Advice on Vacum Packing please

maxine · Post by **maxine** » Fri May 15, 2009 1:48 pm

Hi

We are just building up a customer base for meat boxes but at present are getting our meat back from the abat ??? toir packed in cling film on trays which we then weigh and label. Does anyone have any advice as to the feasibility of vacum packing ourselves. Who can advise me on kitchen regulations ( is it trading standards ?) and would I need a very expensive machine to cope with approx two carcass a month ? Alternatively should I be looking for a butcher who might collect the carcass and pack it for me. Is there any easier way of finding someone other than phoning round ?

Any advice would be very welcomed - maxine

Broomcroft · Post by **Broomcroft** » Fri May 15, 2009 3:01 pm

We don't vac-pack so I'll leave it to someone else to reply, but I can tell you the machine are expensive and the process is slow.

Our meat is cling-filmed by our butcher but he does it with industrial strength cling-film and it is excellent and quick to do. He uses trays when he needs to but not that often. He also has a professional hot wire thing to cut off the film after each pack.

domsmith · Post by **domsmith** » Fri May 15, 2009 8:44 pm

Firstly vaccum packers are expensive but they are worth it. a table top model will start at around £1000 and they can only do 1 bag at once. our new one was £3000+ but is great.

the real problem is if you take delivery of cut meat and then start to pack it you would need a facility in which to do it. you would need in effect a butchery and would be inspected by environmental health accordingly. it is no as bad as it sounds. trading standards would be interested but they leave us alone most of the time. i suspect they would be interested anyway as you label meat at home. there are regulations on the labeling of meat.

as you store and handle meat you should be registered with enviro health anyway. even if you just store meat in your freezer for sale there is a requirement to register with them. you will be required keep records of temp storage mainly.

i digress

vac packs are great for preserving and ageing meat. a packed steak will last at least 12 days. they will actually last about 3 weeks but start to look tired at 10days.
we dont eat a steak that is less than 2 weeks old, thats after hanging for 4 weeks.

we killed a highlander last year the rib eye had been vac packed for 8 weeks before i used it for a family event, it was outstanding.

probaly not helped you, sorry

dom

catomell · Post by **catomell** » Fri May 15, 2009 9:22 pm

Completely agree with what Dom has said. We purchased a second hand vac packer and it set us back about £1500, but well worth it. We bring our carcasses back from the abbattoir, hang them here, then cut and pack the meat ourselves. We actually converted an old dairy into a cutting and packing area, complete with three large freezers for storage. We have had our environmental health inspection - they were very helpful and gave us five gold stars, so we were very chuffed.
The majority of the people that we sell to really like the fact that the meat is vacuum packed.
Hope this helps.
Catherine.

catomell · Post by **catomell** » Fri May 15, 2009 9:24 pm

Also, how big is your herd to be slaughtering two per month. I am lucky if I can slaughter two per year. Also, how big is your marketplace to be able to sell it all? I am really impressed, and I perhaps need to increase my marketing efforts!!!

Broomcroft · Post by **Broomcroft** » Sat May 16, 2009 8:15 am

You can find the labelling regs on the Dexter Beef Online information site at www.info.dexterbeefonline.co.uk/, in the Downloads section. I think they are up to date but you might want to check.

Edited By Broomcroft on 1242458170

Saffy · Post by **Saffy** » Sat May 16, 2009 9:42 am

Going back to an earlier point made about freezer temperature regulations etc.

Since the recent television programme where the chef used Dexter beef, I have been asked several times if I sell any, I don't. Then I have been asked can I sell them just one peice to try? I have refused as it isn't worth getting into hot water for one joint of beef!!!

It is a shame though as if I could have done this there would be a handful more customers out there now for Dexter beef but they were loathe to go online and order or travel a distance to get it. However I am confident - as they are foodies - that once they had tasted it they would have been hooked!

Is there a way around this - I don't want to give it away these aren't friends of mine, just casual aquaintances but I don't like to miss the chance to promote Dexter beef.

Stephanie

AlisonKirk · Post by **AlisonKirk** » Sat May 16, 2009 2:09 pm

Pubs we deal with have their meat fresh/vacuum packed in primals at the abattoir and we deliver straight to the pub/restaurant (within 10/15 minutes).

Friends/local private customers have their meat packed, labelled & blast frozen at the abattoir & then stored in our own deep freeze. We don't handle the meat ourselves, that's another ball game and you will need to be inspected, etc.

We're getting more enquiries for our beef from local retail outlets. Enquiries at our abattoir have been made & they will charge approx £10/£15 over and above the usual £180 to vacuum pack a whole carcass in the smaller cuts for retail outlets. They will charge up to £30 over and above the usual price for larger, commercial animals. (I suppose that would apply to us if our Dexters were bigger than the breed standard).

If you have a retail outlet requst a sample of beef and it's in your freezer, let them have a joint for their own personal use, that's how I get round the problem. Once they've tasted it they'll come back for fresh beef for their business.

Hope this is helpful.

Alison Kirk
Boram Dexters

domsmith · Post by **domsmith** » Sat May 16, 2009 9:04 pm

Saffy

if someone wants to buy some beef let them, see what happens there is no point in getting set up for selling meat untill you have tried it. you arent going to go to jail for selling a few steaks. in fat who would ever know.

if you find people want to buy more then look into what you have to do. i would think a simple registering with your local enviro office and a meeting for hime to tell you the requirements which would be temperature recording your freezer maybe daily or weekly. butcher regulations as long as you stay clear of ready to eat food are very relaxed. a butcher wont poison his customers, the customers by not cooking the meat properly are the only ones who are likely to do the poisoning.

my defence is always, "im just a stupid farmer i dont know about these rules"
get it sold!

dom!

Broomcroft · Post by **Broomcroft** » Sun May 17, 2009 7:31 am

Charge them £20 for a farm visit and then give them the steaks!

maxine · Post by **maxine** » Wed May 27, 2009 1:38 pm

Many thanks to all who have given advice and shared their experiences - it seems sensible to keep things as simple as possible. This is my first experience of using the discussion board and I do appreciate you taking the time to respond.