Butcher paper is not the same as freezer paper. We have a lot of papers used in the kitchen that is very hard to track. Papers include freezer paper, butcher paper, parchment paper, and wax paper. Then what exactly are their differences?
Do freezer paper and butcher paper perform the same function? Can we say one of them is better than the other? There are several questions you can think of asking, but the thing you need to know is that both of these kitchen papers are not considered the same. They could sometimes be used interchangeably but both freezer paper and butcher paper were designed for the same purpose. You don’t need to think too much because the information might seem confusing, it’s the main reason we are here. You don’t have to start scratching your head to figure out how they are different and when or which of them you will need.
We have here a guide that will help you break down the details. We are going to show you all you should know as regards each of the products and what each is best for. We are going to cover both freezer paper and butcher paper on separate levels before we summarize the main differences in a review. You need to keep reading to find out all you need to know about butcher paper and freezer paper, their similarities and differences.
A Comparison of Butcher Paper and Freezer Paper
Freezer paper and butcher paper are both used for different purposes. It would be good to try to cover them individually as a paper before we check out a summary that will be easily understandable.
Freezer Paper
Freezer paper has a close resemblance with wax paper and it is more common to mistake it for wax paper rather than for butcher paper. Freezer paper is considered thinner than butcher paper that is coarse and thick. Freezer paper feels and appears waxy because it is covered in plastic layers.
You should, however, note that freezer paper is different from wax paper. Freezer paper has its body coated only on a side while the wax paper is covered on the two sides. You must also note that freezer paper is not parchment paper because parchment paper does not have any coating on either of its sides.
If you want to freezer foods like seafood and meats, your best bet is freezer paper because it is very great to use for freezing. The unique wax covering on that one side will help preserve the stored food and also serve as protection against freezer burn. The juice of your frozen meats will be held when you use freezer paper to freeze your meat and it is considered the optimal way. The juice within the meat you are freezing will not leak through the freezer paper to become a mess. This is a special characteristic that butcher paper does not have.
If you want to use freezer paper, wrap the items or meat inside the waxy side of the paper (allow the paper to touch the meat). The wax serves to protect whatever you have wrapped inside it and also holds within the moisture that will help prevent potential freezer burn and also protect it from whatever you want it to be protected from. You can write a date on the side without the wax coat, i.e. the exterior area to note what you have wrapped inside. The items can be wrapped in a foil or stored in your freezer bag or the paper could be taped down so that it can be kept sealed.
Freezer paper is not usually as purchased as other papers are because people are not really familiar with the functions of freezer paper and this does not make it an easy option to find. If you want to freeze, freezer paper is still the best to use.
Butcher Paper
Popularly referred to as kraft paper, butcher paper as you will notice from the name was originally made for butchers to use to wrap up meats before they sell or distribute them. They are also available on Amazon.
A good attribute of butcher paper is that butcher paper is quite thick and it greatly preserves whatever you wrap in them. Butcher paper is heavy and can be folded. It is considered a storage method that is inexpensive. It is quite easy to cut or tear into the sizes as needed because it is sold most often in rolls and bulks.
Butcher paper is heavy and made from kraft pulp. It has either a reddish/brown or white color. Due to the kind of materials used to make it, it could be sometimes coarse or grainy to touch. Butcher paper is a thick brown paper and could commonly be more sturdy and thicker. Remember that your butcher paper that will be used to store or wrap food should be approved by the FDA.
Butcher paper is originally used by butchers for wrapping meats but it has been modified to be used for other purposes. Check below for a few of other uses of butcher paper:
- Table and tray liners
- Advertising purposes
- To wrap meats for smoking, most especially in BBQ competitions.
- To wrap deli delights
- For prints like newspapers
- To pack glass or china items
- Banners
- Posters
- Arts and crafts.
The examples above are just some of those things butcher paper is used for. Butcher paper is quite easily found and easily bought and can be used for several other things.
Butcher papers can be used to package food products and the cheapest collection can be bought because it has a very giant roll and it is always in bulk. You should ensure that the FDA approved whatever butcher paper you might use before you allow it to contact your food.
Butcher paper is usually used to protect whatever is wrapped inside by wrapping to side and sealing or taping. Meat wrapped inside butcher paper can be frozen and it will be protected from freezer burn and any other freezer effect. Freezer paper is considered the best to freeze meat, but butcher paper can also be used. Butcher paper does not have any limitations to what it can be used for.
Butcher Paper vs Freezer Paper Overview
Now, let’s ask the question, what are the similarities and differences between these two papers?
Butcher paper and freezer are not similar apart from being a type of paper and both being used on meat. They are made for different purposes. Let’s check out some of their differences:
- Butcher paper can freeze your meat quite well but it does not help hold the juice.
- The one considered more closely related to parchment paper and wax paper is freezer paper.
- Freezer paper could be more expensive than butcher paper. Freezer paper has a roll like wax paper while butcher paper has larger rolls.
- Butcher paper can be considered sturdy and thick.
- Freezer paper preserves meat such as venison and it is wax covered at one side.
There are no comparisons, they both have their uses. Butcher paper works greatly for crafting and used for lining tables and trays as well as to make wrap paper. Butcher paper works well to wrap butchered meat. However, when you are considering freezing of items, the freezing paper is the best and you cannot compare butcher paper to it. When you consider whichever one to use, have it at the back of your mind that they serve different purposes and are used for different things according to need.
Related Questions
Hope the guide has been useful to you? We are sure you must have learned one or two things about what freezer paper and butcher paper are all about, how they can be used, how they compare, and what their differences are. You would have also understood the strong point of each of them and the circumstances that one may have superiority over the other.
We have put together some questions and answers that could be of further help, please check them out below:
Can I Use Paper Bags as Butcher Paper?
Materials of butcher paper are sometimes used to make paper bags. Be very careful of what you are trying to wrap whenever you are replacing butcher paper with paper bags because butcher paper must be approved by FDA if you are using it to wrap food items.
Is Freezer Paper Better than Freezer Bags?
If you want to freeze meats, it is preferable to use freezer paper so that the meat can be preserved and the juice can be held intact. You can preserve further by placing the items wrapped with freezer paper into your freezer bag. If you are trying to freeze non-meat items, used freezer bags because they work best.
Can You Use Butcher Paper or Freezer Paper in the Oven?
You should use parchment paper or foil in the oven than butcher paper though butcher paper can also be used in case you do not have any other paper that you can use. Freezer paper, however, is preferably used for freezing storage purposes and it is recommended not to be used for cooking or inside the oven because of its waxy coating.
