6 Tips on How to Use Freezer Paper to Make Meat Last Longer

Freezer Paper is perfect to use for storing almost any variety of meats. It is cheap, easy to use and if used properly can help your meat last longer in the freezer.

What is Freezer Paper?

Freezer Paper is a thick paper that has a shiny plastic or wax coating on one side and a paper material on the other side.

The plastic or wax side seals in any juices that might run from meats and also acts as a barrier to protect foods from exposure to air. The paper side is perfect for writing the date in which the meat is stored.

Freezer paper was traditionally used to wrap up meats for freezing though it’s less popular now. This is because of more effective alternatives, but most of these are plastic-based and not necessarily more affordable or good for the environment.

So I have 6 easy tips for using freezer paper to maximize the effectiveness at keeping your meat for a longer time.

Tips to Improve the Effectiveness of Freezer Paper

1. Prep your meat by removing bones and fat, before wrapping it in the freezer paper. Pad any sharp bones that may pierce the paper.
2. Secure your meat with freezer tape.
3. Make sure your meat is covered completely and no part of it is exposed.
4. Double wrap your meat with freezer paper.
5. Write on the side of the freezer paper with the paper material, the date the food was frozen.
6. Choose fresh and good quality meat for the best freezer lifespan.

1. Prep your meat before wrapping it

Preparing your meat will not only help your meat to freeze better but will make your food preparation easier.

Using a sharp knife, cut any excess fat off meat before freezing and remove bones or bony pieces that might pierce the freezer wrap.

You see any damage to the freezer paper leaves your meat likely to be exposed which can cause freezer burns.

If you want to keep the bone in, pad the sharp parts with newspaper or butcher paper before wrapping the meat in freezer paper.

2. Secure your meat with freezer tape

If you are using freezer paper, invest in some quality freezer tape. Regular tape will be affected by moisture and air in the freezer and may open after some time in the freezer.

Freezer Tape is a special tape that adheres to paper, plastic wrap, and aluminum foil for tight, It has a moisture-resistant seal. Safe from freezer to microwave. Ideal for labeling and sealing frozen foods

3. Make sure your meat is covered and no part of it is exposed

Air is the enemy to meat in the freezer because it causes freezer burn. To stop freezer burn ensure that any meat is completely covered by the freezer paper.

Freezer burn happens when frozen food become damaged by dehydration and oxidation, due to air reaching the food. It is generally caused by food not being securely wrapped in air-tight packaging. Food that has Freezer burn is safe to eat but the taste is usually affected. Citation.

How to Properly Wrap Meat in Freezer Paper

1. Place the meat at the center on the shiny side (plastic or wax side) of freezer paper. Ensure you leave wide margins around the meat to allow the freezer paper to be folded
2. Next, bring up the two sides of freezer paper over food. Fold the paper down 1-inch and crease.
3. Then seal the folds with freezer tape.
4. Turn the package over and press out the air and fold one of the end of the freezer paper towards the food until the package is tightly folded and then seal with freezer tape.
5. Finally, wrap the other end by continuing to fold the freezer paper in narrow folds until its tightly against the meat and then secure with freezer tape.

4. Double wrap your meat with freezer paper

Now to double the protection for your meat against air and moisture and thus more effectively prevent freezer burns, I would advise wrapping your meat twice with freezer paper.

This will help to safeguard your meat if the outer layer of your paper is damaged since there will be an additional barrier to protect the meat.

5. Write the date the food was frozen

Freezer paper isn’t transparent and has a paper side that can be used to write the type of meat you are storing and the date in which the meat was frozen.

This allows you to enjoy your meat at the peak of quality because you know exactly how long it was in the freezer.

Just remember to regularly look through your freezer to check the dates. A lot of meat is often discarded because they are forgotten and go bad.

6. Choose Fresh and Good Quality Meat

My last tip is that if you can it is advisable that you buy fresh and good meat for freezing by choosing meats that are at their optimal quality you are able to maximize the time they can be stored in the freezer.

When purchasing meat and poultry, use your senses of touch, smell, and sight. Always make sure that the meat is firm, cold, dry to the touch, and have no odor. Avoid meat that is brown at the edges or grayish.

Now if you are interested I also did two articles comparing freezer paper with other options, comparing Freezer Bags and Freezer Paper and Freezer Paper Vs Vacuum Packing. You can click on the article to learn more.