Freeze drying food is a process in which cooked or fresh foods are quickly frozen solid to preserve for later eating. In commercial settings, this is done using a freeze dryer. After the food is frozen, it is placed in a freeze dryer where a combination of low-level heat and high-pressure vacuum evaporates the ice before it can reach liquid form. This is called sublimation. You can freeze dry food at home without a freeze dryer by using dry ice; after vacuum-sealing your food, the process of sublimation completes in your home freezer.
Step 1
Slice the meat off the bone into about 1/2-inch thick pieces.
Step 2
Place the turkey meat inside a freezer bag in a single layer. Fill another freezer bag with any remaining meat, if necessary. Use a vacuum sealer to remove all the air from the bag before sealing it.
Step 3
Place dry ice along the bottom of the cooler in a single layer. Place the freezer bag of turkey meat on top of the dry ice layer.
Step 4
Cover the freezer bag with a layer of dry ice. Continue layering bags of meat and dry ice until the cooler is full and the top layer is dry ice.
Step 5
Place the lid on the cooler, making sure it is completely sealed. Allow the meat to completely freeze through, which should take about 30 minutes to an hour.
Step 6
Remove the bags of meat from the cooler and store in your freezer for up to two weeks. Remove when ready to eat.
Things You'll Need
- Turkey leg
- Freezer bags
- Vacuum sealer
- Dry ice
- Cooler
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