# How do you prepare your raw?



## HayleyMarie (Jul 6, 2011)

So.. How does everyone prepare their meats when they get it??

Since Teagan is a smaller dog at 16 Pounds and I can buy at the local supermarket, and if it is a softer easy to cut meat like liver, pork ribs, cow heart, chicken hearts. I usually cut or divvy up into 1-2 ounce chunks suran wrap them and WALA!

It seems easier that way to put together her meals. I dont have to weight everything because stuff is already weights and I could just grab chunks of meat that I need. And I think its easier to keep the variety.


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## monkeys23 (Dec 8, 2010)

Cut into chunks, put in ziplock freezer baggie... hand to dogs!


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## SerenityFL (Sep 28, 2010)

Defrost. Cut off parts or in to chunks, depending on meat. Plunk on to scale. Call hoodlum over. Hand meat item to hoodlum.

(Same with the cats.)


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## Scarlett_O' (May 19, 2011)

Well Ive been taking the lazy way out, throwing everything in the freezer when it comes home then pulling out a glob of stuff(4-5 days worth) and hacking up each morning!LOL :lol:

But NORMALLY when it comes home it is divided into 1 and 5 lbs packages, be it baggies, grocery bags or tubs. Then marked with what it is and THEN frozen!:smile:


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## Liz (Sep 27, 2010)

We break down the forty pound cases I ususally just package about a pound and a half chunks into a gallon zipper bag and some smaller items for my shelties. Organs I package in smaller sandwich bags then into a box so they don't bleed all over the freezer. I rarely weight hings anymore but htat is more easily done with bigger dogs. If my sheltie is starting to look pudgy I weigh her meals for a while as I have probably been feeding too much.


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## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

When we buy in bulk we do meat prep outlined as follows: 

Bulk order meat prep! | Prey Model Raw

Daily routine: 

Pull a container of meat out and place out at room temp to thaw, feed it ~24 hours later. OR pull out ~10 pounds of meat and place in a container to thaw out at room temp, feed ~24 hours later. 

We feed liver and kidney every 7-14 days.


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## CorgiPaws (Mar 31, 2009)

We order 500-900lbs at a time. 
It is frozen into 30lb-60lb chunks depending on the meat. 
I put those big chunks into big plastic bins in the garage to thaw so the blood doesn't go everywhere. 
When it's thawed, which takes a day to three days depending. 
Then, we have about 30 sterilite plastic bins, some are 12 quart, but we are replacing them with 16 quart ones since that seems to be the amount we need for each day.
I fill each bin about 30% full of bone in chicken, turkey, and fish... and the rest with red meat (generally boneless)
I put some liver and/or kidney into most of them as well. 
Those get stacked into the 4 freezers, and we pull one out each night, and feed it the next day. 

From start to finish, it takes about 4 hours if all goes well to prepare about a month's worth of food.


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## hmbutler (Aug 4, 2011)

PuppyPaws said:


> We order 500-900lbs at a time.
> It is frozen into 30lb-60lb chunks depending on the meat.
> I put those big chunks into big plastic bins in the garage to thaw so the blood doesn't go everywhere.
> When it's thawed, which takes a day to three days depending.
> ...


I'm going to keep that explanation for when Duke is full transitioned, and copy you, because that is some awesome organisation (and I LOVE to be organised haha). It goes without saying, my quantities will be a wee bit smaller than yours though :tongue: I'm not worrying too greatly about variety and 80/10/10 at the moment, he's only been on it for 8 weeks this Friday, and I'll only just be starting organs then, so at the moment, he gets whatever I grab out of the freezer (which is all in little plastic ziplock bags, though containers will be good in the future because I'm sick of throwing away two bags every day!). The only thing I don't like about containers in comparison to bags is that they take up more space (since there will almost certainly be "empty" space in the containers, and I may not be able to fill every space in the freezer if a container can't fit).


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## CorgiPaws (Mar 31, 2009)

hmbutler said:


> I'm going to keep that explanation for when Duke is full transitioned, and copy you, because that is some awesome organisation (and I LOVE to be organised haha). It goes without saying, my quantities will be a wee bit smaller than yours though :tongue: I'm not worrying too greatly about variety and 80/10/10 at the moment, he's only been on it for 8 weeks this Friday, and I'll only just be starting organs then, so at the moment, he gets whatever I grab out of the freezer (which is all in little plastic ziplock bags, though containers will be good in the future because I'm sick of throwing away two bags every day!). The only thing I don't like about containers in comparison to bags is that they take up more space (since there will almost certainly be "empty" space in the containers, and I may not be able to fill every space in the freezer if a container can't fit).


I would recommend packing each container to the brim, even if it's more than a day's worth of food. They also make pretty small bins as well. 

When it our numbers were going up, at one point, a bin packed to the brim was a day and a half worth of food. So, we would feed a full bin, and half of another, then stick the remaining half in the fridge and pull out a new one. 
The next day, we'd feed the entire new bin, and the leftover half, and pull out two more. 
The next day we'd feed 1.5 bins, saving half, and pull out ONE more for the next day
and so on. It wasn't nearly as annoying as it sounds.


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## swolek (Mar 31, 2011)

I used to cut and portion everything into baggies when the meat was purchased but I've gotten lazy .

Now my routine is to pull out the frozen meat (often still in the grocery store/butcher containers if it's new, hahaha) that I'll need for the next 2 or 3 days and put it in the fridge to thaw. Every night I pull out/cut off what's needed for tomorrows' meals and portion the meals into labeled baggies. Well, actually, the labeled baggies are for three of the four dogs. Bambi gets a baggie because she's more of a family dog and anyone could end up feeding her, Gracie is usually fed by my sister early in the morning on week days, and Rumba the foster dog is fed by whoever gets him out of the crate first.

Sophie doesn't need a labeled bag since I always feed her (she sleeps in the bed with me so it doesn't matter when I get up). I'd only do her meals ahead of time if I was going to be away from the house for more than a day. As a result, her meals aren't planned much ahead of time and are more a result of me grabbing random pieces of meat loosely based on what the other Cockers got . That's the way it'd be for everyone if I fed the other dogs every day.

Most organs are fed frozen. I cut them up into smallish chunks and initially freeze them with the bag positioned so they don't stick together. Gracie will eat thawed organs and Sophie usually will (sometimes she doesn't want thawed liver) but since Bambi will only eat them frozen as "treats" it's easier to always feed frozen. When I had an organ mix from Hare-Today everyone ate it thawed, though.


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## cprcheetah (Jul 14, 2010)

I cut everything into portions and Ziploc them then once a week I put together 'daily' bags so I can just pull them out the day or 2 before and have them thawing in the fridge, that way if I am doing a jewelry party at night, Rob (hubby) can feed the dogs easily as they are labeled for the day needed to feed


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## doggoblin (Jun 6, 2011)

I generally divvy up complete day portions and freeze. Night before I take a days supply and so it's ready the following day. Separate it out between our three at feeding time and give it to them. Did make the mistake once of freezing a batch before separating it as we were in a rush. Never again.:wink:


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## HappyPuppy (Sep 26, 2011)

I cut up and weight out portions into zip loc baggies - usually 8-10 oz each. DH is riding me on 'wasting' the baggies, so I also often try to do a double portion in one quart bag. Sometimes I mix organs and meat but otherwise, I portion out organs in 2 oz serving sizes or again I'll double up to save a bag. I've been buying good Zip Loc brand bags with coupons at Costco but I might price out the house brand at the grocery store tho they prolly wouldn't hold up as well to raw bone fragments... will see. With just one dog who gets half of the freezer, I don't buy too much in bulk (just at the grocery store/markets) - maybe I'll come home with 10-20 lbs at a time. Just bought a couple of whole chickens that I'll cut up tonite if I don't end up rotisser-ating one for myself!! I wrap chicken feet in waxy freezer paper and store them all in one bag - otherwise, they freeze stuck together.

I usually take 2 or 3 days-worth out of the freezer at a time. If still frozen or even if not, I often try to take the portion out of the fridge approx 30 mins before meal time but I have certainly also chucked out a hunk partially frozen << which may work better for some gulpers.
I


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## Northwoods10 (Nov 22, 2010)

We buy everything in bulk, so I usually thaw a couple boxes at a time down in the basement, much to DH's disapproval. Once they are thawed, I repackage them into freezer bags and usually do a couple of meals in each back depending on what it is. Their boneless meat already comes in 10# bags so those just get tossed in the freezer and we thaw one at a time as needed. 

I keep a tray in the fridge for their bone in meals to sit in, then a tub of boneless meat and their organs handy too. Weigh out or eyeball the meals and wa-la...dinner is served.


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## lozzibear (Sep 13, 2010)

Since I have started getting Jake's food from the butchers (rather than a supplier, and getting in bulk), I am getting it in smaller amounts. Before, I used to bag everything up and pop it in the freezer, and take out the next days food last thing at night to defrost for the next day. 

My new routine though, is to pop all the food on and in carrier bags (but not touching) so they can all freeze individually. Then, once frozen, I pop them in a specific box... I have a 'chicken' box, 'beef' box, 'lamb' box and so on. I haven't thought of what to do with the liver yet though, so for now it is still being bagged but I will think of something. So, I just dig in and choose what he is getting the next day, and how much of each thing, and then pop it in a plastic tub to defrost for the next day.

I decided to change, and do it this way, coz I was getting fed up with how many bags I was going through... lol.


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## Grandiose (Apr 2, 2011)

We've got a big crew here as well, so ours is similar to some of the others - 

Bulk orders get thawed down in plastic tubs in the garage (although, I pull the thawed meat off three times a day until there is nothing left...pack it into containers and get it in the freezer right away. If I have a half full container, I pull it back out and pack it full next time I pull off the thawed stuff) until its all thawed.

I use the plastic shoebox sized containers (right now, we feed two of those a day) and sometimes ziploc bags, depending on what it is I'm packaging up (I have hearts and organs in ziplocs, and right now all my turkey wings are in ziplocs as well because they wouldnt fit into the containers well enough to effectively use the freezer space)

In the mornings, I go to the freezer, pull out the containers of whatever I want to feed that day, set them out on top of the freezer to thaw (I used to thaw them on the counter, but *someone* was counter surfing and helped themselves to most of a container before I caught them...so now its in the garage where they cant touch it) and at dinner time, I toss it in their crates (unless its small or messy, and then we use bowls - but its really been awhile since I've touched the bowls)

Easy easy.


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## sozzle (May 18, 2011)

I just love the word 'baggies' ha ha so funny! anyway I get the jist of what you are saying.
I re-use my ziplocks/baggies and just put them in a bucket with hot soapy water (if I have a few) and wash, rinse and hang on the line although the strong sun here will weaken them over time. I only use those bags for dog food and keep them all together in a plastic shopping bag when dry labelled as such. 
Right now I need to go and get dog food out for tonight.
Do you have washing lines in USA because I heard that in some areas you are not allowed to hang laundry outside because it spoils the view or something? and that everyone uses a dryer? well if I used my dryer every time I did the laundry the power bill would be colossal, nothing like harnessing the sun's rays. (I only ever use my dryer to finish off laundry in the winter when it comes in off the line and is still a wee bit damp).


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

SerenityFL said:


> Defrost. Cut off parts or in to chunks, depending on meat. Plunk on to scale. Call hoodlum over. Hand meat item to hoodlum.
> 
> (Same with the cats.)


i progressed from anal retentive breaking everything down to daily meals to doing exactly what you do except i defrost a few things at a time..and it will last me a week or so.


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## HappyPuppy (Sep 26, 2011)

Ha ha - we are not that advanced with air drying. Most of us 'over here' depend on our clothes dryers!! That said, my husband just put up my clothes line again after not having it for a couple of years and I use it for some things. Some people do clothes lines for freshness but I live by an airport AND a freeway so I just hang things out to air out or an occasional specialied item. 

I hadn't thought about washing baggies - that might be a little too green for this household...(?)



sozzle said:


> I just love the word 'baggies' ha ha so funny! anyway I get the jist of what you are saying.
> I re-use my ziplocks/baggies and just put them in a bucket with hot soapy water (if I have a few) and wash, rinse and hang on the line although the strong sun here will weaken them over time. I only use those bags for dog food and keep them all together in a plastic shopping bag when dry labelled as such.
> Right now I need to go and get dog food out for tonight.
> Do you have washing lines in USA because I heard that in some areas you are not allowed to hang laundry outside because it spoils the view or something? and that everyone uses a dryer? well if I used my dryer every time I did the laundry the power bill would be colossal, nothing like harnessing the sun's rays. (I only ever use my dryer to finish off laundry in the winter when it comes in off the line and is still a wee bit damp).


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## KlaMarie (Dec 30, 2010)

With just one dog, my routine is pretty easy compared to some of you guys :smile: I usually get bulk orders that are 150-200 pounds total (includes bone-in, muscle, and organ). I let everything thaw out, and then package it all out in daily baggies. Then it get's divided into plastic bins in my freezer depending on the type of meat, so I can just grab whatever type she is supposed to have and thaw it. And yes, I still weigh it.....I'm not that brave yet.


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## DeekenDog (Aug 29, 2011)

I'm not the only one who feeds so I have to be very on top of labelling and packaging  Right now, I don't really have a freezer that's big enough to order in bulk so I shop sales at the butchers/grocery stores and get some meat free from a friend who is amazingly good at making friends with local hunters. When I bring meat home, I portion everything into meals and put them in ziploc baggies and then put them in large freezer bags according to what they are. We pull out the next days meals the previous morning and thaw in the fridge. Organ I buy the pre-made ground stuff because I just HATE liver. I will handle anything, I will skin anything but do not make me portion liver. A local raw pet food company makes very conveniently sized 300g beef liver packages, which happens to be Deeken's weekly portion. I can't wait to have a nice big dog food freezer so I can buy in bulk. As it stands, I usually have around 3 weeks of food on hand at any given time.


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## KittyKat (Feb 11, 2011)

I take the meat, defrost it if need be, and separate it into baggies. I don't weigh, I just guess. Each bag is a days worth of food. Bone meal for the morning, boneless in the evening.

Pretty simple.


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

sozzle said:


> I just love the word 'baggies' ha ha so funny! anyway I get the jist of what you are saying.
> I re-use my ziplocks/baggies and just put them in a bucket with hot soapy water (if I have a few) and wash, rinse and hang on the line although the strong sun here will weaken them over time. I only use those bags for dog food and keep them all together in a plastic shopping bag when dry labelled as such.
> Right now I need to go and get dog food out for tonight.
> Do you have washing lines in USA because I heard that in some areas you are not allowed to hang laundry outside because it spoils the view or something? and that everyone uses a dryer? well if I used my dryer every time I did the laundry the power bill would be colossal, nothing like harnessing the sun's rays. (I only ever use my dryer to finish off laundry in the winter when it comes in off the line and is still a wee bit damp).


growing up, we had a clothes line and the sheets and shirts and what not were dried outside....almost everyone had them...we also had a dryer, but the smell of sheets dried in the sun is amazing.

these days...i don't see them as much. easier, i guess, to throw them in the dryer and put them back on the bed.

there are a few things i don't see, at least in my house.....line drying outside, ironing....washing baggies . we were wasting lots of them, so we don't use them anymore except the freezer ones and each protein has its own shelf....or it has its own space in the chest freezer...we rob from the chest freezer to feed the stand up freezer and then it goes to the house refrigerater and into the dogs' mouths.....

giving up that one step has saved me baggies and lots of time. i still weigh things out because i simply have no eye for things...but not having those baggies anymore....is wonderful.


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## JoeynZoey (Apr 25, 2011)

Open or cut all packages, divide and separate the different cuts and place them into zip lock bags based on the same cuts into one specific bag. I use to label them as well, when I would freeze everything sometimes it was proving to be a challenge to tell the differences between the cuts of meats, but I have adapted to a professional eye on frozen raw now  

Defrosting I usually take out which cuts I will need for the following day the night before or morning before. If I forget something or all cuts, I run the bags through scolding hot water for a few minutes and allow the rest of the defrosting to set in. 

Although I don't have a freezer specifically for Zoey's meats yet, it does feel like all her meats have taken up our entire freezer regardless haha. 

I do feel as if I am wasting far to many zip lock bags though sometimes.


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## Donna Little (May 31, 2011)

HappyPuppy said:


> I cut up and weight out portions into zip loc baggies - usually 8-10 oz each. DH is riding me on 'wasting' the baggies, so I also often try to do a double portion in one quart bag.


I used to portion mine out in baggies but have switched to small containers. I did wash the baggies so as not to be wasteful and it was a PAIN so I started just giving them a rinse and then sticking them back in the freezer empty. You might want to try that. No waste and when you're ready just throw the next meals in them. 

Now I package everything in bigger containers (so I can stack to the top of the freezer)and label them. Then when it's time to make up my meals for the week I grab one or two of each container and let it partially thaw, sit all my small containers out with each dog's name written on them, and weigh each dogs food and then put them in the freezer til I need to use them. I have 9 dogs, all small, and most somewhat overweight so I still weigh everything pretty precisely so I can continue to slowly take weight off my chubbies. Then when I feed them I just plop their bowl down and let them eat out of their little container.


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