What size(cu.ft.) of freezer?

[SilverDollars]

Howdy. What minimum size(in cu.ft.) of freezer is necessary to fit a large bull elk's meat into?

And, what style(chest or upright) freezer do you prefer?

 

[hank4elk]

I have a med size chest freezer that holds more than a couple elk and all my other food.I also have a large upright commercial I get going for a full house.

 

[the nikster]

I have 4 freezers, 5 if you count the one with beetles in it. I think I can get an entire elk in my smallest freezer which is about 40" x24" x 40". That is a guess. It is a chest freezer- I like them better because the doors don't leak like the uprights do. If you are going to fill an entire smaller freezer, turn it on for a couple of days before you put meat in it. I also try to load it over a couple of days to allow the new meat to cool and set before placing more meat on top of it. Otherwise it could take a while for the cold temps to breach the meat in the center of the freezer risking losing some of it.

 

[A-con]

Chest freezer are more efficent, use less power per sq ft,
Up rights are a lot easier to get things out of.

 

[elkantlers]

I had a chest freezer and hated it. Every time you go to get something you have to dig for it. I also hated it when you would find something in the bottom that had expired about 10 years prior and you didn't even know it was there.
I bought an upright several years ago and would never go back to a chest.

 

[1_pointer]

I had a chest freezer and hated it. Every time you go to get something you have to dig for it. I also hated it when you would find something in the bottom that had expired about 10 years prior and you didn't even know it was there.
I bought an upright several years ago and would never go back to a chest.

I'm the opposite. I prefer the chest style. Though I admit they are harder to organize. Course, it's easier to fit a frozen elk cape in a chest style...

Though a bit of a pain, I do try to make it a point to rotate stuff in them when I bring meat home. The newest goes to the bottom. I just did that on Saturday as I added an elk to the freezer.

 

[shootbrownelk]

I had a chest freezer and hated it. Every time you go to get something you have to dig for it. I also hated it when you would find something in the bottom that had expired about 10 years prior and you didn't even know it was there.
I bought an upright several years ago and would never go back to a chest.

I'm with you EA, I had a big chest freezer and it was semi-organized with milk crates stacked on top of each other. It was still a PITA, it always seemed like what you wanted to get out was always at the bottom. And as far as the chest freezer being more efficient, not with the lid standing open for who knows how long while you dig. I love my upright.

 

[RobG]

And as far as the chest freezer being more efficient, not with the lid standing open for who knows how long while you dig. I love my upright.

The cold sinks to the bottom so having the lid open doesn't make that much difference with a chest freezer. However, when you open the door of a upright the cold spills out all over the floor...

I made tall boxes out of cardboard which effectively section off the freezer. Steaks are in one box, good roasts in another, braising roast another, hamburger in another, etc. It is chaos during the season while it gets filled up, but we reorganize everything when we defrost it at the end of the season.

 

[Eyeguy]

I had a chest freezer and hated it. Every time you go to get something you have to dig for it. I also hated it when you would find something in the bottom that had expired about 10 years prior and you didn't even know it was there.
I bought an upright several years ago and would never go back to a chest.

Most of these freezers are white. Write with dry erase marker on the side. Just make talley marks next to contents to keep a running total of what you have. I write on the front of mine. Its in my basement so no one cares!

Ground deer lllll
Deer roast llll
Bags of jersey sticks ll
Pork butts ll
Frozen veggies ll
Salmon fillets lll
Bags of frozen walleye ll

 

[Speeddmn]

Most of these freezers are white. Write with dry erase marker on the side. Just make talley marks next to contents to keep a running total of what you have. I write on the front of mine. Its in my basement so no one cares!

Ground deer lllll
Deer roast llll
Bags of jersey sticks ll
Pork butts ll
Frozen veggies ll
Salmon fillets lll
Bags of frozen walleye ll

Awesome idea! My chest freezer is in the garage, I'd like to move it into the spare/work/storage/gun room inside. I also want to get another one, but an upright so I store more everyday foods also.