Like most who hunt, my freezer is always stocked with a good supply of venison and other wild game for personal consumption.
I must admit though, in the early days, we’d simply remove a few easy cuts in the field, bring it home and then throw it straight in the freezer until needed. This resulted in a tough piece of meat with a very strong gamey taste to it.
Experience has taught me a few tricks to help make that piece of back strap, leg or shoulder a lot more tender and tastier to eat.
I like to wrap my meat in cloth or a tea towel, then store it on the bottom shelf of the fridge for several days to allow it to set. The cloth also helps draw out any moisture or blood. Once set, you can cut it up and freeze it.
I’ve also found that the meat seems to get freezer burn if not consumed rather quickly, so another trick to help its longevity is to vacuum seal it.
Recently I invested in a PacFood vacuum sealer to reduce freezer burn and extend the life of foods by removing most of the air from the bag.
PacFood is an Australian-based company with offices in Melbourne, Queensland and Auckland, offering online shopping sent from distributor to your doorstep.
PacFood specialises in both domestic and commercial-quality vacuum sealing machines as well as a large range of micro-channel bags, rolls and other food-related products.
There are three vacuum sealers in the PacFood range. The VS603 is by far the best choice for our application.
This semi-commercial model features a stainless-steel body and very robust, heavy-duty Perspex lid so you can see what’s going on while vacuum sealing.
Very simple to use, it features a start/seal button on the handle and a pulse function that allows you to control the vacuum pressure. Simply place the open end of the bag in the vacuum area, close the lid and press start.
This model is also suitable for an add-on roll holder/cutter box that houses PacFood’s micro-channel bags on a continuous roll so you can make each bag as big or small as required. These come in three different widths.
Alternatively, PacFood offers a variety of individual bags in a host of different sizes to suit your needs; it turns out our editor has been using these ones exclusively for almost 10 years.
The VS603 comes complete with a selection of micro-channel bags, and you can buy more online if and when required. PacFood offers the choice of micro-channel bags in 85 micron construction or embossed 100 micron bags that are a lot thicker, stronger and offer an ever better shelf life in the freezer.
The VS603 also has a special canister-sealing function using a supplied hose that fits on the unit; however, PacFood does not supply the special canisters.
In addition to meat, you can vacuum seal fish, dried food and even marinades using this handy tool for the kitchen.
To find out more or to order online visit the PacFood website.
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