Food Tips & Info > Freezing > MeatJuly 09, 2006

By Ellen Brown

Selecting High-Quality Meats:

Select fresh, high quality meats from a reputable butcher, meat packer or grocery store. Cured meats such as ham and bacon can only be frozen for a short period of time (1 to 3 months) because the salt in them hastens rancidity. Organ meats, like liver, tongue, heart, etc., may lose some of their texture during freezing.

Preparing for Freezing:

Package meat in convenient, meal-size portions and remove as many bones as possible to save freezer space. Place two layers of freezer paper or wrap between slices or patties of meat so they are easier to separate when frozen and speed thawing. Large game like deer and moose can be frozen the same way as other meats. Small game should be skinned and dressed appropriately before freezing.

Suitable Packaging:

Package the meat in freezer paper or wrap, using either the drugstore or butcher wrap. Freezer bags or containers can be used for ground beef, stew beef or other meats frozen in small portions. Store-bought meats need to be wrapped with additional protection. The clear packaging they normally come packaged in does not provide sufficient moisture-vapor resistant protection for freezing. Meats from a meat packer should come in heavy-duty wrapping, but double check to make sure. If it does, it will not require additional wrapping. Make sure the wrapping is sealed tightly and labeled.

Maximum Storage Time:

If possible, meat should be left in its original packaging when frozen and wrapped again in vapor resistant heavyweight plastic wrap, foil, freezer paper or freezer-grade plastic bags.

Meat Type	Refrigerator	Freezer (0ºF)
Bacon	2 weeks	1 month
Corned Beef	5 to 7 days	1 to 2 months
Canned Meat	3 to 4 days*	3 to 4 months
Chops, Pork & Lamb	3 to 5 days	4 to 8 months
Cooked Meat	2 to 3 days	2 to 3 months
Frankfurters	3 to 5 days*	1 to 2 months
Ground Meats & Stew Meat	1 to 2 days	3 to 4 months
Ham, Canned	1 week*	3 to 4 months
Ham, Fully Cooked	2 weeks	3 to 4 months
Lunch Meat	3-5 days*	1 month
Pickled Meats (vinegar)	2 weeks*
Roasts, Beef, Bison & Pork	3 to 5 days	9 to 12 months
Sausage (fresh)	1 to 2 days	1 to 2 months
Sausage, Breakfast Patties/Links	1 week	2 months
Sausage, Smoked	1 week	1 to 2 months
Sausage, Summer	2 to 3 weeks*	6 months
Small Game (rabbits, squirrels, etc.)	2 days	9 to 12 months
Steaks, Beef & Bison	3 to 5 days	6 to 12 months
Tofu	4 to 5 days	6 to 8 weeks
Variety Meats	1 to 2 days	3 to 4 months
Veal	1 to 2 days	4 to 6 months
Venison (ground)	1 to 2 days	2 to 3 months
Venison (steaks, roasts)	3 to 5 days	9 to 12 months

* opened

Thawing:

All meats should be thawed in their packaging in the refrigerator. For microwave defrosting, remove packaging and refer to your manufacturers recommendations for settings. If meat is in a waterproof package and you need it quickly, run it under cold water or submerge it in a cold water bath for faster thawing.

Tips & Shortcuts:

Freezing tends to damage the texture of organ meats like live, heart, brains, tongue, and kidneys. If freezing these meats is necessary, trim all excess fat, wrap in an airtight package and freeze as rapidly as possible.

Refrigerating Meat:

Ideally, meat should be stored in its original package. Once it has been opened, it is necessary to rewrap tightly in plastic wrap or foil, or pack it in an airtight container.

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