cryovac meat

geez here we go again!!!
just when i thought i had heard all that was to be said???

lol yep all said on the thread metioned above all pooped from that thread lol
warren

Give the guy a break, look at his first sentance, i dont think theres any need to be rude, we all need a point in the right direction every now and then.

welcome Willow

:o)

regards
Lazy

Hi Willow,

Come on guys, don't give Willow a hard time, as he said he's new to the forum.
I read the post mentioned and doubt that it contains a definitive answer to willow's question.

Willow,
Any cut of meat you desire will survive in a good quality esky if sealed by the "cryovac" process, for 4-6 weeks without any detriment to the quality .
All you need to ensure is that the contents are kept as cool as possible.
You can even start off with the packaged meat frozen if you wish, however I don't recommend this approach as it makes separation and selection of meals more difficult.

The quality of your esky, how long you are staying and the type of ice you can get, (block or crushed) will affect the stability of the temperature inside the esky.

A standard type of esky may only last a couple of days before needing topping up with fresh ice, whereas an "icebox" such as the fibreglass evakool, or similar, can last much longer.

It just depends on your budget mate, but you should be OK.
Have a chat with your local butcher too, They are generally happy to help with their advice.

Have a good holiday Willow.

mate any cut of meat should be fine
some butchers try and avoid boney meats like chops as they can penetrate the plastic-some use 2 layers of the plastic
we use steaks,chops,mince etc and get them packaged per meal ie if 2 people then 2 steaks together
mince can then make hamburgers or spag sauce
sometimes make a spag sauce before we go which if frozen initially will last about 4 days at least
sausages-first lot we ever had butcher put all together and ended up being a mashed up bunch of crap
have tried individual sausages but squash easily-better to buy the ones from safeway/coles already kryovacced
use slices of ham,strass etc also in small packages ie enough for couple of days in each
bacon same thing
some butchers dont charge anything extra(prob cost in to total price)
give them a bit of time to prepare ie maybe order in advance-sus out a couple as to if they do or not
chicken usually eat within first few days
taste-really havent notice much difference at all if any
in esky maybe can put in plastic container in bottom
suggest to mark what is in each with permanent marker so no surprises when thawing out
enjoy

Sorry if I appeared rude. Didn't mean to be.

Cryovacced meat not only keeps longer, the longer it stays in the cryovac the better it gets as it "ages". That is until the point it goes off. It is usually safe to use well after the use by date. I buy whole cryovacced rumps and scotch fillets from Bi Lo at bargain prices and do not open them for a month after the use by date. You end up with top quality meat at bargain prices. Remember they are whole pieces and have therefore had little surface area exposed to the air. Sliced steaks I wouldn't keep as long.

Cheers,

Jim.

To give you a straight answer, knowing the search engine is not always easy to use.

Have used cryovac packaging for years.

Basic answer - ignore if you like:
Most bacteria need oxygen to grow, so cyrovac keeps the oxygen out as long as the package remains unbroken. This why a good container filled to the brim will work, but "needs refrigeration once opened".

Length of time:
Have had meat keep for 4 weeks in only light refrigeration. Have talked to hikers who have had meat keep up to 2 weeks unrefrigerated.
Meat will discolour though with time.

Suggestions:
Make up into packs for each meal.
Also, not only meat but any meals such as pasta dishes etc. Take your left overs with you or make up before hand.

Cost:
Our butcher charges us 50c a pack to do it.
(Our butcher will cryovac other packs for us if asked nicely.)
You can buy your own machine, not sure of the cost.

I first came across cryovac machines when I started work in the meat works in the 70s and we were shipping meat to Japan using refrigeration, not freezing.
The extra few days will also add flavour and tenderise the meat.
Cuts such as rump etc can be aged with 30 days being an ideal length.
Aging doesn't help some cuts though.

Try it, it works well.

John C

Willow ,
I have bought a cryovac sealing machine and pack each meal seperately ie enough meat for each person for one meal in each bag . The butcher will do this for you .
It makes it very easy to pack the right amount of food for your trip - even if my wife calls me anal retentive and obsessive compulsive !
Willie

You all forgot the most important thing with the cryovac process. It prevents blood or liquid from making its way out of the semi sealed plastic containers or bags that the meat usually comes in, leaving your fridge or cool box clean.

Oh Joy Oh Joy - No apples soaked in watery blood products, nice clean fresh celery, no slimey cheese packets to pick up out of the bottom, etc !!!!

Mic

yeah baby, as most have said, its grouse, we get it packed in meal portions from the butcher (no extra cost) and keep it in fridge or freezer have used in esky after being frozen at home, worked well, like extra ice itself. if you know what i mean. yep no bloody ice water, no soggy meat. If we get chops we get them to double bag them and use them first as the bones easily puncture the bags. Haven't had chicken though. Taste, not a prob. the bag even stops mess while thawing each portion prior to cooking, keeps the flies off too..

You will be sweet, just put it in the deep freeze at home for 2-3 days first then pack in bottom of esky and fill with ice. Drain the esky water or not, hey thats another argument all together..

welcome willow.

Thanks everyone, Yes I did see the original post but appreciate the extras from those who added their experiences. With over 300 people viewing in less than 24 hours maybe there were other newbies like myself who wanted a little reassurance. Thanks to all who replied. Willow

Id like to hear from anyone who can get cryovac'd chicken to keep longer than normal chicken left in the wollies packet. Whenever we cryovac meat its always Chicken that goes bad within 3-4 days and thats with the Engel running at 0deg. Everything else works a treat. If your butcher is really talented he will be able to cryovac sausages without bursting too many skins! Although Woolies sausages with 99.9% sawdust dont need much refrigeration anyway!

One tip I do have is get the butcher to pack your meat when he is quiet througout the day. We have had the odd bag over the years not sealed properly becuase it was obviously rushed - Thursday nights is a big no-no! But like one person said above, not having watery blood over the apples isworth it. Its awesome packing 20 servings of meat into the fridge and heading West (or East if in WA) and not having to worry about what is happening to the meat in the back.

Cheers,

Glenn.