[Usingmyrights]

Just as the title says. How long will deer meat last in the freezer. I was dropping off something for someone yesterday and they gave me a couple packs of deer meet. (Had a freezer full) The burger was marked 11/07 which is understandable. The ribs OTH were 10/06 :wow:. I heard that its safe to eat, but won't taste as good as something fresh. So whats the verdict? Cook it and enjoy some free food.

 

[Armchair Commando]

Well if their Air/Vacuum Sealed they should last a few years.

 

[noway]

Cook it and enjoy. If it vaccum pack and wasn't thawn and then re-frozen I would eat it in a heart beat.

FWIW: I'm down on my last deer lion chop and this animal was killed almost a year ago back in Sept-Oct 07. I have some garlic wild boar sausage also in the freezer that's dated 12-08-06 and I'm going to eat that here shortly.

I also have about 2 6pks of tilapia Fillets purchased back during Katrina Season and I it has to be at least 2 .5" old if I had to guess.

 

[CanyonMan]

Cook it and enjoy. If it vaccum pack and wasn't thawn and then re-frozen I would eat it in a heart beat.

FWIW: I'm down on my last deer lion chop and this animal was killed almost a year ago back in Sept-Oct 07. I have some garlic wild boar sausage also in the freezer that's dated 12-08-06 and I'm going to eat that here shortly.

I also have about 2 6pks of tilapia Fillets purchased back during Katrina Season and I it has to be at least 2 .5" old if I had to guess.

Noway, your making me hungry my friend...

One year is a good rule of thumb , even vacumed (sp) packed. I have, over the year had some really tight vacum packed meat that freezer burned on me after about a year, or year and a half. I'm no expert, but I would try and and get the meat all ate up within a year and a half.... What a hobby, eating some great wild game!

CM

 

[Usingmyrights]

Unfortunately it wasn't vaccum packed. Just wrapped in butcher paper. Unless it was VP then wrapped up for some reason. So basically as long as its not freezer burned its GTG?

 

[RWBlue]

Unfortunately it wasn't vaccum packed. Just wrapped in butcher paper. Unless it was VP then wrapped up for some reason. So basically as long as its not freezer burned its GTG?

I have even eaten some light freezer burned deer. When I pull something out of the freezer and find something freezer burned, I make stew or chunk chilli.

 

[noway]

I have even eaten some light freezer burned deer. When I pull something out of the freezer and find something freezer burned, I make stew or chunk chilli.

same here.


fwiw,My grandparents used to store fish in water packs that was sealed. I guess you could do the same with other meats to extend the storage process.

What I typically do if I dress and prep my own game, I buy the big sealing bags and I have a v1090 food pre-per, after I suck the pack dry or most liquids, I seal it with at least 2-3" of peripheral edge and then mark it. I also love to season my meats with spices or currys right at sealing time.

I also do what rwblue does with certain meats that become stew/chilli meats with cuts mainly from the leg and the big tendons or any meat scraps that don't make it into the grounder or get's tenderize into a deer cube steak

When meat is cut, trim, and sealed in a quick fashion, Then frozen and not thaw refrozen, it will store for some time.

 

[noway]

Unfortunately it wasn't vaccum packed. Just wrapped in butcher paper. Unless it was VP then wrapped up for some reason. So basically as long as its not freezer burned its GTG?

fwiw; butcher alone is the worst thing for long time storage of meats

My granddad use to work in a butcher and paper was only designed due to plastic wasn't around and that was just for YOU to get the meat out of the store to hose and then into the pot or oven

 

[Usingmyrights]

fwiw; butcher alone is the worst thing for long time storage of meats

My granddad use to work in a butcher and paper was only designed due to plastic wasn't around and that was just for YOU to get the meat out of the store to hose and then into the pot or oven

The guys wife actually has a degree in animal processing. I don't think she's really put it to use though. The burger was going to be made into chilli anyway, so I guy I'll just enjoy some "pre" season deer.

 

[noway]

How do you get a degree in animal processing? is their a master or associate level course with credits ? ( seriously )

 

[mitchshrader]

freeze. dip in water and refreeze. gtg for 5+ years at -20 or lower..

 

[Big Bird]

I freeze fresh caught fish filets in milk containers filled with water.

I vaccuum pack all my game and usually get two years out of it.

If you are getting freezer burn in vaccuum packed game in a year there is something wrong. Pay attention to your sealing operation and make sure the inside of the plastic where its sealed is clean of blood, liquid or especially fat--keeping a couple of paper towels handy during the sealing process is a good idea for last minute wipedowns.

 

[CanyonMan]

I freeze fresh caught fish filets in milk containers filled with water.

I vaccuum pack all my game and usually get two years out of it.

If you are getting freezer burn in vaccuum packed game in a year there is something wrong. Pay attention to your sealing operation and make sure the inside of the plastic where its sealed is clean of blood, liquid or especially fat--keeping a couple of paper towels handy during the sealing process is a good idea for last minute wipedowns.

Your getting two years out of vaccum paked is excellent. I must be doing something way wrong. It goes as I said above, 1 - 1 1/2 years. Tops. Usually one year on the average. I will have to re-evaluate some things here. As you pointed out, the fluid may be my problem.

CM

 

[RWBlue]

The type of freezer makes a difference.

The self defrosting freezers don't stay cold. They warm up to self defrost.

That is why the NON-self-defrosting is better for long term storage.

 

[noway]

I freeze fresh caught fish filets in milk containers filled with water.

I vaccuum pack all my game and usually get two years out of it.

If you are getting freezer burn in vaccuum packed game in a year there is something wrong. Pay attention to your sealing operation and make sure the inside of the plastic where its sealed is clean of blood, liquid or especially fat--keeping a couple of paper towels handy during the sealing process is a good idea for last minute wipedowns.

My parent does that also on fish with the milk, it's natural gameness reducer and tenderizer. I'm not sure milk alone extends the storage but it does help with the other areas.

 

[Usingmyrights]

How do you get a degree in animal processing? is their a master or associate level course with credits ? ( seriously )

I don't know what its actually called. IIRC it was a Masters.

 

[xd357]

like every one is saying we use ziplock filled with water,don't know how long it would last but its all ate before it goes bad

 

[stevelyn]

Unfortunately it wasn't vaccum packed. Just wrapped in butcher paper. Unless it was VP then wrapped up for some reason. So basically as long as its not freezer burned its GTG?

Most times a processor will wrap the meat in plastic wrap getting the air voids out before wrapping in butcher paper. If it's wrapped this way it should last for a couple years or so. Vacuum packing extends storage time consideralbly.

But yes, if there's no freezer burn, you're good.

 

[Desertscout]

I was pretty much raised on wild meat and still hardly ever eat beef. We stored deer, elk, bear, and birds of all kinds in the freezer for very long periods of time. We have used meat that was well over 2 years old that was just single wrapped with freezer paper. Longer than that with double-wrapped. If the meat doesn't smell bad when you thaw it out, it's probably fine

 

[Nakkie]

I just made a curry out of some venison marked '94. Was wrapped in plastic and paper and I only had to trim one little area of freezer burn........