Vacuum bags vs butcher paper

[mtnkid85]

Wrap in saran wrap then vac seal has been my preferred method over the past few years. Before that I was doing saran wrap then freezer paper and it worked fine too, maybe just a little slower.

 

[rclouse79]

I did plastic wrap and then freezer paper before getting a vacuum sealer. Granted I didn't get the nicest sealer, but it didn't even last a year. A lot of the things I vacuum sealed would get punctured and then freezer burn. I am back to my original plastic wrap and freezer paper. I don't think it takes much longer and is better at protecting your meat in my opinion.

 

[Rich M]

As said earlier by others, I vac fish and bag or wrap meat.

We use zip lock freezer bags 1 qt, weigh out between 18 and 20 Oz ground meat per each. Steaks get put in bags too. Roasts get wrapped w freezer paper. Have had 2+ yo venison wo freezer burn when wrapped.

Fish gets vac sealed and it does make a diff.

 

[codycleve]

Steaks and roasts get wrapped and freezer paper.. Jerkey, summer sausage, and pepper sticks gets vacuum sealed. I vacuum sealed steaks for a little while but price and time when it wasn't any better for me was a turn off.. Plus my wife feels a lot better about wrapping and taping than operating a vacuum sealer, while I continue to cut.

 

[.270]

I vaccum seal everything but the ground meat. I wrap it in plastic wrap and then freezer paper. Works for me.

 

[Jagger0502]

I got a chamber sealer and it changed my life. The initial cost of the machine is tough to swallow but the cost of the bags being around 2-5 cents a piece make up for the cost quickly over vac bags. I have been using it for 4 years, let my dad and buddy use it and they both bought one themselves this past year. I have never had any freeze burn issues, never had any bags break in the freezer yet. I found some chops from the first deer I used it on 4 years ago this summer while clearing out the freezer and they tasted as good as if I shot it this year. Use it on fish and veggies as well as breads and other baked goods my wife makes and everything taste fresh when thawed. Neat how you can use it on bread and it doesn’t suck the air out of it. It has even taken over the majority of our caning tasks as we learned how to use it with liquids for soups and veggies. Lastly... for hunting trips I have been chamber sealing PBJs and sucks the oils right into the bread and tastes amazing.

my 2 cents if your in the market for an upgrade.

 

[Lytro]

I got a chamber sealer and it changed my life. The initial cost of the machine is tough to swallow but the cost of the bags being around 2-5 cents a piece make up for the cost quickly over vac bags. I have been using it for 4 years, let my dad and buddy use it and they both bought one themselves this past year. I have never had any freeze burn issues, never had any bags break in the freezer yet. I found some chops from the first deer I used it on 4 years ago this summer while clearing out the freezer and they tasted as good as if I shot it this year. Use it on fish and veggies as well as breads and other baked goods my wife makes and everything taste fresh when thawed. Neat how you can use it on bread and it doesn’t suck the air out of it. It has even taken over the majority of our caning tasks as we learned how to use it with liquids for soups and veggies. Lastly... for hunting trips I have been chamber sealing PBJs and sucks the oils right into the bread and tastes amazing.

my 2 cents if your in the market for an upgrade.

What brand chamber sealer do you have? I've been looking at them and the prices seem to be all over the place.

 

[rooster440]

I just got back a few days ago from Montana and have wrapped up some steaks. In a few weeks I’ll give it a try but so far so good.


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[Jagger0502]

What brand chamber sealer do you have? I've been looking at them and the prices seem to be all over the place.

I got the vacmaster 215 which is a wet pump. I believe the 210 is a dry pump which is what my buddy got. His is a lot lighter and travels better because it’s a dry pump. Mine is a big unit and you wouldn’t want to move it or take it on a trip, I think it’s around 80lbs and you would need to keep it upright and level when moving it. Weston also makes some good ones. I bought mint from Webstrauant where it was on sale and he also found it was the best deal when he bought his.

 

[JJ8277]

Meat will definitely keep longer when its vacuum sealed in plastic. If you aren't planning on keeping it frozen for very long, I don't think there would be much difference if it were wrapped in butcher paper. The worst thing about wrapping in butcher paper is that it isn't 100% sealed and the exposure causes the meat to dry out (freezer burn).

 

[realunlucky]

Meat will definitely keep longer when its vacuum sealed in plastic. If you aren't planning on keeping it frozen for very long, I don't think there would be much difference if it were wrapped in butcher paper. The worst thing about wrapping in butcher paper is that it isn't 100% sealed and the exposure causes the meat to dry out (freezer burn).

Warping meat in plastic wrap and then freezer paper will outlast any other method period. That said i use the vacuum sealer as I find it's much more convenient and i try to use everything in a single year

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[Sawfish]

Vacuum sealer is best for me. The key is to use the HD freezer bags/material and don't overfill the bags. I save all of my "mistakes" (I know that you have some too) and use them as bone guards to prevent punctures. Three years in storage is not a problem. When using the HD freezer bags, it is best to make two seals.

 

[sierrastalker]

I just processed a large sow hog, and for me the vacuum sealer worked better because I had some helpers.....they just don't seem to have the patience for wrapping in paper, and the vacuum sealer is more obvious on whether it has a good seal!

 

[Brian Fahs]

Saran wrap and freezer paper.
For all the right reasons.

 

[yakattak]

Saran wrap and freezer paper.
For all the right reasons.

I agree. Have done this for the last few seasons with white tails and it’s worked great.

 

[Dwight2180]

Either is sufficient. Vac seal is easier for me with the Mrs. helping. Key is to eat it before it all goes bad

 

[Lurch12]

I do both. All sticks, and bologna get vacuumed sealed. All ground meat and general meat cuts get plastic wrap then freezer papered. I have never had any meat get any form of freezer burn or ice crystals inside my papered meat. The vacuumed sealed bags tend to get some ice crystals in them before use due to there some air left in the sealed package. But these are also harder forms of meat to get all the air out of.

They both have their purpose!

 

[SteveCNJ]

You have to be careful about the seal. Some vacuum sealers just don't get that hot. The thicker the plastic the more heat needed. This became apparrant to me when trying to seal mylar bags. I wound up vacuum sealing them (barely sealed) then and when I had an electric stove, ran a large spoon over the seal while on a hot burner.

 

[StevenSkins]

My butcher swears by wrapping in plastic wrap then two layers of butcher paper.

 

[rooster440]

Last year I put a few in the freezer and did plastic and freezer paper with excellent results.


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