For many families, hunting is more than a sport. It's a way of life and a critical source of food. While long hunting trips are a great source of adventure and often the center of cherished memories, they can leave avid hunters wondering how to store meat in the wild. The right techniques for processing and storing meat in the field are critical for preserving the meat for future use. Keeping the game fresh requires a combination of proper cleaning and storage methods completed with the right tools to set you up for success.
Tips on Keeping Your Game Fresh
Whether you're out for a single day or on a longer trip, transporting meat from the field to home creates the potential risk of coming into contact with pathogen contamination. Proper handling of game meat from the field to the freezer is extremely important to avoid illness associated with bacteria or pathogens. Timely cleaning and temperature control are essential for food preservation. These tips help you prepare your game for your home freezer.
- Have a plan for cutting up the meat before you start cleaning.
- Consider all the supplies you'll need to clean and store the game in the field (including a flat surface and cutting board).
- Ensure the meat is clean before packing by removing animal hair and debris and rinsing it with cold water.
- Use a sharp, clean knife for trimming and cutting meat.
- Pack meat in an airtight container and keep it cool during transport.
Benefits of Cleaning and Storing Game Right Away
Dirt, heat, and moisture are the most common causes of meat spoilage. Unfortunately, these conditions are often present during hunting excursions (even in the winter). As a result, it's ideal to process the meat as soon as possible. When you have all the tools you need for field dressing nearby, you can immediately gain various benefits from cleaning and packing your game meat.
- Reduce chances of spoilage.
- Cool meat quickly to avoid spoilage from the animal's body temperature.
- Avoid contact with flies.
- Eliminate the need to dispose of waste at home.
- Avoid attracting other animals when meat is packed and sealed.
- Vacuum sealing meat early helps preserve flavor.
- Meat can immediately be packed on ice in your cooler.
Why You Need PacBak's Portable Sealer on Long Hunting Trips
While colder temperatures during winter hunts can help you preserve meat, it's essential to clean and cool meat as quickly as possible. Long hunting trips are ideal for getting meat to feed your family all winter. They also require you to handle different types of meat promptly.
On a long hunting trip, fresh meat is exposed to insects and can attract predators to your campsite. Properly cleaning and vacuum sealing the meat will allow you to protect it from moisture, dirt, and heat. It will also keep your campsite from smelling like a buffet for hungry animals. The ROAM 18-V Portable Vacuum Sealer ensures your food stays fresh wherever your next hunting trip leads you. It weighs a mere 3 pounds and 15 ounces, making it easy to transport and carry. A single charge delivers over 40 seals, allowing you to confidently handle pounds of meat before recharging. Vacuum sealing meat locks out moisture and eliminates the potential for freezer burn. You can pack meat flat to fit more in your cooler by removing air from your packaging. In other words, this compact sealer is the ideal tool for safely preserving your wild game on an extended hunting trip.
Order a PacBak ROAM 18-V Vacuum Sealer for Your Next Hunting Trip
Get ready for your next hunting trip before you pack your bags. Ordering a PacBak portable vacuum sealer is easy. Simply order from our website and have it delivered to your home. While visiting our website, don't forget to check out our coolers with premium features like a slide-out cutting board and attached table with foldable legs. We also offer sealer accessories like our vacuum seal bags, extra batteries, and refresh kits. Our branded vacuum seal bags are compatible with our vacuum sealer as well as other top brands. Field dressing games have never been so convenient as with PacBak's essential line of supplies.
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