Vacuum Seal or Plastic Wrap and Butcher Paper?

[jgilber5]

I've used both and like both. I'm curious what others prefer, and why?

 

[MTHunt’r]

I have also used both; however, I am currently using butcher paper for the price and how quickly I can do it. That said, I typically eat everything within 6 months to a year - I wouldn’t want to go much beyond that in butcher paper, but would be perfectly comfortable with a (still sealed) vacuum sealed option beyond that timeframe.


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[RocketRob16]

Vacuum seal all the way for me.

 

[spudists]

I do a double wrap of Saran Wrap then butcher paper on all my big game. No issues after 3 years on some cuts. I have a vac sealer and do a ton of fish each year with it, but it seems too slow and sensitive on deer/elk. The bags sometimes come unsealed and I have to treat them carefully in the freezer. Not that way with butcher paper wrapped meats. For burger and loose sausage I stuff it all into 1lb burger bags and twist all the air out before closing.

 

[Choupique]

Ive had vastly better luck with long term storage in plastic wrap + butcher paper. Vac bags were far more trouble than they were worth for me. Always had a bag or two of something getting freezer burnt to hell for one reason or another.

Butcher paper + saran wrap I think red meat will keep 100 years as long as its wrapped tight and doesnt get defrosted.

 

[guscottie]

I personally prefer Vac Sealing. I run a commercial grade sealer for everything from berries to Moose.

My wife and I buy next to no commercial red meat or fish. I have used both systems and much prefer vac bags over the butcher paper. For us it amounts to ease of being able to defrost, keeping for a year at a time and partly because we have my kids help and it's simple to use/do.

Sometimes the bags come undone/unsealed, but those get eaten within days or given away to friends/family.

Is my way right, not necessarily, but it works for me and my wife prefers it done this way.

 

[Choupique]

fish

I freeze fish in salt water. Keeps forever.

 

[Zdub02]

I've had better luck with vacuum sealing for longevity and quality of food. However, I have had vac bags loose seal and get air in them.

 

[rayporter]

50 years of zip locs.

 

[Walkstoomuch]

Vacuum seal then paper. Vacuum is best but paper protects from nicks when rummaging around

 

[Caseknife]

Vacuum sealing seems too slow for me. I have done both, in fact just "found" my whitetail buck from '23 vac sealed in the freezer. Have switched back to saran wrap and butcher paper for cut of meat and quart freezer zip-loc bags and butcher paper for burger. No problem with freezer burn for either method for me. I get too frustrated with waiting for the sealer or getting a proper seal. Have not used a chamber sealer though.

 

[Wrench]

We use only ziploc freezer bags and plastic backed freezer paper. Everything has a minimum of 2 layers of paper and every effort is made to remove the air before sealing.

One of, if not the most important factors is your freezer itself. A frost free freezer simply sucks for long term storage. A traditional frosty freezer is the way.

We routinely will find packages that are 3 seasons old and no issues with burn.

I gave away the chubs and rings because they always leak and get nicks and freezer burn....and I absolutely don't have the patience for a vac sealer to do a couple elk.... and honestly I wasn't impressed with the results nor did they stack well.

 

[Choupique]

routinely will find packages that are 3 seasons old and no issues with burn.

I have found some that were if I remember correctly 7 years old and were just fine.

And, a freezer full of well done freezer paper packages just looks SO MUCH COOLER

They stack better and dont slide around like vac bags do either.

I do prefer vac bags for sausage, jerky, etc. Its impossible to get the air out of that stuff with plastic wrap.

 

[Gmr777]

I’ve used both as well. For long term storage really can’t beat Saran Wrap and butcher paper. Like someone else mentioned I’ve had meat 3 years that looked great and tasted just like fresh. Think it’s ideal for larger cuts.

I do like vac sealing better for ground meat and precut steaks that’ll be eaten sooner. Vac bag inevitably will have a % that get air inside. Don’t have that issue with the sw and butcher paper.

 

[wowzers]

Saran wrap and butcher paper. Although, I am about to get a chamber vac so it might change my opinion, but I'm not a big fan of my current sealer.

 

[Billogna]

I vacuum seal everything now. But back before I could afford one I used this trick. Poor man's vacuum sealer: 5 gal. bucket of water or fill up sink and some ziplock bags. Put meat in bag. Leave the bag partially open and carefully dip it into the bucket using the water pressure to push the air out. Then zip the bag shut before lifting out of the bucket. VIOLA!!

 

[Choupique]

Put meat in bag. Leave the bag partially open and carefully dip it into the bucket using the water pressure to push the air out. Then zip the bag shut before lifting out of the bucket. VIOLA!!

This is what I do with fish, except with salt water and in the sink. Works great, and takes up far less space than filling the bag with water.

 

[Harvey_NW]

Vacuum seal all the way for me. We stack packages in the heavy grocery bags, then label so no need to rummage around, just grab from the top and nothing gets damaged. Most convenient reason is that I can defrost steaks/chops, or 1lb of burger/street taco meat in 5 min without using any extra materials, can't do that with traditional wrap.