Meat storage question

[1stepcloser]

OK...the GOOD news is we got a sweet deal on a steer from my kids' former gym teacher. The meat has been hung and will be ready for us to pick up on Saturday. We are expecting 500-600 lbs! The BAD news is we only have a 8 cu freezer. How much meat will that hold? We can jam it in there, use our freezer above our fridge (maybe another 4 cu feet?), but I am still thinking there may be some left over. Can I pressure can meat with good results? I am not letting a drop of this go to waste. $2.10 a pound is too much of a bargain!

Any ideas ppl?

 

[delia_peterson]

 

[1stepcloser]

Gotta love wikianswers:

I read that each cubic foot there is 62.3 lbs of water weight per cubic foot. By those calculations I can cram 747 pounds into my freezer space. BUT water weight would waste no space (hehe...that sounds like a stupid children's tongue twister). Meat is going to have gaps in the packaging which will take up valuable space. Hmmmmmmmm.....

Off to google some more. (pass the popcorn delia)

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

Eat beef for 3 meals a day until you use up what doesn't fit in your freezers?

I think it is possible to can meat, but I've never done it so hopefully someone who has will pop in!

 

[1stepcloser]

http://www.thunderinghooves.net/freezer_info.htm

This says 30-32 lbs of meat per cu foot. And apparently my freezer above has 6 cu feet if I ditch my ice maker. That bumps me to 14 cu feet. That would hold 420-448 lbs. :/ Crap.

That leaves up to 180 lbs of beef to process/can.

Someone jump in here and give me ideas beyond running out and buying another freezer.

 

[1stepcloser]

http://www.associatedcontent.com/ar...step_instructions_for_canning_pg3.html?cat=22

I know I am mostly answering my own question and sound slightly creepy talking to myself but maybe this will help someone else eventually. LOL

I discovered I can preserve 2 lbs of beef in a quart jar. If I process 60 quarts then I will have put up 120 lbs. LOL Anyone have any extra quart jars they don't want?

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

That's a lot of canning!

 

[rebecca100]

You could always shair! That's a lot of meat! Seriously though you could can beef stew, make jerky and just plain eat it for meals. Or get another freezer. You'll also need room in your freezer for some other stuff unless you plan on eating beef for the next year.

 

[1stepcloser]

I know. I can't imagine...but it would be cheaper than buying another freezer.

Even if I had to buy the jars, I could pick them up for about $5 a dozen (with coupons I have). 6 cases would be $30 before tax. Wayyy better than $200, KWIM?

 

[rebecca100]

Sheesh, my dh paid $13 a dozen for quart jars here. He got a waterbath canner, funnel kit, and 3 dozen quarts, and a dozen pints and it all came to close to $90. I just about passed out!