hornblower Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 We got a new stand alone, upright frost-free freezer last fall and I promptly filled it with meat for my dog. I've found that a few months later, all of the packages have a lot of small ice crystals inside them - esp on the bulk cubes of meat which I repacked into 1 gal Ziploc freezer bags. I admit I was not hugely careful about squeezing all the air out of the bags - was that the problem? I've read that frost-free freezers thaw & refreeze constantly and that this can cause the ice crystals? Has anyone found this to be true? And how big a deal is it then with the quality of your frozen foods? My dog of course could care less - she loves all her meat and freezer burn doesn't worry her. But after years of being a semi-vegetarian, I'm thinking of ordering some pasture-fed free-range beef & pork for the two-leggeds here, and I'm worried that it will all get freezer burned and wrecked. I think it comes frozen & wrapped in brown paper - if I put those packages into freezer bags and squeeze the air out, will that be enough to preserve the meat's quality and avoid the dread crystals? Dh was thinking maybe we need to get one of those machines that sucks the air out & seals the food in a bag? This meat is expensive & if we're doing to do this, we want to do it right..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnTheBrink Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 We got a new stand alone, upright frost-free freezer last fall and I promptly filled it with meat for my dog. I've found that a few months later, all of the packages have a lot of small ice crystals inside them - esp on the bulk cubes of meat which I repacked into 1 gal Ziploc freezer bags. I admit I was not hugely careful about squeezing all the air out of the bags - was that the problem? I've read that frost-free freezers thaw & refreeze constantly and that this can cause the ice crystals? Has anyone found this to be true? And how big a deal is it then with the quality of your frozen foods? My dog of course could care less - she loves all her meat and freezer burn doesn't worry her. But after years of being a semi-vegetarian, I'm thinking of ordering some pasture-fed free-range beef & pork for the two-leggeds here, and I'm worried that it will all get freezer burned and wrecked. I think it comes frozen & wrapped in brown paper - if I put those packages into freezer bags and squeeze the air out, will that be enough to preserve the meat's quality and avoid the dread crystals? Dh was thinking maybe we need to get one of those machines that sucks the air out & seals the food in a bag? This meat is expensive & if we're doing to do this, we want to do it right..... It's from air and moisture in the ziplock bag. I have the same issue and I have a chest freezer. I try to get all the air out, but its never air-tight. I've considered a food saver type thing, as well. Just haven't gotten around to getting one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nestof3 Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 Mine does the same thing, but it never tastes like "freezer burn." It must be something different. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaxMom Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 Yes, without a vacuum seal, there is still some air space for moisture from the meat to crystalize in. Around here, when you order a half a beef or whatever, the individual cuts are packaged in vacuum bags, so it wouldn't apply to your meat investment for bipeds. If it's already frozen in brown paper, you shouldn't get any ice crystals touching the meat itself, but there may be some rogue loose crystals in the ziplock bag. If ice crystals or freezer burn begin to bother your dog, my dog would like you to know that she will be happy to use her mad skill to purchase a plane ticket and help you out with that. (Note that dog reason does not stop for using the mad skill to open our freezer. Though I do find her staring at it fairly often. I think she's trying to use the Force.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hornblower Posted March 2, 2009 Author Share Posted March 2, 2009 Thanks everone! nestof3 - good to know it's not affecting the flavour. So far all I've got in there is raw for the dog so I can't comment on the flavour. :D MyCrazyHouse - hah. No chance. Daisy eats everything. She too loves that white magic box from which yummy bones and meat comes out. And last week she discovered that green tripe comes out of it too! Green tripe btw is really, really gross. But Daisy L.O.V.E.S. it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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