How to Vacuum Package Meat for a Freezer
Oxygen is not a friend to meat. Even in the freezer, oxygen can cause freezer burn and the meat to absorb an off-flavor. Vacuum-sealing can prevent these issues, helping raw or cooked meat last longer. What vacuum sealing does not do is make meat shelf stable; only drying and canning will do that. There are several kinds of home vacuum sealers, some of which remove most of the air but don't create a vacuum. Avoid inexpensive manual or fan sealers for a true vacuum seal, and look for a vacuum sealer that use an electric pump-seal process. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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Place the raw or cooked meat into the vacuum seal bag. Allow at least 3 inches between the meat and the edges of the bag.
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Slide the open edge of the bag into the narrow slot on the front of the vacuum sealer until the vacuum pump starts. The bag should shape itself tightly around the meat. The vacuum sealer will switch to heat sealing the bag shut once the air is removed.
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Watch the heat seal indicator. When it indicates that the bag is sealed, remove the vacuum-sealed meat.
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Place the sealed meat in the freezer immediately.
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Tips & Warnings
If your vacuum sealer uses rolls of plastic, start by pulling out the amount you need and sealing one edge to make a bag as directed by the manufacturer.
Do not use vacuum sealing in place of freezing or refrigeration.
