag is a must for the best possible seal.

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4. Raw mushrooms

It sounds counterintuitive, but mushrooms will break down faster when vacuum sealed. Mushrooms have fruit-like ripening cycles; As a result, raw mushrooms ripen faster when vacuumed and therefore rot faster. However, cooked mushrooms can be vacuumed well.

RELATED: Solved! How to freshen up a smelly fridge

5. Raw bananas

Like mushrooms, raw bananas ripen faster in an anaerobic environment. One way to avoid their rapid decay is to freeze them first. Once frozen, you can safely vacuum-seal bananas in this preserved state.

6. Whole apples

It’s not a good idea to vacuum seal whole fruit, but apples in particular need to be sliced ​​first. To preserve their color, brush with lemon juice and quickly vacuum pack the slices before they turn brown.

If you are in an industry that sells or ships meat, you should know the shelf life of vacuum sealed meat versus the shelf life of non-vacuum sealed meat products. Typically, meat products such as raw meat or cured meats must be cooked or consumed within a few days of purchase before the product spoils. However, meat products such as chicken, beef, fish and more can be stored for 10 days before needing to be cooked or frozen. Vacuum sealing removes excess oxygen, slows the process of food spoilage, reduces waste and keeps products fresher for longer. Meal prep kits, specialty food suppliers, food manufacturers, grocery stores and restaurants can all benefit from vacuum packaging their meat products.

Benefits of shelf life of frozen and raw vacuum sealed meat:

Raw Meat – Raw meat can be vacuum packed for up to 10 days before needing to be cooked or frozen. In comparison, raw meat that isn’t vacuum-sealed only lasts 3-5 days in the fridge before being turned.

Frozen Meat – Frozen raw meat that is properly vacuum sealed can be stored in the freezer for 1-3 years, depending on the type of meat. However, raw meat that is not vacuum packed will only last 1-12 months depending on the meat.

Shipping Benefits – Any food delivery service, meal prep kit provider, or grocery service that ships perishable food to their customers can greatly benefit from the extended shelf life that vacuum sealed packages offer. This ensures that the products do not spoil during the shipping process. Read more about the benefits of vacuum sealed durability here.

Looking to extend the shelf life of vacuum sealed meat?

The shelf life of vacuum-sealed meat is much longer than that of non-vacuum-sealed meat, helping to reduce waste and ensure your customers receive a fresh, high-quality product. If you are looking for the right vacuum packing equipment for your needs, contact AMAC Technologies here today. AMAC Technologies and its team of vacuum packaging specialists are ready to help.

Vacuum sealers keep food fresher longer by first removing the air from plastic food preservation bags and heat-sealing the bag to keep air out. They’ve quickly become a popular way to keep your frozen foods fresh. However, you have a big problem. Vacuum sealers can get pretty expensive – and take up valuable space in your kitchen. Most also require special plastic films, which add to the ongoing cost. Don’t Miss: 12 Items That Do Double Duty in the Kitchen and Beyond Luckily, there are two easy ways to vacuum without special equipment — so you can save your food freezer from burning without breaking the bank.

Vacuum Sealing Trick #1: The Straw Trick This is by far our favorite of the two tricks. Simply squeeze as much as you can out of the bag with your hand, then insert a straw into the corner of the bag, seal the bag around it, and suck the air out of the straw until the bag falls around the items like a countertop vacuum sealer it does. Once that happens, you need to pull out your straw and seal the rest of the bag. Although this method requires a bit more lung work on our part, we find that we have more direct control over the amount of air that is removed from the bag itself. Image by Nick & Bay Nigro/Food Hacks Daily Don’t miss: 9 drinking straw hacks that don’t suck

Vacuuming Trick #2: The Water Trick This second trick is just as easy and actually requires a little less effort during the process. In the long run, however, it gets a little messier and a little more time-consuming. Submerge the bag of ingredients in water. The pressure of the liquid pushes the air out of the bag and molds the plastic to the shape of the items inside. Make sure that water does not get into the bag when submerging and dry it before placing it in the freezer. Image by Nick & Bay Nigro/Food Hacks Daily Don’t miss: How to make bottled water you can eat

From the moment you buy chilled ground beef, time is of the essence, said Laura Hagen, senior director of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Culinary Center. It’s important to keep the meat well chilled (at or below 40F) and not just sit on your counter while you unpack the rest of the groceries. If you freeze the meat, put it in the ice box no later than two days after purchase.

The ins and outs of food safety and storage are essential knowledge for any meat lover. All meats carry significant risks if not handled properly. Most people have experienced, or know someone who has, severe food poisoning — it’s far from funny and can be horrifying.

To avoid spoiled meat, it’s best to adhere to the following practices and guidelines. With the following tips, your meat will last longer, taste better and spoil less often.

What you need to know about bacteria and food storage

Various types of bacteria cause food spoilage and lead to food poisoning. Here are some helpful facts about meat-based bacteria from the USDA:

Most bacteria thrive in temperatures between 40° and 140° F.

Most bacteria need oxygen to grow.

There are two types of bacteria in most meats: spoilage bacteria and pathogenic bacteria.

Spoilage bacteria cause meat to change smell, color and taste, but they don’t usually affect the safety of your food.

cause meat to change smell, color and taste, but usually do not affect the safety of your food. Disease-causing bacteria are dangerous to eat, but they don’t cause a change in smell, appearance, or taste – your meat will still smell, look, and taste okay, despite the presence of toxic bacteria.

Pathogenic bacteria can grow rapidly in temperatures between 40 and 140°F and poison meat in as little as 2 hours. Therefore, any meat that has been stored unrefrigerated for two hours or more should be discarded immediately.

chilling meat

Chilling meat is an excellent way to ensure it stays fresh for 24 hours or more. Poultry, seafood, various types of meat and minced meat usually stay fresh for 1-2 days when refrigerated, while pork, veal, lamb and game steaks and chops can be kept for 3-5 days. (You can use a reference table like this one from Colorado State University for a complete list of refrigerator and freezer sell-by dates).

When chilling meat, pay attention to smart food safety:

Make sure your fridge is between 34° and 40°F.

Store raw meat on the bottom shelf or in its own drawer.

Store meat – especially when defrosting – with a plate underneath to catch any draining juices.

Clean your fridge regularly.

Store meat in the freezer

If you plan to store meat for more than 2 or 3 days, freezing is the best way to ensure long-term quality. Freezing meat below 0°F significantly slows the growth of almost all mold and bacteria and can preserve meat quality for up to 12 months, depending on the source.

Here are some helpful tips for freezing meat:

Be sure to remove meat from grocery store packaging. Trays and plastic wrap are not moisture resistant, which means your meat will dry out and develop freezer burn more quickly. Re-wrap them in butcher paper, a freezer bag, or a vacuum sealer.

Trays and plastic wrap are not moisture resistant, meaning your meat will dry out and develop faster. Re-wrap them in butcher paper, a freezer bag, or a vacuum sealer. If you’re freezing your meat without the help of a vacuum sealer (more on that in a moment), be sure to remove as much air as possible. Wrap your meat tightly in butcher paper, then seal the paper with tape.

(more on that in a moment), make sure to remove as much air as possible. Wrap your meat tightly in butcher paper, then seal the paper with tape. The faster you freeze your meat, the less likely it is that ice crystals will form. Ice crystals rupture membranes and drain the juice from your meat as you thaw it. Use a quick freeze rack if you have one, or place ice packs/already frozen food directly on top of your wrapped meat to freeze faster.

, drain the juice from your meat as you defrost it. Use a quick freeze rack if you have one, or place ice packs/already frozen food directly on top of your wrapped meat to freeze faster. Meat should always be thawed in the refrigerator or in cold water. Room temperature thawing can be extremely dangerous and encourage bacterial growth.

vacuum sealer

A good vacuum sealer is by far the best tool for preserving the quality of meat for longer. Vacuum sealers remove all oxygen from the packaging you store your meat in, meaning most bacteria have almost no chance of further growth. This can mean 3 to 5 times longer freezer storage times with comparable freshness.

Here are a few key points about vacuum sealers:

Vacuum packaging increases shelf life by reducing freezer burn since there is no air to absorb the meat’s moisture.

burn because there is no air to absorb the moisture of the meat. When vacuuming meat, it is important to use safe meat handling practices. While most bacteria are aerobic (require oxygen), some dangerous bacteria are anaerobic (do not require oxygen) and can thrive in a vacuum-tight environment. It’s important not to contaminate your meat and vacuum seal harmful bacteria with your food.

Vacuum packing can also extend the life of meat in the refrigerator, but because anaerobic bacteria can grow at temperatures above 3°F, all vacuum-packed refrigerated cuts of meat should be unsealed and cooked within 10 days.

It’s important to note that in the interests of consumer safety, vacuum sealing does not affect USDA recommended storage times for refrigerated and frozen meats.

Steak Store Pointer

Steaks are among the best cuts of meat to refrigerate and freeze, and they last longer refrigerated and frozen than most other cuts of meat. This makes them particularly suitable for vacuum packaging for long-distance transport. All Chicago Steak Company steaks are flash frozen in their natural juice and vacuum sealed to preserve flavor. Watch this episode of Steak U TV with Phillipe, Executive Chef at Chicago Steak Company, to see how well vacuum packaging preserves dry aged steak.

This story originally aired on Outdoor Life.

It’s meat season. Knives are sharp, mills are humming and vacuum sealers are overheating. Most of us have our own traditions of how we pack or vacuum pack game before freezing it. We do it the same way every year because… it worked last year. Why change?

Well, at the beginning of this season I got curious. What exactly is freezer burn? And is there a specific way of processing venison or otherwise fresh meat that prevents this from happening for an extended period of time?

So I met Kenji López-Alt, the mastermind behind Food Lab, which uses science to unravel the mysteries of home cooking.

Here’s what he said:

“Freezer burn results from the sublimation of frozen water (ice) into water vapor. When ice turns into steam, it usually melts into water first. In sublimation, ice turns directly into water vapor, skipping the water phase. In a controlled environment such as As in freeze drying, this process can preserve the shape and color of food while removing the water content. But when it happens to meat in your freezer, the result is freezer burn — inedible dry bits of meat that need trimming before cooking.

This happens because the freezer’s forced air creates a very dry, cold environment.

Wrapping meat in plastic can help prevent this by locking in the meat’s moisture. But here’s the thing: most household plastic wrap is actually permeable to air and water vapor, penetrating the plastic very slowly. Even multiple layers of plastic wrap can cause freezer burn.

Venison, with its lean meat that typically lacks much intramuscular fat, is particularly prone to this problem because there is simply much more meat exposed on the surface for a given cut.

There are a few solutions. Vacuum bags specially designed with thicker, impermeable plastic for long-term freezing work better than standard plastic wrap, as do zippered bags designed for freezer use.

If you don’t have a vacuum sealer, wrapping it tightly in foil, followed by plastic wrap, works. The film does the main work as a moisture barrier. The main purpose of the plastic is to prevent drips during freezing and thawing and to ensure the film stays tight.”

Two key takeaways here:

Whether you’re wrapping or vacuum packing your meat, don’t skimp on the quality of the plastic. For wrapping, you’ll need freezer-specific plastic like Glad FreezerWrap. Use the robust freezer bags for vacuuming.

Consider wrapping your meat in foil and then plastic wrap. I’ve never heard of it, so I did a little internet searching and actually found this entry on the National Center for Home Food Preservation website (who even knew such a thing existed?): “Heavy-duty aluminum foil can be used as freezer wrap used. As it can be easily torn or punctured, it is advisable to use a wrap. Lightweight (household) aluminum foil is not satisfactory for home freezing.” I’m still a bit skeptical about this method, but I’ll definitely try it with some venison steaks this year.

I’ve always had good success wrapping meat tightly in good quality freezer wrap and then re-wrapping it with butcher paper. I like to vacuum seal my ground beef because those burger freezer bags always seem to get holes in them. Vacuuming steaks or bird breasts is also possible, but as you can see in the picture above, small air pockets definitely creep in and you have to make sure that the meat is dried gently.

Using the wrap method, I have no problem keeping venison free from freezer burn for about two years. But realistically, I aim to have a nearly empty freezer by the start of each fall. I have a lot of people who are happy to get wild animals and I like that little push to restock the freezer during meat season.