vacuum packing?

for those of you who process your own, do you wrap in butcher paper or vacuum pack? What vacuum pack do you use?

I've done both. Vacuum packing might last longer, I'm not sure, and it's very clean to thaw. I do freezer paper, usually, because that's what I'm used to. I wrap in cellophane first, to avoid blood spilling when it thaws.

I vacuum pack with a Foodsaver. I have two of the GameSaver Silver units, they work pretty good. Buy the bags online or at Costco

I use butcher paper, sometimes will put meat in qt. size freezer bag then wrap. usually always have butcher paper at the lease as well as home. Butcher paper = freezer paper.

I use a Foodsaver.

Best cuts get sealed and go in the bottom of the fridge for 4-5 days for wet aging. Then to the freezer.

The balance is ground with 5% beef fat, cut into chili/stew meat or made into smoked, link sausage.

Sealed and frozen, also.

Upgraded from the broken/worn out Food Saver to a Cabela's vacuum sealer this year. Now eating Tag Soup so it hasn't been put to much use yet, other than sealing up meal size portions of some of what I have been cooking and sealing the canisters.

Been vacuum sealing things for 14 years or so though. It does keep food fresher longer than many of the other methods. Wrapping in plastic wrap then freezer paper also works just make sure you get all the air out when wrapping in the plastic wrap.

Vacuum seal it all. Last longer and dethawing is super easy. Do this with whole pieces, ground, cuts, etc.

I've used both. Put up a cow elk with some stuff called "press and seal" and butcher paper. Family was eating that meat 2 years later and it was still excellent. All the venison I've vacuum sealed never lasted as long as the elk. Some of it went longer than a year and it was also fine. Either way I think your covered.

Good point. Air is the enemy.

We have always had very good Luck with the same units Sir

I use a Foodsaver. You can buy off brand bags on Ebay for way cheaper and get the job done.

Ditto on vacuum sealing with a Foodsaver. I even use it for when I make deer sausage...still good over a year later.

Any tips for keeping blood/liquid from being sucked into the machine? I don't use mine much because of this.

Both!

Ground meat wraps easily in butcher paper and is easy to get air etc. out and will keep a good while like that and is much easier and cheaper than vacuum packed.

Sausage is very difficult to wrap with butcher paper and keep from from freezer burning so I vacuum pack sausage. Most of the time the backstraps etc. never get frozen.

Freeze the meat first on a cookie sheet works, then no liquid to get sucked into the vacuum pump. Others use a paper towel or part of one above the meat in the bag to absorb the liquid.

Use a chamber based vaccum sealer - you'll never turn back. Seal stews, soups, hell you can seal up a bag of water if you wanted to.

This ..
And set a strainer in a large bowl prior to working to allow any moisture to drain...

Both of those are awesome tips!

Did vacuum foodsaver 1st year. Works, but pita. (too)expensive.
I now double-bag in quality freezer bags - and store in 0deg F freezer.
Fast, and never looked back. 8 years & counting now.
2-year old backstrap - good as fresh; even med-rare @ grill.
Roasts - perfect. 0 freezer burn. 0 leaks when thawing.