I AM FED UP WITH BEEF HEART

[jim_shedden]

I am tired of making a big batch of beef heart and then putting it into freezer bags and within a week it has freezer burn on it no matter how tight I seal the bag and no matter how much air I get out of it. This really gets me ticked off. Last night I am in the freezer and come across 4 bags that I had to throw out. It also seems that as soon as I open a bag and then put it back into the freezer it gets freezer burn. What is everyone else doing? I am trying to find a real good food that is inexpensive (sounds like a contradiction in terms) that I can feed the monsters because they are eating me out of house and home.

Signed : Really Pissed Off........ ;D

[Discusgeo]

Hey Jim I got sick and tired of making beef heart years ago for the same reason. Now I buy it from Frank Seurth at Fisk King, Inc What I pay for now buy the pound is worth it to me, because it gives me more time to take care of the important stuff like water changes, feeding babies, and seeing the overall health of my Discus. You can contact Frank at suerth@surfnetcorp.com or Ph(773)736-4974 He is located in Chicago, Ill 60630
George

Jim I sent you an Email please let me know if you got it as I am trying out MS Outlook for the first time.
Thanks

[jim_shedden]

Thanks for the note

Jim

Jim: Freezer burn is not my major concern since I've been making BH for over 25 years. I buy a 100 lbs lot. I usually make arrangment with my friend's school and give a lecture to the school children in their Biology class about the function of the heart and its working chambers. Show them how the blood flow and the valves in the heart. Give them some gloves and a knife to have them dissect the heart and eventually cut in 2" cubes and store away in a zip-lock bag.or ($1.00 dollar shop microwave containers) for easy storage.(Child labour in disguise).
I only make BH for 2 weeks. Since Vitamin only good for a short period of time after mixing with BH.
I have an old fashion hand grinder that I picked up in garage sale for $5.00 20 years ago hook up on my work bench. I grind once or twice depending on what size of fish I'm feeding and mix with whatever I need. Put in a plastic bag and flattened 1 cm thick and freeze. When they are ready. I cut in variable sizes from 2 inches cubes (hand feed)to small pieces for 1 or 2 fish Breeders. I cut just enouogh to feed for a week and store in containers with lid. In that way, They're always fresh and ready for use anytime. Takes me 15 mins to prepared for 2 weeks. Since I change the ingredients for my ongoing research for the fish all the time. It's not very flexable if I make up a big batch.
I also have a blender on the work bench to make BH juice for the fry. It doesn't foul the water if you bind them up with a binder.
When everything is done. I just take the grinder and blender off and put in my Cichlid tank and let them do the cleaning.HTH
Jimmy.

[Smokey]

Just curious Jimmyl, what do you use as the binder. ?
Except for the child labour; my method is quite similar. I went out an bought a fancy electric grinder. The number of times the BH is ground - the smaller the BH size.

ok

Smokey

child labour!!! you're a genius ;D Kathy Lee Gifford would be proud.... :)

I've got beedheart from a few months ago that's not freezer-burned....maybe it's the type of freezer bags you're using...

Depending on the size of fish.
For Fry - Agar Agar(cheaper in chinese stores) or Knox Gelatine (more expensive).. they form a jello pudding with the BH juice at room temp.
I use Agar Agar for all BD fry which is also a laxative to prevent constipation.
For adults - fish Flakes.
I even have the school pay for the BH.
jimmy.

[Barb Newell]

Hi Jim, how are you?

I use Ziploc Double Guard freezer bags. Give them a try. It's a double bag and the inner bag sticks to the beefheart. When you break a piece and take it out you have to peel the plastic bag off of it. I usually take enought for a couple of days out of the original bag, put it in another then use it as I need it.

Works for me.

Barb

[hunterbeav]

I make my beefheart and put in ziplock bags flatterned out to 1 inch thick and freeze. After frozen I remove and regrind while still frozen into glad plastic storage containers. No freezer burn after 6 mths :)

[hunterbeav]

1

[hunterbeav]

2

Hey..that's some good looking chow...I just received 5 deer hearts and I think I'm going to try that technique.

[darcy]

I've never really had a problem with freezer burnt beefheart. I wonder if it has something to do with feedlot raised cattle? I get my hearts from the farm and Know that they aren't pumped full of crap. Maybe try some different freezer bags!
Darcy

[citizenal]

Jim you know what you can use it the Tilia FoodSaver plus. It vacuum seals airtight and uses a thick plastic bag. Tilia says it lasts with meats for over 6 months in the freezer.. Here is a link to one, this is the best model
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2073862257
These rolls will last you a long time
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2074945380
Hope that helps, I use these bags for frozen krill, and frozen mysis from jehmco. Works great. AL

[brewmaster15]

Hi JIm,
The freezer burn is compliments of the new technologies... Frostless freezers... I've been told They stay frostless by going into thaw cycles!

There were some good solutions here, all worth a try, what I do is wrap the food first in plastic wrap, then into a ziplock. Then I just peel it back as I use it. Frost ( The real culprit here build on the plastic wrap now and not the meat.

Hope it helps,
al

[Richman]

Yep, Double bag it. I put mine in quart ziplock bags --squeeze all the air out of it before sealing, then put it in a larger bag. Gallon, I think. I repeat this every time I feed so it is always double bagged. Have kept it for as long as 4 months before using and no significant freezer burn. Vacumn sealing would be ideal, but it wouldn't protect a batch once you opened it.

[jim_shedden]

I'll give it a try.........thanks for the notes.

Jim