Freezing Meat for Return Trip

G. McAlister

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Southern KY
I will be returning to Colorado this fall for my second elk hunt and I am wondering, should I be successful this time, are there local places where I can rent freezer space to get my elk frozen solid before returning home? Should bones be left in so my processor has an easier time back home? Any other things to consider?
 
I'm also curious if laying meat above / below dry ice and a barrier would also keep it cold enough for a 1.5 day drive home. But yes, I've heard of western butchers that will hang and freeze quarters for successful hunters. I usually don't like to bone stuff out right away unless its going to be a brutal pack out; but as far as a processing after the fact, it shouldn't matter much how you bring it to them. The processing and packaging is also something I've come to enjoy, not as intimidating as you'd think if you have a bit of time.
 
I have found that most butcher out their will freeze it for you only if you pay to have some amount of processing done, so it can kind of defeat the purpose.

I have started using dry ice to freeze the meat. hang the meat overnight to get all the body heat out of it, and drain as much blood as possible out of it. Put the meat in the cooler, lay cardboard across the top, and then cover it in dry ice. Leave it cracked as long as it is off-gassing, and then seal it up good. If your cooler doesn't have an o-ring, use duct tape. Air transfer is what is going to cause it to thaw the fastest. It should stay solid for days. covering the coolers with a moving blanket or something, helps keep them cool if it is sunny.
 
I have found that most butcher out their will freeze it for you only if you pay to have some amount of processing done, so it can kind of defeat the purpose.

I have started using dry ice to freeze the meat. hang the meat overnight to get all the body heat out of it, and drain as much blood as possible out of it. Put the meat in the cooler, lay cardboard across the top, and then cover it in dry ice. Leave it cracked as long as it is off-gassing, and then seal it up good. If your cooler doesn't have an o-ring, use duct tape. Air transfer is what is going to cause it to thaw the fastest. It should stay solid for days. covering the coolers with a moving blanket or something, helps keep them cool if it is sunny.
Thank you, that's helpful! How long do you usually leave it cracked before sealing / traveling? Not trying to create some form of a dry ice bomb in the bed of the truck!
 
Thank you, that's helpful! How long do you usually leave it cracked before sealing / traveling? Not trying to create some form of a dry ice bomb in the bed of the truck!
Depending on how much you put in there, it should all have turned back into gas in 24 hours. Just open the lid and once the pieces of dry ice are gone you are good to go. It does not need to be cracked much, the less the better. With my softside I have just used a coffee stir straw and zipped down on it.
 
As mentioned above cardboard, I now use it between each bag of meat to keep them from freezing together, also make sure there's no water in the cooler.
 
I've had luck bumming freezer space from motels and cabins, just offer to pay a little for the trouble and electricity. I usually process and vac seal it myself beforehand though.
 
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Are you driving out and back? If so why not buy a small frezer to carry in back of your truck with a generator? I hauled meat cross country for a lot of years and best way to keep things frozen is to load them frozen in a cooled down enclousure and keep it that way. Lucky thing refrigreated trailer's are used to haul meat. One time I picked up a small quanity of something, can't remember what it was. On the washington coast and took it back to a friend in Montana. Put the stuff in a box packed it with dry ice and stuff was still frozen when I got back to Montana. makes me think packing in dry ice might be a good option. Regular ice will not do it unless the enviorment the ice is in is freezing.
 
Are you driving out and back? If so why not buy a small frezer to carry in back of your truck with a generator? I hauled meat cross country for a lot of years and best way to keep things frozen is to load them frozen in a cooled down enclousure and keep it that way. Lucky thing refrigreated trailer's are used to haul meat. One time I picked up a small quanity of something, can't remember what it was. On the washington coast and took it back to a friend in Montana. Put the stuff in a box packed it with dry ice and stuff was still frozen when I got back to Montana. makes me think packing in dry ice might be a good option. Regular ice will not do it unless the enviorment the ice is in is freezing.
This is what I have done several times. If I need to stop at a motel I usually will ask if I can plug in my freezer. I take a long extension cord and run it through the window or whatever.
 
I have never flown with elk meat. I have with antelope and deer and had the meat frozen at a local butcher shop. I do all my own processing so they charge a very small fee. One time I had them make 10 lbs of summer sausage for me and they let me freeze the rest of my meat at no charge. I don't use a cooler when flying I put as much meat on my carry and checked bags. If there is no room I ups my gear home and use the luggage as my meat storage.
I live in Indiana and have killed elk in Colorado and drove it home bone in and bone out and have never frozen it. I don't use dry ice either. Frozen milk jugs of ice is my go to. I leave the meat in game bags and made a plastic insert to keep the meat off the bottom of the cooler so it isn't setting in a bunch of blood and water. I also open the drain plug whenever I stop for fuel and close it before I hit the road. Some people leave it open the whole time but I think you loose to much cold temperature doing that. Another tip is use the half gallon sized plastic milk jugs vs the gallon because they can be positioned better and take up less space. I use the full gallon ones in an empty cooler just to keep the cooler cold before the meat goes in.
 

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