How Long Does Vacuum Sealed Meat Last In The Freezer

When you vacuum seal meat, it helps to keep it fresh longer. So, how long does vacuum sealed meat last in the freezer?

Raw meat properly vacuum sealed and placed in a freezer will last between 1 and 3 years. While raw meat stored in a freezer using conventional methods will last between 1 and 12 months.

However, how long your vacuum-sealed meat lasts depends on a few different factors. Understanding these factors can help you know how long vacuum sealed meat will last in your specific circumstances. 

You can read on to learn more about the extended storage time for vacuum-sealed meats.

How Long Does Vacuum Sealed Meat Last in the Freezer?

Vacuum sealing allows meat to last much longer than conventional freezing methods. It removes excess air from the bag that the meat is stored in. 

When you seal meat in a bag and remove all the air that’s inside the bag, it helps to keep the meat fresh. Removing all the air from the bag causes an effect called reduced oxygen flow. 

This effect helps to extend the storage time of the vacuum sealed meat in the freezer.

It prevents the buildup of bacteria and other harmful contaminants, such as fungi and mold. When present, these microorganisms can cause the food to go bad and lead to illness. 

Even though vacuum sealing meat helps it to last longer, the exact amount of time it lasts depends on a variety of factors. One of the most important factors is the type of meat you’re storing. 

There is no universal timeframe that applies to all types of meat.

The exact storage time of vacuum sealed meat depends on the meat type. Different meat types will last in the freezer for different amounts of time.

The freezer storage time also varies between cooked meats and frozen raw meats.

How Long Does Vacuum Sealed Chicken Last in the Freezer?

If you vacuum seal cooked or raw chicken, it can last anywhere from 2 to 3 years in the freezer.

Using conventional methods of freezing, cooked chicken will last 4 to 6 months. Raw chicken parts will last around 9 months. While a whole chicken will last around 1 year.

Cooked chicken is a great item to vacuum seal and freeze. It tastes great in many different recipes!

How Long Does Vacuum Sealed Beef Last in the Freezer?

Frozen raw or cooked, vacuum sealed beef lasts for 2 to 3 years in the freezer. However, for best quality, vacuum sealed cooked beef should be stored for a maximum of 3 months.

When stored using conventional freezing methods, cooked beef can last in the freezer for up to 3 months. While raw beef can last up to 1 year.

When freezing vacuum sealed beef, try freezing it in meal-sized portions. This will make it much easier to use in recipes.

How Long is Vacuum Sealed Pork Good for in the Freezer?

Like beef, if you vacuum seal raw or cooked pork and freeze it, you can expect it to last for up to 3 years in the freezer. Vacuum sealed cooked pork should not be stored for longer than 3 months for best quality.

The timeframe for conventional freezing methods is also similar to beef. Cooked vacuum sealed pork can last in the freezer for up to 3 months. While raw pork can last up to 1 year.

Freezing vacuum sealed pork is a great way to save money. It’s much cheaper to buy pork in bulk and vacuum seal it for freezer storage, than it is to buy smaller portions of pork at the grocery store.

How Long Does Vacuum Sealed Smoked Ham Last in the Freezer?

The FDA recommends that smoked ham should be stored in the freezer for between 1 to 2 months. This period is the same using both vacuum sealed and conventional freezing methods.

Ham is one of the best meats to vacuum seal and freeze. It goes great with many different side dishes and appetizers.

How Long Does Vacuum Sealed Bacon Last in the Freezer?

Bacon is one of the most popular foods to vacuum seal and freeze. It’s a great food to store in bulk and pull out as needed. You can find so many recipes that call for bacon.

If you vacuum seal raw bacon and freeze it, it will last for between 2 to 3 months in the freezer. Bacon stored conventionally in the freezer should not be stored for longer than 1 month.

How Long Does Vacuum Sealed Sausage Last in the Freezer?

Sausage is another very popular food to vacuum seal and freeze. It’s common to find bulk bags of sausage at the grocery store for a low price. 

You can save even more money by buying the meat in bulk and vacuum sealing it for freezer storage.

If you vacuum seal raw sausage and freeze it, you can expect it to last in the freezer for up to 3 months. While FDA guidelines recommend a maximum period of 2 months using conventional freezing methods.

How Long Can Vacuum Sealed Meat Last Unrefrigerated?

Meat should not be stored unrefrigerated, whether vacuum sealed or not. According to the USDA the removal of oxygen from a food package does not eliminate microbial growth. Regardless, if the food is cooked or raw. 

The USDA recommends that all meat and poultry must be kept refrigerated. Either at 40 ºF or lower in a refrigerator, or 0 °F or lower in the freezer for longer term storage.

Vacuum sealed meat should not be left at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Extended Storage Time for Vacuum Sealed Meat

Many types of meat can last for a few years in the freezer when vacuum sealed and frozen. When vacuum sealing meat for extended storage, make sure you choose the right meat type. 

Select meat that is low in fat and has a high protein content.

You’ll also want to select a cut of meat that freezes well. Some cuts of meat freeze better than others.

Here is a table showing some of the best meats for freezing with conventional freezing vs vacuum sealed freezing shelf life.

The Best Way to Store Vacuum Sealed Meat

To ensure your vacuum sealed meat lasts as long as possible in the freezer, there are a few steps you can take. 

Once you’ve finished vacuum sealing your meat, you’ll want to freeze it as quickly as possible. You also want to make sure you’re storing the meat in the right way.

The best place to store your vacuum sealed meat is in the freezer. It’s best to store your vacuum sealed meat in the bottom or middle section of your freezer. The bottom section of the freezer is the coldest part of the freezer.

It’s also important to date each bag of vacuum sealed meat. This will make it easier to know when you should eat each bag of vacuum sealed meat.

You should also make sure to properly thaw your vacuum sealed meat before eating it. You can either thaw the meat in cold water or by leaving it in the refrigerator.

Benefits of Vacuum Sealing Meat

There are many benefits to vacuum sealing meat. For example, it keeps meat fresher for longer. Vacuum-sealing also helps you to save money, because it can help to stretch the lifespan of your food.

Vacuum sealing meat is also a great way to preserve the taste, texture, and nutrients of meat. By using vacuum sealing technology, you can ensure that all the juices are preserved during long-term storage. 

This means that your meals will remain tasty and savory even after months of storage.

Vacuum sealing is also an easy way to prevent freezer burn. This is when the outside of the meat gets dry and crispy – which is not good at all!

However, by freezing your meat in a vacuum-sealed bag. You can ensure that the inside stays moist and tender.

How to Tell if Vacuum Sealed Meat is Bad

There are a few ways to tell if your vacuum sealed meat has gone bad. If you’re not sure if vacuum sealed meat is bad, you can use one of these methods to find out for sure. 

The first way to tell if meat is bad is if it starts to develop an off odor. 

The meat will also begin to break down if it has gone bad. The meat will also become discolored and the texture will start to change. If the meat is starting to turn brown, then it has likely gone bad.

Vacuum sealed meat stays fresh for so long because it’s been sealed away from contaminants. When the meat goes bad, it will become contaminated and unsafe to eat.

Final Words

I hope this article adequately answers the question how long does vacuum sealed meat last in the freezer.  Vacuum sealing meat is a great way to save money. It’s much cheaper to buy meat in bulk and vacuum seal it, than to buy smaller portions at the grocery store. 

It’s also a great way to have meat stored away for an emergency or be prepared for a meat shortage.

For information on other methods of preserving meat. Please see our article Freeze Dryer vs Dehydrator: For Long Term Food Storage. It provides information on two other effective methods for long term meat storage.  

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