Agri Vehicles Insurance from Greenlands

Author Topic: Meat packaging  (Read 4599 times)

suziequeue

  • Joined Feb 2010
  • Llanidloes; Powys
Meat packaging
« on: November 26, 2011, 07:17:04 am »
We are planning to start doing our own chicken in the near future and I am thinking about batch despatch and freezing the carcasses.

Does anybody do this? and if so what wrapping/packaging is best to use?

Currently we vacuum pack our bacon and just freeze the sausages in those thin plastic butchers bags knotted at the top.

I quite like the idea of vacuum packing the chicken carcasses on polystyrene trays but this may be pie in the sky.

Any advice welcome

thanks
We do the best we can with the information we have

When we know better we do better

Dan

  • The Accidental Smallholder
  • Administrator
  • Joined Oct 2007
  • Carnoustie, Angus
    • The Accidental Smallholder
    • Facebook
Re: Meat packaging
« Reply #1 on: November 26, 2011, 09:17:10 am »
We just double-bag ours with freezer bags which works fine for us.

But they are just for our own consumption and we only do a dozen at a time.

manian

  • Joined Sep 2010
Re: Meat packaging
« Reply #2 on: November 26, 2011, 09:24:01 am »
we do ours with normal freezer bags..... average dressed weight 8.5-10 lb. not sure about what to do with turkeys tho' ::)
we usually do 2 a day and rolling programme
eg day 1 kill 2
     day 2 kill 2 dress day 1's..
     ..etc....etc



makes it more manageable for us as we are not that quick yet!!!! ;D
Mx

themasterbutcher

  • Joined Oct 2011
Re: Meat packaging
« Reply #3 on: November 26, 2011, 01:19:53 pm »
Keep it simple and cheap, use loose polybags, most of the good freerange commercial people use this method.
Poultry does not keep in a vac pack very well and tends to get squashed when the machine seals. Other option is an overwrapper with the chicken on a poly tray.

robert waddell

  • Guest
Re: Meat packaging
« Reply #4 on: November 26, 2011, 01:24:27 pm »
if you are freezing it will need to be blast frozen :farmer:

manian

  • Joined Sep 2010
Re: Meat packaging
« Reply #5 on: November 26, 2011, 05:14:36 pm »
if you are freezing it will need to be blast frozen :farmer:
why blast frozen robert??
(and what is blast freezing)
Mx

robert waddell

  • Guest
Re: Meat packaging
« Reply #6 on: November 26, 2011, 05:19:23 pm »
if selling to the public  frozen             it freezes very very quick :farmer:

manian

  • Joined Sep 2010
Re: Meat packaging
« Reply #7 on: November 26, 2011, 05:24:42 pm »
phew.........
was getting worried then.... we only eat ours
thanks
Mxx

Eve

  • Joined Jul 2010
Re: Meat packaging
« Reply #8 on: November 26, 2011, 06:13:48 pm »
Blast frozen meals taste pretty much like fresh meals (as opposed to those horrible 'normal' ready / frozen meals), so presumably it'd be the same for meat.  :thumbsup:

suziequeue

  • Joined Feb 2010
  • Llanidloes; Powys
Re: Meat packaging
« Reply #9 on: November 26, 2011, 08:40:38 pm »
Yes - we are only doing it for home consumption.

Poly bags will be fine I think

THanks all for your advice.

 :bouquet: :bouquet:
We do the best we can with the information we have

When we know better we do better

 

Forum sponsors

FibreHut Energy Helpline Thomson & Morgan Time for Paws Scottish Smallholder & Grower Festival Ark Farm Livestock Movement Service

© The Accidental Smallholder Ltd 2003-2024. All rights reserved.

Design by Furness Internet

Site developed by Champion IS