I thawed it in the fridge, sliced it (it was packaged as the whole muscle), seasoned it, pan seared it, and then ate it with some Oliverio peppers. And you know what? I wish I had more of both. Not only was there ZERO off taste and ZERO freezer burn, the deer meat tasted, handled, and smelled as though it were killed last week.

THAT is the value of proper food handling.

Looking back on FloridaHillbilly Tip #5, I stated “ALL wild caught and/or gathered animal protein is best when put on ice immediately and processed as soon as possible“. This should be expanded to include proper storage. For freezing, this means removing all air and sealing tightly. For canning, low acid foods require pressure canning. Dehydration requires the removal of all moisture. And all long term storage items should be kept out of the light as much as possible. When you combine these techniques, you really improve your shelf life and the quality of the food stored.

Again, back to EatByDate.com:

Although not a perfect test, your senses are usually the most reliable instruments to tell if your beef has gone bad. Some common traits of bad meat are a dull, slimy flesh and a sour smell. The meat will change from a reddish color to a brown or gray color.

this goes for all meats. In addition:

Proper food storage is the key to extending the expiration date of food. You can help beef keep fresh longer by storing it in your refrigerator immediately after use. Once prepared, beef should be stored in a tightly closed container to keep out moisture and other contaminants.

For a long-term option, you can freeze your beef while preserving its taste if you use a freezer safe container.
Some benefits of proper food storage include eating healthier, cutting food costs and helping the environment by avoiding waste

Now go back and read the quotes again, substituting any meat. This advice works with venison, chicken, duck, rabbit, squirrel, rattlesnake, and yes, even possum.

For frozen meats, I prefer to vacuum seal all packages. This removes the human portion of the process. A failed package is easy to spot if it has leaked, and you then move that item to the front of your rotation. And freezers are dark 99% of the time – bonus! Air causes freezer burn, and that ruins flavor. Simply use it before it gets freezer burn.

For dehydrated foods, I either vacuum seal in bags, or in jars. If I fail to remove every last drop of moisture, storing the items under vacuum equalizes the moisture content, and again a failed package is easy to spot, move that one to the front of the rotation. The vacuum sealed bags I normally store in a food grade bucket. The jars are either stored in a box or in a closet, both out of the light. This also applies to pressure and water bath canned foods.

For metal canned goods (store bought), I store them in a cool, dark place.

For all long term foods, use your senses as mentioned in the advice above when determining if the food has gone bad. And if it passes those tests, be sure to cook it properly. The food safety guidelines in this country are backed more by greedy corporations and anti litigation than common sense. Other countries have many rules that are less stringent, yet they have no more food borne illnesses, when using common sense, than we do here.

Use your head in these things. You are in charge of your own life. If you want personal freedom, you need to have personal responsibility. Don’t blame me for eating something you were unsure of. If there is a question, throw it out.

Properly handled and stored foods can last far longer than the “experts” say. Avoid air, light, and moisture in your stored foods to extend their shelf life safely. And when you stack your storage methods, you increase the shelf life exponentially.

And isn’t that what prepping is all about, extending our own shelf life?

Peace,
db

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