10+ Benefits of Owning a Freezer for Meat Storage
Having been raised by a busy working mom who could magically produce delicious meals out of thin air – I was convinced she must be a magician! Little did I know then that those “magic tricks” were stored in our trusty old meat freezer.
The benefits of owning a freezer for meat storage are that it’s budget-friendly, preserves meat safely, retains its flavor and texture, and provides long-term storage for seasonal meats. It supplies meals for unexpected guests and mid-week dinners. Frozen meat is preservative-free and nutritious.
Storing meat in a freezer and saving money may sound straightforward. Sadly, it’s not, as some cuts last longer than others. So, if you want to know my tried and tested meat-freezing hacks and some helpful tips and tricks – read on!
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The Top Ten Benefits Of Owning A Meat Freezer
Investing in a freezer to store your meat is one of the most excellent decisions you will ever make! Especially if you have a large family to cook for on a tight budget. So, without further ado, here are 10 outstanding benefits to consider.
Budget Friendly
There’s nothing more frustrating than spotting meat at a bargain basement price and not having adequate space to store it in your tiny upright freezer!
The beauty of owning a spacious meat freezer is that you can purchase large quantities of meat, like an entire side of beef (or whole cow), and divide it into roasts or juicy steaks.
While buying a lot of meat at once and going through the effort of cutting, packaging, and marking it takes time. It’s a once-off investment that can save you a lot of hard-earned money in the long run, mainly because meat is usually the most expensive aspect of your monthly food bill.
Food Safety
Anyone who has had nasty food poisoning will understand the importance of safely storing meat.
Like dairy, meat has the tendency to grow bacteria at a rapid rate, which can make you sick if it is stored at warmer temperatures.
So, it’s no wonder that any meat stored in a refrigerator only lasts a few days, even though it is stored in a cooler environment which slows down bacterial growth.
According to the USDA, meat frozen at an icy temperature of 0°F (-18°C) safeguards it from growing infective bacteria that cause food poisoning.
Meat Flavor And Texture Retention
Another significant advantage of having a meat freezer is that it retains its delicious taste and texture when stored at the correct temperature.
To illustrate this point, meat stored at warmer room temperatures will slowly break down and oxidize. As a result, it will quickly start looking grey and inedible.
Therefore, it is also recommended to thaw frozen meat in the fridge, not overnight, on your countertop.
Long-Term Food Storage
Meat frozen at the correct temperature can technically last forever. However, according to the
FDA and firsthand experience, meat frozen for too long will start to deteriorate over time.
So, it’s essential to know how long you can safely freeze the following fresh (raw) beef, lamb, veal, and pork meat cuts, to ensure that nothing goes to waste:
- Bacon: 1 month
- Sausages: 1–2 months
- Chops: 4–6 months
- Roasts: 4–12 months
- Steak: 6–12 months
- Including other meat cuts like tongue, chitterlings, and liver: 3–4 months
Pro-tip: before you pop your meat cuts in the freezer, add a label noting the type of meat and the date it was frozen.
Pack meats with a longer storage duration at the bottom of your freezer and those that will expire soon or are more readily used, like bacon, where it is easier to retrieve.
Environmentally Friendly
One aspect of owning a meat freezer, which is often overlooked, is that it reduces the number of times you must go food shopping.
Apart from decreased fuel costs, it also reduces your carbon footprint. And you don’t have to spend time looking for parking or stand in ridiculously long queues. So, it’s a win-win in my books!
Unexpected Guests
A freezer filled with ready-cooked meat has “saved my bacon” countless times! Especially when visitors decided to stick around at dinner time. And let’s face it, knowing that you don’t have to cook a meal from scratch is fabulous.
Preservative Free
It’s well-known that most of our western diet is packed with toxic preservatives in processed foods.
Frozen meat does not contain preservatives, so you can produce healthy, guilt-free meals.
Seasonal Meats Storage
Because we are so used to purchasing meat and fresh produce all year round, only some people realize that meat is also seasonal, like vegetables and fruit. For example, ham is traditionally enjoyed during Easter, while turkeys are a Thanksgiving staple.
Seasonal meats like venison, goose, or duck are typically cheaper than those sold out of season. So, having a big meat freezer is ideal as you can make the most of mother nature’s bounty and save your hard-earned cash.
Mid-Week Dinners
After a long day at work, knowing there is a home-cooked meal in the freezer is a lifesaver!
And being able to use your meat freezer for mid-week dinners means you can spend more time focusing on ticking off your to-do list.
Pro-tip: if you have time for meal-prepping, cook your meat in bulk, portion it out in containers, pop it into your meat freezer, and put it straight into the oven or microwave at dinner time.
Meat Freezers Preserve Nutrients
Meat is rich in protein and nutrients like Iron, Niacin, B6, B12, Calcium, Selenium, and Zink, including several other vitamins and minerals needed for optimal health. So, combining that with other nutritious vegetables gives you a super healthy meal.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Type Of Freezer Is Best For Meat?
Even though chest freezers take up more space than upright freezers, they have a lot more space, so you can easily store odd-shaped bulky cuts of meat.
Chest freezer bins are also convenient, as you can organize your cuts of meat in various compartments, making them easy to retrieve.
But, apart from space, their most significant advantage is energy efficiency. So even if the worst happens, and you have an extended power cut, your meat will stay frozen for nearly three days. And you will have a lower energy bill.
What Size Freezer Do I Need For 300 Lbs. Of Meat?
While there is lots of conflicting information about freezer sizes, you should have ample space with an 8 cubic foot freezer to store 300 Lbs. of meat.
What Size Freezer Do I Need For 200 Lbs. Of Meat?
A 5 cubic feet freezer should provide ample storage for this amount of meat.
How Big Of A Freezer Do I Need For A Beef?
A meat freezer should ideally provide 1 cubic foot of space for every 35-40 Lbs. of meat, with enough “breathing room” to accommodate oddly shaped packaged meat.
The freezer should not be much bigger than the amount of meat you would like to store. Meat freezers only perform optimally if they are relatively full, with less air space.
Pro tip: when shopping for a new meat freezer, measure the space where you would like to place it, and add at least 1 inch at its width to promote airflow around the freezer.
Conclusion
Owning a freezer for meat storage is one of the best buys you will ever make! Apart from storing large amounts of meat at budget-friendly prices, the most significant benefit is that you can provide highly nutritious meals in the heart of your home.
Further Reading
- https://extension.okstate.edu/fact-sheets/buying-beef-for-home-freezers.html
- https://www.food-safety.com/articles/3563-the-benefits-of-blast-freezers-for-food-safety-and-business
- ❄ Compact Size & Large Capacity: SMETA Chest Freezer 7 cubic feet has a space-saving design, the dimensions are 35"(L) x 22"(W) x 33.3"(H). Large capacity is great using for breast milk, meat, aquatic products, cold drinks, quick-freezing and other purposes – making it perfect for homes, basements, garages, RVs, etc.
- ❄ Adjustable Thermostat & High-Efficiency Freezing: The adjustable thermostat is easy to access and features a minimum/maximum control dial that allows your temperature to be controlled from 10.4 °F to - 4 °F. Built-in high-quality R600a compressor, fast cooling, and highly effective.
- ❄ Top Hinge Door & Removable Storage Basket: The auto-hold door hinges between 45° and 90° angles allow you to easily access the chest freezer hands-free. The upper removable storage basket is convenient for storing small items and food to be taken out soon and sliding easily, you can quickly see the items below.
- ❄ Adjustable Feet & Water Drain: Adjustable feet balance the chest freezer on an uneven surface, it offers much convenience for storage. The front water drain and embossed aluminum liner make it easy to clean and defrost.
- ❄ Low Noise & 1-year warranty: Our chest freezer 7.0 Cu. ft is low noise(≤43dB)operation, and you will not be disturbed by the noise when you sleep & rest. We provide a 12-month warranty and any problems with this chest freezer, please feel free to contact us at anytime.
- ❄【Adjustable 7 Freezing Temp & D-Shape Condersing Tube】Deep Freezing, refrigerate and keep fresh. No matter what you want, this chest freezer will meet you. Its temperature regulation range is - 11.4 °F~ 10.2°F, which will meet the demands of most people under different ambient temperatures. At the same time, the D-shaped condensing tube can most effectively reduce the temperature in the chest freezer. Let you restart and cool down without waiting too long. Meet your use throughout the year.
- ❄【Compact Size w/ 3.5 Cu.Ft. Capacity】All functions are designed in such a compact size (22.83 x 22.64 x 32.28 In). The large capacity (3.5 cu ft) will not occupy too much space while ensuring that you can store enough food. It is very suitable for small apartments, offices and other small spaces. If you rent with others, you don't need to use a refrigerator with others anymore.
- ❄【Excellent Insulation To Prevent Energy Waste】In addition to the excellent freezing effect, we filled in this freezer with a good thermal insulation foam, keeping the cold air inside while blocking the external heat conduction into the chest freezer. Therefore, the minimum consumption is only 0.52 kwh/24 H. Help you save electricity! If you rent with others, you don't have to worry about the dissatisfaction of other roommates because of the waste of energy.
- ❄【Working Like A Gentleman (Super Quiet ) 】Afraid to put it in your small room to produce too much noise and heat to disturb your rest and work? Never worry! This small chest freezer is specially designed for this purpose. Its efficient refrigeration and excellent heat insulation mean that its compressor will only work several times a day. Moreover, we specially deal with its noise so that the noise will not be higher than 40 dB even when it is working.
- ❄【Portable & Lightweight】In order to facilitate the installation and handling of this small freezer, we have reduced the weight of this freezer as much as possible, so its weight is only 68 lbs. Equivalent to the weight of a child. Even if you are alone, you will able to carry it. And we also designed 4 convenient wheels at the bottom of the deep freezer, so that you can easily move it whether it is full of food or not.
- ❤Energy Efficient & Quiet Operation - High-efficiency cooling technology, fast cooling to as cold as -4 ℉. It only consumes an estimated 248 kWh a year and runs very quietly
- ❤7 Cubic Feet Chest Freezer - Measuring 35 x 22 x 33.4 inch, this freezer has a lot of room to store your food and can hold as much as 280 lbs meat, very helpful for stocking up on food without overcrowd
- ❤Adjustable Thermostat & Foot & Embossed Aluminium Liner - Mechanical control knob is easy to use and durable. With the adjustable foot, it can be placed and easily moved on the uneven surfaces so you can put it anywhere you want. And the front frost drain and embossed Aluminium liner make it easy to clean
- ❤Removable Hanging Basket & Auto Hold Hinge Door - The rust-proof and corrosion-resistant basket can be easily slid to quickly see items underneath and separate raw foods to fresh and dairy products at ease. The sturdy 45°~75° auto-hold door hinges are also designed perfectly to provide hands-free use for your ultimate convenience
- ❤SMAD SATISFACTION GUARANTEE - We stand behind our products and pride ourselves on exceptional customer service care. You enjoy a 1-YEAR WARRANTY and just feel free to contact us at any time
![[120 Pack] 1lb Wild Game Bags for Freezer Storage - Meat Bags for Your Ground Meat Packaging System - Polyethylene Wild Game Meat Bags to Protect Your Meat from Freezer Burn - Wild Game Freezer Bags](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51+B9RqxLPL.jpg "10+ Benefits of Owning a Freezer for Meat Storage 8")
- Store Your Processed Meat Products — The ground meat and sausage packaging bags are designed for freezing or refrigeration for later use. Extend the storage life of your ground pork meat, wild game meats, and more. Simply process your meat and preserve it for later
- Great for Hunters and Meat Processors — The meat processing bags are perfect for hunters storing wildgame meat after hunting season, or anyone who needs to grind and store meat. You can use them as hamburger bags 1lb, venison sausage bags 1lb, wild game bags 1lb, and more
- Protect the Quality of Your Meat — The meat processing freezer bags protect the color, flavor, and consistency of your processed meats. Leave them fresh long after hunting or purchase so that you and your family can enjoy dinner from your ground venison bags (and any other meat) year-round
- Made from High Quality Materials — The 1" gusset at the bottom protects your meat processing bags 1 lb from bursts resulting from slight overfill. The 2-millimeter thick wild game bag is durable to avoid tears and punctures so that your meat can stay secure and fresh until you're ready to cook
- Easy to Use — The game meat freezer bags have a wide opening top for easy stuffing. Once stuffed, simply squeeze all excess air out of the meat grinder bags and close with a tape sealer, twist ties or hog rings based on your preference. Have plenty on hand with this pack of 120
- Mechanical Control with Adjustable Thermostat from -12 to -28 Degrees (Great for Storing Frozen Food, Ice Cream, Ice, etc)
- Contains 1 Hanging Wire Storage Basket
- Hinge-Style Door Remains Open from 45 to 75 Degree Angles
- Full 1-Year / Compressor 2-Year Warranty
- SPACIOUS CAPACITY: The 3.5 cu. ft. capacity provides you with the extra storage for all your frozen goods such as meat, pizza, cold drinks, fruits and vegetables and ice cream – making it perfect for homes, basements, garages, RVs and more
- QUICK FREEZING SYSTEM: The D-Type Refrigeration tube has more surface area, a larger heat exchange area and a higher efficiency, allowing the freezer to get colder faster than other chest freezers. The aluminum-lined interior with a heavy-duty gasket also creates a tight seal, preventing cold air from escaping
- ADJUSTABLE THERMOSTAT: The adjustable thermostat is easy to access and features a minimum/maximum control dial that allows your temperature to be controlled from -10 to 10 °F
- REMOVABLE WIRE BASKET: Convenient hanging coated wire storage basket easily removes and slides for easier organization and helps you keep smaller items readily available so they don’t get lost
- BALANCED HINGE-STYLED DOOR: Built-in strong and balanced metal hinges lets you keep the freezer door open at different angles (45-90 degrees), allowing you to work hands-free while preventing the door from dropping
- [THE ONLY DIGITAL CONTROL PANEL ON THE MARKET] Located on top of the lid, the digital control panel lets you adjust the temperature between -14.8° F and 50° F. Ditch the old-fashioned dial — just pick your temp and go.
- [FAST FREEZE MODE] Flash-freeze items for long-term preservation and get them to a safe storage temperature without freezer burn.
- [DOOR ALARM] If you've ever lost a freezer full of food, you know just how expensive — and heartbreaking — it can be. That's why the Newair Compact Chest Freezer features a door alarm to prevent accidental losses.
- [SELF-DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM] Get an alert when something is wrong and solve issues right away. Troubleshoot issues on the spot.
- [COMPACT WITH BIG BENEFITS] This mini freezer fits anywhere and is packed with features like a storage basket, door-activated LED light, defrost d drain plug, and a quiet compressor.
- Whole home indoor, gas powered tankless water heater, rated at 3.6 GPM that activates only when in use, making it an energy saver.
- For indoor installation with safe, efficient power ventilation and perfect for any small home, cabin or apartment.
- Easy to read digital temperature display, on a compact and space-saving design with minimal noise output.
- Safe electronic ignition system; plugs into standard 120v electrical outlet with UL-listed cord.
- Uses standard 1/2" NPT water fittings and is equipped with easy to use manual water temperature controls.Minimum 0.65 GPM flow rate
- [Hinged Door Design] The hinge angle of our freezer door is between 45 ° and 90 °. It facilitates the storage of food. The removable storage basket is convenient for storing, sliding and moving small items. You can quickly see the items under the meat freezer. The vertical freezer has adjustable leveling legs to balance the device on an uneven surface.
- [Temperature Adjustable Control & Manual Defrost] There is adjustable 7-level temperature control at the front of deep freezer. It can be controlled from - 7.6 ° F to 6.8 ° F (- 14 ° C to - 22 ° C). The higher the water level, the lower the temperature. Features with the Manual Defrost design, our chest freezer keeps your food fresher.
- [Low Noise & Energy Saving] Less than or equal to 40dB, low noise level, you can hardly feel it. Using R600a high-efficiency low-energy compressor, this refrigerator can cool quickly.
- [Compact but Large Capacity] All functions of our chest freezer are designed so compact (21.7 x 21.7 x 31.5 inches). Our 5.0 cubic foot compact freezer is designed to save a lot of food in the kitchen. It can be used to preserve seafood, ice cream, meat, etc.
- [Packaging information and warranty] Our chest rezzer is packaged in a box, including a refrigerator, a basket and a user manual. It is best to keep the mini refrigerator upright for at least 24 hours before use. If you need any help, please feel free to contact us, and we will reply to you within 24 hours.
- Large Capacity - The Space-saving deep freezer has a 3.5 cubic foot capacity can be used for various foods, such as meat, seafood, and ice cream.
- Adjustable Temperature Control - This compact chest freezer has 6-grade temperature controls, and you can set the temperature you want. The temperature can be changed from 50°F to -18.4°F.
- Energy Saving - This chest freezer is equipped with a high efficiency and low energy consumption compressor (R600a) to ensure rapid refrigeration and low noise while using. The red power is on as the freezer starts up, and the green light shows that the freezer's hydraulic press is operating.
- User-friendly Design - Our deep freezer has a top open door design, which allows you to keep the freezer door angle from 45° to 90° and makes it more convenient to store and take out food from the freezer.
- What's in the Package - 1 x deep freezer, 1 x Ice shoveel and 1x basket are included. Please leave the mini freezer upright for at least 24 hours before using.
