Freezer Burn Isn't Your Freezer's Fault | It Happens Before the Door Even Closes

Freezer burn starts the day you put meat in the freezer still in the store tray. Here's how butchers wrap meat so it comes out months later looking the way it went in. 📖 Hank's book, At the Block (how I cut, wrap and keep meat at home): https://hankskitchen.store I spent 41 years behind a meat counter wrapping meat for families filling their deep freezers every fall. In this video you'll learn how to wrap meat for the freezer, how long each kind really keeps, when it's safe to refreeze, and how to thaw it the safe way. Quick answer: Take meat out of the store tray. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, then again in freezer paper, shiny side in. Label it with the cut, amount and date. Keep your freezer at 0°F (-18°C) or colder. Thaw in the refrigerator or in cold water, never on the counter. Meat thawed in the refrigerator can safely be refrozen. In this video: - Why the store tray causes freezer burn - How to get the air out of a freezer bag (the water trick) - Freezing meat in meal-size portions, and ground beef flat - Can you refreeze thawed meat? The real rule - How long meat lasts in the freezer, and labeling packages - How to thaw meat safely (fridge, cold water, or cook from frozen) - The butcher's double wrap with freezer paper Butcher's extra: Freezer burn is a quality problem, not a safety problem. Trim the gray, dry patches before cooking and the rest of the piece is usually fine. Meat kept at 0°F (-18°C) stays safe as long as it's frozen. The date on the package is about flavor and texture. Chapters (fill in times after upload): 0:00 Why your frozen meat turns gray #7 Freezing meat in the store tray #6 Wrapping it loosely #5 Freezing one big lump #4 "Never refreeze thawed meat" #3 Not labeling packages #2 Thawing on the counter #1 The butcher's double wrap 👉 Subscribe for more old butcher tricks: https://www.youtube.com/@HankElleryKitchen?sub_confirmation=1 💬 Open your freezer tonight and find the oldest package in there. Tell me what it was and how old, and whether your family ever kept a chest freezer. Watch next: NEVER Buy the Little Brisket Again | An Old Butcher's Trick for Tender Brisket [link] Hank's Kitchen shares traditional kitchen wisdom from an old butcher's counter. Hank is an AI-generated character. Food safety: keep your freezer at 0°F (-18°C) or colder, thaw meat in the refrigerator, in cold water changed every 30 minutes, or in the microwave, and cook meat thawed in water or the microwave right away. #freezerburn #butchertips #hankskitchen