meat sale and wrapping tutorial

I went to a meat sale today.  I spent $65 and got

That is just over 32 pounds of meat.

or

an average of $2.03 per pound.

The average is higher than I would have liked due to R wanting baby back ribs.  Without the ribs it would have been $1.75 average...much more to my liking, but R works hard so I can stay at home so he deserves a "treat" once in a while.

Once I got home with all the meat, I proceeded to wrap it into meal sized portions.  Here is a tutorial on how I wrap meat.  I wrap this way because the meat stays fresh longer and prevents freezer burn for a longer time frame.  I cooked ribs last night that were from April 2009.  They got misplaced in the freezer.  They were still as fresh as the day I froze them.  That's some good wrapping!

First I take a piece of Reynolds Freezer wrap.  Place it waxed side up.

Then I stick my meat about 1/3 of the way in from a corner.  This paper wasn't ripped square but you can get the idea.

Then I fold the first corner over the meat, pressing down to flatten the meat and release any air.

Then I bring in the sides. Again squeezing out any air.

I fold the sides in to make a point at the opposite end and I crease the folds, squeezing out any air as I crease.

Bring the wrapped meat over, flipping it onto the creased area.  Again sqeeze out any air.

bring the end over the top of the wrapped meat.

The very edge of the paper should be just a triangle shape.

Secure the triangle using one piece of freezer tape.

label the package with type of meat and date packaged.

For meat with bones I do it essentially the same but I add one step.

I place meat on plastic wrap.

Wrap the meat with the plastic wrap, making sure to squeeze out as much as as possible.

and then proceed with the wrapping.

Ta-Da!  lots of meat wrapped and ready to freeze!

bottom 2 shelves.  Very bottom is all ground beef

2nd from botton is (from left to right)

in the box: Ham, pork ribs.

white wrapped: beef roasts

 clear packaging: ring bologna

top box right side: pork chops

bottom box rght side: Bratwurst

top shelf: chicken, frozen pizzas

2nd shelf: veggies, fries, onion rings,

3rd shelf: steaks, pan of muffins that I need to wrap, cottage cheese (I buy it marked down and freeze it for use in lasagna), homemade strawberry freezer jam.

freezer door

margarine, breadsticks, homemade waffles, ground turkey, butter, pizza sticks, pearl onions, cocktail weiners

garlic bread, juice concentrate, pie crust, cheese, sausage links.

~Jess~