Freezer Paper vs Butcher Paper Freezer paper is usually more expensive than butcher paper, which lacks the polyethylene coating. You should not freeze food in any kind of non-freezer paper without first wrapping the product in plastic. Economical butcher paper is suitable for most non-freezer applications.
Editor: Kate, when wrapping or packaging meat for storage in the freezer, your chief aims should be to block out moisture and air. Most people do this by using a layer of plastic wrap, and then a layer of aluminum foil. But our recommended method is actually to wrap the meat in butcher or freezer paper.
Wax paper can be used to wrap and freeze meat, can tape and label it up with freezer tape. Freezer paper uses a little bit less plastic than a plastic bag, but protects better than wax paper. A more expensive option would be some sort of stainless steel container.
It is important to note that waxed butcher paper, wax paper, and freezer paper should never go in your smoker or grill. It can catch fire and the wax will emit toxic fumes at high heat.
While butcher paper is not specifically designed for freezer storage, it can be used for short-term freezing. However, for long-term storage, it's recommended to use freezer paper, which provides a better barrier against moisture and air.
Butcher paper soaks up the grease of the brisket, forming a layer of moisture that helps conduct heat and keeps the meat cooking. The paper lets a little bit more smoke through, too, so you'll get more flavor than you would by wrapping with foil. Your bark will stay drier as well.
Wrap Your Meat When Freezing
While a vacuum-sealer is ideal for ensuring that meats are packaged correctly, you can get by just fine with double wrapping cuts of meat with freezer paper, aluminum foil or airtight zip-loc bags. The plastic wrapping from the store is designed for quick access, not freezing.
Butcher paper should not be used to store foods in the freezer. It is not non-stick and could adhere to the food while also allowing air to penetrate the paper and cause freezer burn. Reynolds Kitchens Freezer Paper is a great for storing foods in the freezer.
Food grade materials, such as aluminum foil, heavy freezer-weight plastic bags, heavy plastic wrap and parchment or freezer paper are excellent choices. It is safe to freeze meat or poultry directly in its supermarket wrapping, but this type of wrap is thin and lets air in.
How Long Can You Freeze Beef? When wrapped properly and stored in the freezer, frozen beef is safe indefinitely. However, it is best to consume uncooked steaks, chops, and roasts within four months to one year, as per the USDA. Ground beef is best used within four months of freezing.
Butcher paper isn't always the easiest product to find. You might find it in a grocery store, or in a barbecue specialty store, but the easiest way is to buy online.
Aluminum foil, freezer paper, plastic containers, and plastic freezer bags will help food maintain optimum quality in the freezer. Plastic wrap alone will not provide enough protection by itself, but can be used to separate foods within another package.
Oklahoma Joe's Paper Butcher Paper in the Grilling Tools & Utensils department at Lowes.com.
Using butcher paper helps to keep the food moist without damaging the crispy outer layer (crucial for brisket), while tin foil is faster and allows food to cook more evenly.
Pink Butcher Paper (aka Peach Paper) has become especially popular among barbecue enthusiasts in recent years. While they may look different, Kraft Paper and Butcher Paper start out as identical twins. Both are made from the same raw materials, sharing the same wood pulp base.
The fundamental difference between freezer paper and butcher paper is freezer paper has a polyethylene coating on one side that provides extra strength when it's exposed to moisture and protects against freezer burn. Freezer paper is usually more expensive than butcher paper, which lacks the polyethylene coating.
Aluminum foil: “The Texas Crutch”
Aluminum foil, also known as the “Texas Crutch”, is a popular choice because it's far more easily accessible than butcher paper. Most American households keep aluminum foil around all the time, but they may not be so quick to keep a roll of butcher paper on hand.
Proper Freezer Storage
The most effective way for freezing meat is to use quality freezer paper that is waxed or poly-coated on one side. The coated side of the paper should go against the meat. To optimize the protection, you can fold a freezer sheets around the meat and then properly freezer wrap.
Place the food on the shiny or plastic coated side when wrapping. The plastic-coated side keeps food moisture from soaking through the paper. The dull or paper side should face out.
Finally, I think the freezer paper protects the meat better. It's easy to get all the air out when wrapping in paper - not so easy in a plastic bag. And meat - or anything else - keeps better in the freezer if it doesn't have air around it.
It's important to note that while butcher paper can be used for freezing meat, it may not provide as much protection against freezer burn as other packaging methods like vacuum sealing or using freezer-specific plastic bags.
You'll definitely want paper that is unwaxed, unbleached, and uncoated. I'd also stick with paper that is FDA approved and Made in the USA. You have three color options: brown, pink and white. Brown is the most natural, pink is the same as brown with color added, and white is bleached.
Butcher paper not only prevents over-steaming but also protects the meat from the full impact of the smoker. Butcher paper will soak up the grease from a brisket as well, and since it's breathable, it allows more smoke to pass through than foil, leaving the meat with even more flavor.
Duro Bag Butcher Wrapping Paper, 18"W x 1000'L, White | Costco.