Meat Storage Tips
Here are my top tips and factoids for storing meat.
FREEZERS
Chest Freezer & Upright Freezer - Both work great! I also have both types, but I prefer the chest freezer for many reasons. Chest freezers are more energy efficient, typically have a lower price point, and we’ve never had trouble with the door being left open. Upright freezers are nice too especially if reach or mobility is a concern.
One note on upright freezers: I suggest keeping the door locked, as sometimes people don’t close it tight and the door swings open and your contents end up thawed!!
I personally try to stick to manual defrost models so that I have more control. I have heard some horror stories of freezers defrosting and ruining everything in them. I plan on using things up prior to the next season so I can defrost in-between.
Full vs Empty, does it make a difference? An empty freezer requires a lot of energy to keep the contents cold. I fill gallon jugs with water to take up space when my freezer is only partially full.
As a fail safe after the jugs freeze I open the top of 1 and place a penny on the ice and close it back up. This way if a freezer thawed and refroze I would know because the penny would no longer be on the top but rather suspended somewhere further down.
There are apps and devices that you can place in your freezer(s) to monitor and alert you of changes. I use “Temp Stick”. It sends me daily reports and I can set what parameters to send alerts to my phone.
Temperature - Anything below 30F is acceptable. My temp gage reads about 2F most days.
Brands - There are so many. I personally stick to names I recognize. Many of the popular brands have lesser known lines/ brand names that they own with lower price points that are just as good quality.
PACKAGING
Butcher Paper Vs. Vacuum Packaging - Butcher paper is for short term storage and vacuum packaging is a better option for long term storage.
Labeling - Items may come labeled directly from the butcher or you may have to mark them yourself, all depends on the butcher. Waterproof markers are a good option if you have to label yourself. Make sure to include the date. I use Uni Pi:s.
For more info check out my post on packaging.
Organization
Bins - Wire or heavy plastic work well. Thin plastic will crack from exposure from the cold.
Rotating Stock - Always a good habit to rotate stock to reduce waste.
Inventory - After some experiences of finding mysteries in the back or bottom of the freezers after they have passed their useful life I started tracking what we put in the chest freezer. This also became a huge help when it comes to meal planning. It can be as simple as a notebook or as elaborate as a spreadsheet. In the coming months I’ll share my current inventory sheet.
Updated 5/27/2022 to add Freezer inventory sheet.
