# Vacuum Storage



## meltdown1232000 (May 17, 2011)

I would like to add dried meats to my canned and freeze dried stash, but am not sure how to do so. I have a vacuum sealer, and use regular vacuum bags for storing things in the freezer.

What would be the best method for storing dried meats, in a storm cellar? Which bags would be best, or would ball jars be better? What meats do better than others? How long, on average, will the meat last?

I am shooting for a method that will have a shelf life of a year, or longer.

Thanks for any help you may have.


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## OldCootHillbilly (Jul 9, 2010)

Gonna be tough ta do at home with the dried meats. Canned meats can go a year er a bit more, but wouldn't push it to fer.

Fat content a meat can turn rancid.

Store bought canned meats will last a bit longer in a cool, dark an dry place.

A heavily salted country ham cures fer at least a year, but they be alotta work.


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## goshengirl (Dec 18, 2010)

When I was reading up on dried meat (online - don't know the value of the info), I'd read that dehydrated meat was good for up to two months in a ziplock bag in a cool place, but in a vacuum sealed container (either foodsaver bags or vac sealed mason jars) the meat is good for a year. Again, that's what I read - I don't have first-hand knowledge for that length of time. 

I've dehydrated ground beef and kept it in a mason jar with a screw lid (not vac sealed) and kept it in the kitchen (not super hot, but temps get up to 80 when cooking/canning), and it's definitely kept fine for a couple months.

More recently I put dehydrated meats in foodsaver vacuum seal bags. The downside to that is that the dehydrated meats are so brittle, the vacuum process alone causes a LOT of breakage. When I'd read that dehydrated meat vac sealed in a mason jar lasts for a year (in a cool place), that sealed the deal for me (no pun intended), and I ordered the attachment. 

That said, Coot's right - the fat content in meats can turn rancid. For doing any ground meats (beef, turkey, chicken, pork) I boil the meat and rinse well before putting it in the dehydrator, and it has always turned out fine doing it that way. The other day I got super thin-sliced sirloin strips and cooked them up and rinsed them before putting them in the dehydrator, but I noticed the meat was definitely oily in places, and I'd never had that before. Shortly after that cooked small pieces of chicken in the slow cooker, rinsed them, and put them in the dehydrator and they turned out fine. So it really does matter what meat is being dehydrated, too.


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## OldCootHillbilly (Jul 9, 2010)

Yall gotta watch if some a that stuff has pointy ends cause they'll poke small little holes in yer bags cause yer suckin that bag down perty good. Stuff like that I'll wrap in cling wrap an then vac bag ta help prevent it.

On occasion, I'll get a bad bag, but not often. I'll also double seal my bags just fer a bit a extra protection.

Okay, gotta check how the sam hill I posted at 8:52 pm an it says 6:01 am! I know I didn't change nothin.


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## Skeeter (Nov 7, 2009)

*Dehydrated*

I don't mean to steal the show, but, I've dehydrated many things lately and vacuume packed them. Several of the packs have lost vacuume. There doesnt seem to be any holes in the bags. I've cut off one seal and re sealed the bags. mostly fruits and veggies.Do they produce a gas that expands the bag, or is there something that I'm failing to do. I hope It's ok to post this here


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