On Thu, 17 Sep 2015 17:04:21 -0500, Sqwertz >
wrote:

>On Thu, 17 Sep 2015 14:20:55 -0400, Steve Freides wrote:
>
>> Our local WF is having a three-day sale on grass fed ground beef, which
>> is what we buy, anyway. We like it, and they grind and package it in
>> the store - it seems quite fresh to us.
>>
>> Is it OK to buy extra and freeze? If so (I imagine it is OK), what are
>> the best practices for doing this, e.g., keep it in the Styrofoam +
>> plastic_wrap it comes in, put aluminum foil around that? Or put it in a
>> double freezer bag? Take it out of the original packaging? Etc.
>>
>> We'll use it before too long, anyway, I suspect. We usually buy 2 lbs.
>> once a week or so - grill a few burgers, cook make the rest in frying
>> pan with seasoning and save in the 'frig that way, maybe add tomatoes
>> sauce (Sloppy Joe) to some of it.
>
>Provided there's not a lot of air in the package (usually at the ends
>of the styrofoam, the packed would freeze fine in their original
>styrofoam+overwrap packages for 4-6 weeks.
>
>The best way to do it would be to vacuum seal (ie. a Foodsaver(tm)) in
>portions that you would eat between the two of you. They would keep
>for a couple years.
>
>I don't recommend ziplocks for long term freezer storage. They are
>porous and allow air in. But they are necessary if you wdon't have a
>vacuum sealer. Fill up a whole quart size bag about 3/4" thick or
>less of meat (about 1.25 pounds. Make sure there is NO AIR in the
>BOTTOM CORNERS of the bag (stuff a few pinches of meat in those two
>corners the first thing you do before filling the rest of the bag) .
>Then press/squeeze the meat in the bags flat and evenly until meat is
>encroaching the ziplock seam (no air!) and seal. Then try not to
>move/knock them around too much in your freezer after they're frozen.
>They should last 4-6 months that way.
>
>-sw
Yep, that's the way to do it. The key point is no air in the bag. I've
kept ground beef in the freezer for up to a year with no problems
('though this may be pushing it).