Good time to clean out freezers and take stock

[Jnasa]

Seeing Big Fins "Geezers Clean Your Freezers" event reminded me I normally empty out and defrost at least one of my freezers this time of year.

I have one upright that I try to put items in semi organized. Then a larger chest freezer for bulk items or overflow. I was able to fit it all in the chest freezer and defrosted the upright.

I was surprised by a few finds. I thought I was out of moose from 3 years ago. I found a pack of shank meat and 3 packages of round steak. I thought I had finished eating my mule deer from 2 years ago awhile back. Nope I found a pack of shank meat, back strap, and some stew meat.

I am normally pretty good on using up the older stuff first. I was certain the moose had been gone. I'll certainly be using these older items up.

I like this annual activity for many reasons. It helps me use up older items, organize the freezer, clean and defrost. It also shows me what cuts I have left and influences how I should cut my next harvest.

 

[WildWill]

I also have a stand-up I keep regularly stocked and a large chest the excess goes in. It's that chest freezer that always yields a surprise or two every year.


Just did inventory last night on game meat.

1 set of shanks
1 turkey thigh and leg
2 packs of stew meat
Around 25lb of grind
Around 30lb of summer sausage


Didn't inventory fish but there's a bunch of that as well. At this rate will be just about out (except summer sausage) by the time I get to hunt big game again.



Another benefit of the annual clean out/inventory is it gives me a rough idea on how much meat I'd like to harvest for the year. I keep having kids and they keep growing so every year it just goes up. It currently takes about 8 deer/antelope or 4 deer/antelope and 1 elk. Don't know what the math with a moose would be but I'd like to figure it out one day.

 

[Laelkhunter]

I bought some nylon mesh laundry bags with a zipper. They are very sturdy and hold a lot. I put the different cuts of meat in separate bags, steaks, roasts, ground, and backstrap/tenderloin. I just grab the bag that contains the cut of meat I want and remove what I need. Easy to keep track of how much of each cut I have by the amount of packages in the bags. They fit great in the chest freezer, but not sure how they would work in an upright.
I sort it and bag it when I pick it up from the game processor when I go hunting and put the bags in the ice chest with dry ice. When I get home 48 hours later, I just have to remove the bags from the ice chests and put them in the freezer.
I have a couple packs of ground, a pack or two of backstrap, and a couple roasts left. I leave for Chama in 9 weeks and hope to refill the freezer.

 

[Robg2]

After butchering and wrapping I usually scatter the meat in the freezer rather than put it in a box or bag. Having the air being able to surround it helps it freeze faster. The sorting and defrosting come after the season has ended.

 

[Laelkhunter]

When I pick it up at the processor, mine is already frozen and the dry ice keeps it that way on the way home. But you are right, you don't want it in a pile in the freezer if it isn't frozen.