How to Keep Meat from Getting Freezer Burned

Filling a chest freezer with meats found on sale is a great way to economize. However, if you find yourself throwing away a lot of meat due to freezer burn, it will end up costing you more in the long run. Freezer burn occurs when meats become dehydrated and oxidized while in freezer storage. The main culprit of freezer burn is poor packaging. These tips will prevent you from throwing away your savings.

Re-package your meats before freezing them. This will allow you to break up large packages into smaller meals while taking meat out of the inferior plastic wrap that it is sold in. Use quality freezer bags to repackage the meat, and be sure to squeeze out any extra air and seal the bag tightly.

Consider investing in a vacuum seal kit. Vacuum sealing meat has been proven to help it last a very long time while keeping it fresh. While vacuum seal kits are costly, over time you will recoup your money spent due to the fact that air will never get to your meat to cause freezer burn.

Use plastic freezer containers for pre-cooked meals. If you pre-cook any of your meals, store them in plastic freezer containers that are well sealed. Make sure the container is designed for freezer storage. These items can hold for about two months. If you need the pre-cooked meal to last longer, place the container inside a freezer bag.

Double package meats. A double layer of plastic on your meats will keep them safe from freezer burn. For instance, you can break up five pounds of ground beef into sandwich bags, then put all of the small bags into one large Ziploc freezer bag being sure to remove the air from all packages.

Don't get carried away at the grocery store. Never purchase more meat than you can eat in two or three months. As prolonged freezing can can increase incidences of freezer burn, purchasing meat once a quarter and using it up before buying meat again is the best course of action.

If for any reason the freezer gets unplugged, do not re-freeze meat that has thawed. If you catch it before it has began to spoil, cook it and consume it or refreeze it as a cooked meal.