Freezing meat (beef)

NC-CDN · July 2011

I never freeze steak. I try to buy it when it's on sale and eat it right away. Just wondering if anyone freezes when they catch a good sale and how it affects the meat.

My Harris Teeter always have beef tenderloins on sale for an okay price, but they are just so big. I couldn't get it all down in a sitting and my wife wouldn't eat it every day like I could. LOL. I'd hate to freeze a nice cut of meat like that for fear it would ruin it.

Anyone freeze? Any method do the meat justice? Or would freezing it just be bad. Thanks.

Griffin · July 2011

When I find a good deal on steaks, I buy them up and freeze them and have not noticed a difference. I do vacuum seal them first. Growing up my mom would make a big grocery trip and freeze up the proteins just using zip lock bags or even just buthcer paper.

Longrifle · July 2011

Yeah, I freeze beef all the time. I put the meat in the fridge and get it as cool as possible. I then wrap the meat in plastic wrap doing the best I can to get all of the air out. Then I wrap it in in freezer paper (been told that is over kill, but it makes happy so I keep doing it). Write the date on the package use the oldest to the newest. One thing i found that helps keep stuff frozen better is keeping the freezer full. We have chest freezer and (since there is just my wife and I) it was never full. A friend told me that freezer was not efficient being used like that, he said to use water jugs and fill all of that unused space with them. We did that and the freezer keeps things much colder now. Before doing that I could get a steak out and toss in the fridge and would be thawed out when I got home. Now I have to get the thing out a day proior to be thawed out. Also it gives you extra water in an emergency.

Weekend Warrior · July 2011

I think it's fair to say that if you never freeze steak, that you are in the minority. I almost always buy whole sub-primals on sale, cut into steaks, vac-pack and freeze. I have dry-aged the last 4 then cut and froze. I can't tell the difference between a fresh and previously frozen steak after cooking. Even if I could and preferred the fresh, it's just not practical or cost effective for most people. Note that I said vacuum pack before freezing. This is what helps keep the steaks fresh and prevents freezer burn. I wouldn't freeze for any lenth of time to speak of without vac-packing first. We are only a family of three, but we buy our chicken pieces and pork chops, etc. in the less expensive family packs, then divide into meal size portions for us then vac-pack and freeze also.

Mark

NC-CDN · July 2011

That's the answers I was hoping for. Thanks guys.

I just thought that the freezing could make a good steak less than good. Where do you buy freezer paper? Do they carry it at a Target, walmart or grocery store or do I have to order it online? I've never used it. Is it like the butcher paper they wrap fish and meat in at the grocery store?

I don't have a vacuum sealer, but plastic wrap or ziplocks I can do. I think I'll start buying those larger cuts and save some $$ and freeze. Can't wait. Buying fillet or other meats is killer $$ and when it's on sale it's worth buying more. Love ribeye and don't see it on sale much here.

Thanks for the quick responses. Much appreciated.

Hungry Celeste · July 2011

I have 58 lbs of grass-fed beef in my chest freezer right now...a 1/4 calf raised by a friend. It's all vaccuum sealed & labeled (the butcher packaged it). It's as good as fresh, once defrosted.

Weekend Warrior · July 2011

With all due respect, you can't afford not to get a vacuum packer, but between Zip-Locs and plastic wrap/freezer paper, the plastic wrap and freezer paper is the way to go. You will not like the results from freezing in Zip-Loc bags. You can't keep air from leaking into a Zip-Loc and air is your enemy when freezing. Spend a couple hundred on one of the better quality food savers and it will soon pay for itself by letting you buy in bulk at a large savings and freeze with good quality results for 4 or 5 times longer than the the other options, not to mention that vac-packing is far less labor intensive than double wrapping. Identification in the freezer is much easier also.

Mark

Rascal · July 2011

I freeze meat, poultry, fish... you name it. My method needs no tape or labels. I first wrap with 'Stretch-Tite", making sure to eliminate as much air as possible. Then I write on the plastic wrap.. the date and all. Next, I wrap with 'Freeze-Tite' which is also clear. With this method, the 'Sharpie" writing is clearly visible but won't smear should it get wet.

NC-CDN · July 2011

Thanks for the suggestions. I thought about the food saver option, but haven't priced them. A couple hundy may be a bit more than my wife could swallow right now. I will look into them and see if I can find a more cost efficient model or try the other methods suggested.

Rascal · July 2011

Stretch-Tite is availabe at many markets. Freeze-Tite was sold at a Sysco retail store in Albany, NY, which unfortunately closed a while back. Good thing is that you can still find the product on-line..

transversal · July 2011

I guess I will be odd guy out on this one.

I will go to great lengths to avoid freezing steaks, roasts, brikets, etc. I will go even further avoiding using a food saver on those same items.

I find that freezing and using the food saver affects both the juicyness and texture of the meat. Just my opinion.

Hoss · July 2011

Yes I do.NO.It won't,if you vaccum seal it,it will last for YEARS and you CANNOT tell the difference.I have not read other posts,only going on my own eggspeariences.

Buy cheap,cook whenever!

Dave in Florida · July 2011

When they are on sale here, I load up on them. Just put 12 - 1 1/2" T-bones in the freezer. Food Saver seal them and into the freezer they go. I have done the same with boneless ribeyes and bone-in ribeyes. NEVER have had a complaint about them yet.

Freezing meat (beef)

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