Plastic or silicone zip-top bags are one great option for limiting air exposure, and for larger items, double-wrapping first with plastic wrap and then with heavy-duty aluminum foil will do the trick.
This moisture loss is from the cold, dry air found in freezers. The ice crystals directly on the product are from moisture escaping and freezing. The loss of moisture can dramatically impact the flavor of the stored product but is not harmful. Vacuum packaging eliminates air exposure and stops freezer burn.
When freezing meat, preventing freezer burn starts with wrapping it in multiple layers of plastic wrap, wax paper or tin foil. Place your items into your preferred container and pack them down to help prevent excess air exposure. If you are using a bag, try to eliminate as much air from it as possible.
Wax freezer paper and butcher paper are more effective than conventional plastic wrap. "Wrapping your item tightly in waxed freezer paper can act as a barrier against the harsh air inside the freezer and can also prevent water from evaporating," says Pace.
The Double Wrap Method for Freezing Meat
Wrap the saran wrapped meat in tin foil—make sure it's wrapped tightly. Stick the wrapped meat in a freezer bag. On the bag, you're going to write the name of what it is and the date. Then, pop it in the freezer and you're good to go.
Freezer burn is caused by improper freezing practices and/or exposure to air. All foods are susceptible to this effect, but foods with higher moisture content (meats, fruits, ice cream, etc.) will develop it more quickly. Even if something is frozen perfectly, though, it will likely develop freezer burn over time.
Wrap Your Meat When Freezing
The most important thing is to avoid exposing frozen meat to outside air. While a vacuum-sealer is ideal for ensuring that meats are packaged correctly, you can get by just fine with double wrapping cuts of meat with freezer paper, plastic wrap, aluminum foil or airtight zip-loc bags.
Give your food an extra layer of protection.
Only use plastic wrap, waxed paper and aluminum foil if you are also using a container or freezer bag. None of these, on their own, will keep enough air out to prevent freezer burn.
The opposite is also true: You can use regular zip-top storage bags in the freezer — I'll admit that I have from time to time. But foods stored in these bags in the freezer might not hold up as well over long periods of time, and can be more prone to punctures and rips.
To prevent freezer burn, you want to reduce the food's exposure to air. Wrap large items like portions of meat and loaves of bread in a double layer of plastic wrap, wax paper, or aluminum foil, then store in a container or plastic freezer bag.
Fill a large bowl or plastic tub with water, take your labeled freezer bag and seal it three quarters of the way. Push the bottom of the bag into the water and the air will push itself out. Submerge the bag stopping just shy of the unsealed portion and then seal it just above the water.
As a general rule of thumb, frozen food will keep for three months in a standard home freezer before starting to show signs of freezer burn. This is true for raw meats, cooked meats, prepared foods, breads, and anything else you might think of freezing.
Meat and other foods with freezer burn are still safe to eat. Freezer burn draws out moisture and flavor. This affects the quality. but not the safety of food.
When freezing foods for long-term storage, you want to remove as much of the surrounding air as possible. Contact with air is what can lead to freezer burn, which is why vacuum sealing your frozen foods is recommended when possible.
Vacuum sealing significantly increases the shelf life of food. On average, vacuum sealed food can last up to 2 to 3 years in the freezer. But to be that successful, you'll first need high-quality bags. The OutOfAir bags and rolls are perfect for the job.
Vacuum sealers keep food fresher longer by first removing the air from plastic food preservation bags and heat sealing the bag to keep air out.
Before recycling my ziploc bags, I wash and reuse them until they get holes and are too worn out to be useful. If I use my ziplocs twice, I've cut my ziploc consumption in half. I usually can wash and reuse them 4 or 5 times before they're worn out.
The verdict? You can absolutely use zip-top bags more than once as long as you wash them properly. One easy way to do that is by sticking them in the dishwasher. Just make sure they are turned inside out so that the soap and water clean the dirty side.
All Ziploc® brand Containers and microwavable Ziploc® brand Bags meet the safety requirements of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for temperatures associated with defrosting and reheating food in microwave ovens, as well as room, refrigerator and freezer temperatures.
First, if you really want a tight seal on something, aluminum foil will not do the trick. It just won't. So whether you're dealing with smelly leftovers in the refrigerator or pastry dough that you're sticking in the freezer for later use, plastic wrap is superior.
Like we said, food that has freezer burn is 100% safe to eat, but that doesn't mean that it will taste its best. As you may have guessed, the changes in color, texture, and consistency will have an effect on the end result.
In general, freezer burn is caused by water evaporating from the stored food item and can most easily be prevented by tightly wrapping your food, removing as much air as possible. While flavor and texture will undoubtedly suffer when food has been freezer burned, it is still safe to eat.
Food grade materials, such as aluminum foil, heavy freezer-weight plastic bags, heavy plastic wrap and parchment or freezer paper are excellent choices. It is safe to freeze meat or poultry directly in its supermarket wrapping, but this type of wrap is thin and lets air in.
Wrap meat securely to maintain quality and to prevent meat juices from getting onto other foods. Cover food to keep it from drying out. To maintain quality when freezing meat and poultry in its original package, wrap the package again with foil or plastic wrap that is recommended for the freezer.
For vacuum sealing, go with the heavy-duty freezer bags. Consider wrapping your meat in foil and then plastic wrap.