# vacuum packed meat for holiday.



## lyonsie (16 Mar 2007)

I am going on holiday next monday and had to buy some meat to bring with me, as foreign meat is not what we are used to.... not as nice cuts.   I had to go to butcher this morning as all closed tomorrow, Paddy's Day.
I had him vacume pack in individual portions some lovely steaks for me.   What I would like to know is if I should freeze them now and bring them with me de-frosting slowly or wait until I get there monday and freeze them then.   I know they will last for a good few days without freezing while stored in the fridge and I will be packing them with Ice packs while travelling.
Any ideas.    I know this sounds a bit mad but there is lots of chicken and fish abroad, which I will buy, but their meat is uuuugh.......
L


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## mo3art (16 Mar 2007)

*Re: vacume packed meat for holiday.*

Did you check that you can transport the meat to another country?  Some countries have quite strict regulations on this!
In any case, if you freeze them and defrost them once you will not be able to do this again.  It really depends on how long you are travelling for.  I would freeze them, put them with icepacks and if I was travelling for less than 12 hours, then I think I would put them back in the freezer.  I don't think they would completely defrost in an icepack.


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## BrenG (16 Mar 2007)

*Re: vacume packed meat for holiday.*

Where is abroad? In virtually every country I have visited the meat is as good and in many places better than we get in Ireland. Unless you are really going to some exotic location it's really not worth the trouble.


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## lyonsie (16 Mar 2007)

*Re: vacume packed meat for holiday.*

sorry, but I don't find the meat in Spanish supermarkets as good as our own.  their chicken and fish o.k. but not their meat cuts...
Will go with freezing when I get there I think.   Always bring butter too.... it goes in before the bikini.... just in case....  Better looking at these things than for them.....
L.


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## fustydor (16 Mar 2007)

*Re: vacume packed meat for holiday.*

I'm afraid that through EU regulations you're not allowed to bring meat, milk or milk derivatives in your luggage into Spain. And I've experienced the results of trying to bring over a Ham for Christmas over to Spain.


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## tallpaul (17 Mar 2007)

*Re: vacume packed meat for holiday.*

And they say travel broadens the mind...


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## Guest127 (17 Mar 2007)

*Re: vacume packed meat for holiday.*

the meat in the canary islands  ( Spain) is either Irish or Argentinian. and the Argentinian meat is as good if not better than the Irish. hard to tell the difference in fact.


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## europhile (17 Mar 2007)

*Re: vacume packed meat for holiday.*

You should stick some Findus paella in while you're at it. God knows what sort of muck they'll be serving up to you over there.


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## lyonsie (18 Mar 2007)

Thats the thing.... We are on very tight buget and will not be eating out a lot. Had given up package holidays in apts a no. of years ago, hotels with half board (4/5 star)o.k. but am availing of cheap flights and privately sourced apt. to rent and hiring a car for two weeks, Canary Islands, for under €600 for 2 weeks.  Good or what....
And you are right, god knows what s..t will be served there.....!!!!
You walk down the main st. anywhere and its full of large pictures of s..t which was photographed years ago and they all have the same stuff.... The Brits love it but not us.
Much prefer a nice fillet or striploin with some lovely fresh local salad.... much better than a plate of egg and chips and beans.... Might treat ourselves to 2 or 3 meals out but you can be guaranteed that they will be fab.. Not booked off a picture.
L


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## europhile (18 Mar 2007)

Sarcasmometer in need of recalibration!


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## ragazza (19 Mar 2007)

*Re: vacume packed meat for holiday.*



lyonsie said:


> sorry, but I don't find the meat in Spanish supermarkets as good as our own. their chicken and fish o.k. but not their meat cuts...


 
Living in Spain, I definately notice the difference in the taste of meat.
But if you know what to look for, you can find meat thats just as nice as you are used to in Ireland.

For example you say you like a nice steak - a fillet steak in spanish is "solomillo" and is generally very good quality.
I find the chicken very hit and miss - normally tastes like an aged, tough old hen, but recently I've bought free-range chicken, and its much nicer.
I dont eat fish, but from what I hear, fish in spain is spectacular.


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## Yachtie (23 Mar 2007)

I'm sorry but I can't get over the OP! Unfortunately I have no advice to give in regards of whether you should freeze or not the meat you're bringing to Spain and you're already there so it doesn't matter! I find the attitude of some holiday makers revolting when it comes to disrespect of the host country and nation. 

I've seen people bringing sausages, beans, fairy liquid, etc. on holidays with them. Cost-wise, it would be a huge task to find many places more expensive than Ireland. Quality-wise, there is no proof that Irish food is better (or worse) than any 'foreign' food. The fact that people think that they'd starve to death if they don't bring Shaw's sausages and rashers with them on a two week holiday irritates the living lights out of me. 

Rant over!


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## Guest127 (24 Mar 2007)

Afaik there are no cows whatsover on the canaries islands. So all meat is imported. last time I was there it was all Argentinian but time before it was all Irish . On both occasions I could eat superb steaks for half the price as Ireland. Wouldn't dream of taking food personally. toast in the morning is the most I can rise to - if you call that cooking-  and unless theres a toaster supplied I dont even do that. could never manage those pans with the ridges.


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## lorna (19 Jun 2007)

lyonsie, i bet your sorry you asked now !!!! ??


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## z108 (19 Jun 2007)

I have to admit lyonsie's idea of bringing meat on holiday does seem crazy to me but thats just my opinion.



Yachtie said:


> I find the attitude of some holiday makers revolting when it comes to disrespect of the host country and nation.



Yeah but theres no accounting for taste. Theres plenty of faddy eaters everywhere. Thats just the way they are and what they are used to and they have problems with change with their diets and/or maybe with lots of things. I wouldnt think  its' the same as disrespecting any nation or culture. For example I would'nt be into eating horsemeat in France or dogs in Korea but this doesnt mean I dont respect the two countries.
Cold gazpacho soup makes me vomit however I am a big fan of Serrano ham and Chorizo.

lyonsie you should check out the Spanish *SERRANO * ham in particular.


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## BillK (19 Jun 2007)

There's nothing wrong with horsemeat!


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## z108 (20 Jun 2007)

BillK said:


> There's nothing wrong with horsemeat!



We all have  a problem with something. The diversity of the world is one of the things which makes it interesting.

Have you tried horsemeat ? if so what was it like ? I imagine it is like eating your best friend


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## Brendan Burgess (20 Jun 2007)

> its full of large pictures of s..t which was photographed years ago



I don't think that is correct. I think that the photographs are fresh...


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## Bronte (20 Jun 2007)

From the opposite side - I live abroad and have lots of Irish visitors, here we have horsemeat side by side with beef and lamb and pork in the meat counter not to mention the full skinned headless rabbits, escargots etc.  Love bringing the Irish around the markets - great fun.  Most visitors go for the full Irish in the pubs here.  If not they bring me the rashers from home and bacon as it's not the same here - at my request.  I've cooked rice (plain boiled rice) for some Irish and had to take it off the plate so shocked were they at the sight of it!  There are still some Irish who have never been to a Chinese or had an Indian.  Went out with someone who had an omelette and they had a fit (didn't want to eat it then) that the side salad had a spoon of mayonnaise on it.  Incidentally omelettes are cooked runny here - salmonella here we come.  Another visitor had an aversion to mushrooms that I'd cooked.  I tell all my Irish to order meat well done and they're still shocked at how 'rare' it is.  I ordered a burger rare in Ireland 3 weeks ago and was told no way, not allowed - it was a health risk - I got a carcinogen burger which was far more dangerous to health in my opinion.  Here they serve raw minced beef everywhere as a main course or in a sandwich  and it's called americaine and most overseas visitors assume it's a burger - well it ain't. Strangely enough everybody is not dropping down dead with severe gastroenteritis


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## HighFlier (20 Jun 2007)

And dont forget the Taytos, Barrys Tea and Dennys sausages!

In fact if you stayed at home you would have no problems and no adjusting to funny foreign ways!!


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## kiwijbob (20 Jun 2007)

*Re: vacume packed meat for holiday.*



ragazza said:


> I dont eat fish, but from what I hear, fish in spain is spectacular.


 
 where do you think they get their fish ??


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## casiopea (20 Jun 2007)

sign said:


> We all have  a problem with something. The diversity of the world is one of the things which makes it interesting.
> 
> Have you tried horsemeat ? if so what was it like ? I imagine it is like eating your best friend



Like Aileen2, we have horse meat here side by side the beef and pork etc.  Ive actually eaten Horse Tartar (ie raw minced horse meat served with olive oil, onion, anchovys on the side). I will be honest and say I found it a bit difficult to eat (tasted like venison), I think being Irish we do regard horses in the pet category rather than the farm (beef) category.  On the continent they are very much in the latter category.


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## Graham_07 (20 Jun 2007)

One thing we avoid like the plague on holidays is that horror of horrors.........the Irish Pub. made the mistake once in NYC of asking for a Bass ( don't all ye laugh now ) just because I saw it on the menu. Should have sticked with the Coors. Was puuuutrid. Now where's the nearest Tapas bar, im starved.


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## RainyDay (20 Jun 2007)

One wonders how Casu Marzu cheese would go down for the OP [Tip: Don't read while eating]


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## mf1 (21 Jun 2007)

"One wonders how Casu Marzu cheese would go down for the OP [Tip: Don't read while eating]"

Its not just the OP who might have trouble with it! Yeccchhhh!

mf


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## z108 (21 Jun 2007)

RainyDay said:


> One wonders how Casu Marzu cheese would go down for the OP [Tip: Don't read while eating]



     OH MY GOD !    


Has anyone here tried this stuff ?  Do they eat the maggots too ?


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## TDON (21 Jun 2007)

europhile said:


> Sarcasmometer in need of recalibration!


 
No, but unfortuantely, tongue in cheek doesn't always work  Check out "Lengua" Spanish recipes on the web.

Or look here, but be warned you may never eat meat again.


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## ClubMan (21 Jun 2007)

sign said:


> OH MY GOD !
> 
> 
> Has anyone here tried this stuff ?  Do they eat the maggots too ?


Somebody I know was treated, with great ceremony, to this one in _Sardinia _a few years back. He had no idea what it was at the time and was sorry he found out later!


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## Welfarite (21 Jun 2007)

sign said:


> Have you tried horsemeat ? if so what was it like ? I imagine it is like eating your best friend



I have eaten horse steak and found it similar to beef. I can't comment on whether it was like eating my best friend as I have never tried to do that!

I have also eaten Steak Tartare (raw mince adn I'm still alive), as well as snails and frogs' legs (taste like fishy chicken wings). Might as well go for the best friend next.....


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## lorna (21 Jun 2007)

we live in london and buy barrys tea bags in our local corner shop at £2.60 for 80, expensive but we like it !
we buy the giant bottles of brown chef sauce in ireland and take them back here.
my friends went to ireland recently by car and ferry.  one of them is south african, she came back with boiled bacon, tea bags, boxty, potato bread, sausages, rashers, brown bread and believe or not as much turf (yes turf from the bog) that she could get crammed into the Jeep !  she reckons a good turf open fire and bacon on the pan is the real mccoy.
we buy loads of magners (same as bulmers) from Costco.
There is nothing wrong with English food, i've eaten enough of it over the last 20 years but you cant beat the irish produce.


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## Pique318 (21 Jun 2007)

Don't forget the 'red cross' packages sent to backpackers in Oz...Barrys Tea and Tayto Cheese 'n' Onion


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## z108 (21 Jun 2007)

Pique318 said:


> Don't forget the 'red cross' packages sent to backpackers in Oz...Barrys Tea and Tayto Cheese 'n' Onion



Its not Irish but I'd add in Cadburys dairy milk chocolate to that package too. In some places its hard to get and the recipe for local choc can be different for the tastebuds.


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## Crea (21 Jun 2007)

I was in Japan for a year and all people wanted brought over were Cream Eggs. MMmmmmmmmmm!

Red meat is very expensive over the so I became the queen of cooking chicken - not so Mmmmmm


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## Crugers (21 Jun 2007)

sign said:


> ... I imagine it is like eating your best friend ...


I think you would have to go further than Spain for that one...
Korea maybe?


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## Ancutza (24 Jun 2007)

First of all you should really be hunted down and fined an enormous amount of money for trying to cart vacuum-packed meat around Europe.  

That said the holiday has been and gone and either the OP didn't survive the experience or is full and happy having grilled their Clonakilty black pudding on the balcony of the apartment complex.  Either way no news of them.

Reminds me of the happy 3 months I spent working in Piggs Peake, Swaziland where the nearest butchers was 3 miles away cross country and whilst asking 'What will you have sir?' the butcher spent most of his time kicking small yellow chicks which were running around behind the counter and swatting flys which buzzed him constantly.

Fillet steak was the cheapest cut in town since the Swazis wouldn't eat anything that didn't have a bone in it!!!! Superstition of some kind I seem to remember.

Just deadly!!! If anyone knows of any other contracts going out there then phone me and I'll be gone in a heart-beat!


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## ClubMan (24 Jun 2007)

Ancutza said:


> First of all you should really be hunted down and fined an enormous amount of money for trying to cart vacuum-packed meat around Europe.


Why - e.g. under what specific rules/legislation?


> Fillet steak was the cheapest cut in town since the Swazis wouldn't eat anything that didn't have a bone in it!!!!


I'd much prefer something with a bone in it to fillet (stop sniggering down the back please). Much more flavour.


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## HMC (25 Jun 2007)

europhile said:


> Sarcasmometer in need of recalibration!



Thanks to all contributors to this thread for such a laugh on this dreary Monday morning!


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## BillK (25 Jun 2007)

Ancutza is dead right; the three years we were in Swaziland was great for us carnivores. The other thing with Swazis and meat is that they like it fatty and well done - everything I hate.

Something else to try if you are ever in Trinidad is agouti. This little animal is a bit like a long legged guinea pig, but tastes better...


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## IrishGunner (6 Jul 2009)

Bringing this topic up from the ashes

Going over to England and Big Sis wants me to bring over some Superquinn Sausages. Normally i just buy them and put them in checked in luggage but this time just have hand luggage. Was going to ask in Superquinn if they could vacum pack them, not sure if they do?

Flying Ryanair so anyone know what the policy is on bringing on vacum packed meat in hand luggage. If not allowed sister will have to starve


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