Preparing for the Off-Season: How to Store and Preserve Grass-Fed Angus Beef

At Matangi, we have had a wonderful season, and we are looking forward to a short close-down period that will give us time to prepare the land and the cattle for the coming spring. Our last delivery of fresh grass-fed beef NZ-wide will be on July 4th this year, and we are all hands on deck to make sure that all our valued customers have everything they need to get through the winter healthy and happy. 

While we offer a great limited range of frozen products across our closedown period, which you can order online or source at our Hastings store, we encourage you to choose your favourites and plan ahead with a final order that you can freeze to keep you and your family and guests well stocked with the very best dry aged grass fed beef NZ has to offer across the colder months.

Many of you may be wondering if you can retain the exceptional flavour, tenderness and quality of your fresh Matangi meat if you freeze it. The short answer is yes.

When you package your Matangi cuts to freeze, there are a few things to consider, so we have compiled a few professional tips to ensure that when you reach for our products over the winter period, you will enjoy the same succulent goodness you have come to expect from our world-class Matangi beef.

Read on to find out more about how to winter well with Matangi.

Our Angus Grass Fed Beef NZ Cuts

Before you make your last fresh order for the current season, let's delve into the characteristics of our Angus beef so you can better understand the importance of proper freezer storage. At Matangi, our beef is grown to encourage high intramuscular fats (marbling). We achieve this by providing a low-stress environment, a 100% grass diet and by allowing the cattle to roam our beautiful land within their herd for 24-32 months.

All our beef is hung on the bone for three weeks. This promotes flavour and tenderness for every cut, and our methods for raising and grooming our Angus cattle delivers a quality meat that is beloved by connoisseurs, chefs, and home entertainers across New Zealand.

The best grass-fed beef NZ produces deserves a bit of special treatment at the freezer door. Here are a couple of tips to ensure that your winter plate delights with every mouthful.

Freezing Angus Beef

Because we work towards exceptional marbling, it is important to ensure that your freezer is in optimum condition before you store your winter stock. Whether you have a standing or chest freezer, make sure that it is clean and that you don’t have excessive ice buildup. You want a temperature of around -18°C for your grass-fed beef NZ cuts, and the freezing process should be quick as you don’t want moisture to settle into the meat as it freezes.

Storage Methods

The ideal approach to preserve your Matangi beef in the freezer is to use vacuum packaging. Your cuts will be delivered vacuum packed, but if you would like us to pack them into smaller portions, please just let us know. This enable you to reach for single meal portions without having to defrost meat you don’t want to use right away. Dedicated freezer bags or airtight containers are also an option if you need to separate your cuts out at home before storing for the longer term.

Date Your Parcels

Each parcel should be dated before you store it in a clean, cold freezer. You should use your Angus beef within 6-12 months to ensure you still get the fulsome flavour and unique texture on the plate. Beef consumed after this date is still safe to eat; it just may be a little degraded.

Avoiding freezer burn is absolutely key, so don’t overload your freezer and make certain that the door is closed swiftly and tightly after every visit.

Limited Frozen Stock

If you miss the July 4 cutoff for a fresh Angus beef delivery, we have a limited number of freezer boxes to choose from, including a Roast, Low & Slow and Essentials option. These include a great selection of our products frozen for your convenience and delivered to your door. Be quick to make sure you don’t miss out.

The Farm Door

For those living in or near Hastings, our Farm store will be open through the winter - with a short break in August. Here we will have frozen stock available through the colder months for all customers who visit our Boutique Butchery. Get in touch now to chat about our winter hours.

Shop the Range

Is your freezer ready? Shop the range today and enjoy the grass fed beef NZ prefers all the way through to spring and beyond.