I've got to put my two cents in, too. (If someone's already mentioned this, I missed it.) re freezer burn, one thing that really helps is having a chest freezer rather than upright. Put a freezer thermometer in each, then leave the door open and see how long it takes for the temp to rise. I tested that out years ago when I was writing a fish cookbook; the upright drops cold out the door immediately. It takes many minutes--even in summer--for the temp to start rising in a chest freezer.
The result is less up and down of temps; less possibility of freezer burn.
For the record, muledeer and I have 'lost' steaks from some animals in the freezer, and when organizing again pre-rifle season, they surface. (There was this one cow elk, that had a real penchant for doing that. Year after year. I guess it was a mistake to dub her Elvira. I know the last piece that surfaced was close to 10 years old.) We've 'found' meat that's 5, 6 7 years old, and with double wrapping carefully with freezer paper, which is all we do, we have to trim an edge here and there. (freezerburn)
mizwhitetail
