At temp do you vacuum pack your left over meat?

Hello! In Indiana you need a variance from the State Dept of Health to do vacuum sealing in a licensed operation. If one is unlicensed, then I guess it doesn't matter much anyway.

For personal use, I have packed it hot and then done an ice bath to quickly cool and then in a freezer to continue to quickly cool. I have also portioned out into small flat portions,. bagged, and thrown in the fridge and its been fine. I am currently jumping through a ton of hoops to get approved to do this commercially.

For your catering business you need to contact your local health department. You can vacuum package items, but they will require you obtain a variance and/or develop a HAACP plan.

But yes...process (it will cool on it's own during that time frame), ice bath, refrigerate or freeze.

Contact the HD...otherwise, you are taking a huge risk.

We just double bag w glad lock gallon size freezer bags. Squeeze out the air and make it about 2-3 inches thick. Reheats great in boiling water and you don’t have to worry about the vacuum seal issues w the state.

This is a little different from your situation, but it will work for Tuesday or Saturday. If we freeze directly after eating, it will room temp. If we’re going to have leftovers and refrigerate after that and then freeze a couple days later, guess what, it will be around 40*. If you consider both ends of this equation, either method will work.