frozen pork butt

[kryinggame]

Men,

Last Summer I picked up a few pork butts that were on sale. 

I still have 2 sitting in the freezer.

I'm wondering if, after thawing and then smoking, if there will be a difference in the flavor?

Usually, I buy fresh and then smoke.  This will be the first time that I'm smoking something that's been sittin frozen since July/August.

Thanks!

 

[chef jimmyj]

Vac-Packed or well wrapped Meat will easily maintain it's quality for up to 1 year, especially large roasts. You are only at about 7 months old. Thaw them in the refer and smoke 'em...JJ

 

[kryinggame]

Thank you sir!

It's been awhile since I did any serious smoking but the urge is hitting me again.

 

[roadkill cafe]

Glad you asked the question KG and appreciate the answer JJ because I usually buy fresh also. Local meat market has butts on sale, 2 pack cryo, for .99/lb. so I picked one pack up. Don't think I'll be eating 16 lbs. of PP that fast by myself so one will go in the freezer for another day. JJ, I was planning on freezing then vac sealing. Any advantage you think or just a waste of supplies.

Steve

 

[pgsmoker64]

JJ is correct!

I do both, buy and cook fresh and freeze - thaw - cook.  Never had a problem with flavor!

Now my friend Alicia (smokeusum) will not freeze anything and she found a source where she can run out and carve the butt right off the pig!

Lucky lil rascal!

 

[jarjarchef]

That darn Chef Jimmy.....On the money again........

What a lot of people don't realize is most of the meat comes to the market frozen and they thaw it in house.......... not saying your stores do, but a lot of them do.........

 

[davidhef88]

I worked in a very large meat redistribution warehouse (empire beef). 90% of everything was fresh shipped. Most of the frozen shipped was stuff that we froze because of dating.

 

[mvincent42]

I freeze stuff all the time both cooked and raw. Never have a problem. My advice would be to thaw and smell. The nose knows! If you are really paranoid do a quick fry test on a small piece and see how it cooks and tastes. If anything seems off, throw it away.

 

[kathrynn]

I always buy meats and then freeze....I shop once a week.  That is how I have always done it!  Freezing stuff rocks for this Household!

Kat

 

[chef jimmyj]

Glad you asked the question KG and appreciate the answer JJ because I usually buy fresh also. Local meat market has butts on sale, 2 pack cryo, for .99/lb. so I picked one pack up. Don't think I'll be eating 16 lbs. of PP that fast by myself so one will go in the freezer for another day. JJ, I was planning on freezing then vac sealing. Any advantage you think or just a waste of supplies.

Steve

Steve, If it is common for you to smoke 2 butts at a time, freeze as is and defrost a couple 3 days before you want to smoke. If only 1 at a time vac-pak them individually then freeze...JJ

 

[roadkill cafe]

Thanks JJ. It's usually just me and maybe one other person so to the freezer one will go after opening cryo. I freeze partially first then vac so juices/blood don't suck up into the seal.

 

[subotai]

Wouldn't hurt to put a thermometer in your freezer and check the temp.  I know that my home freezer on top of the fridge doesn't keep stuff at 0F.  More like it fluctuates between 15F-20F which is still cold, just not 0F.  At the restaurant my little commercial freezer there inside my walk in cooler registers 0F most of the time.  Even that one fluctuates from the door opening and defrost cycle up to 15F.  

I add this tidbit of info because as the temps rise, any liquid in the meats will begin to thaw.  Its the thawing and refreezing of the liquids which will form the sharp ice crystals.  These ice crystals are what will puncture the cell walls in the meats and when you go to cook them, all the liquids will drain right out.  

Most dedicated Chest Freezers will keep items in proper range, and I am sure many newer upright fridges can maintain...i know my 10 year old amana doesn't quite cut the mustard any more in that regards. 

Happy smoking!

 

[kryinggame]

Wouldn't hurt to put a thermometer in your freezer and check the temp.  I know that my home freezer on top of the fridge doesn't keep stuff at 0F.  More like it fluctuates between 15F-20F which is still cold, just not 0F.  At the restaurant my little commercial freezer there inside my walk in cooler registers 0F most of the time.  Even that one fluctuates from the door opening and defrost cycle up to 15F.  

I add this tidbit of info because as the temps rise, any liquid in the meats will begin to thaw.  Its the thawing and refreezing of the liquids which will form the sharp ice crystals.  These ice crystals are what will puncture the cell walls in the meats and when you go to cook them, all the liquids will drain right out.  

Most dedicated Chest Freezers will keep items in proper range, and I am sure many newer upright fridges can maintain...i know my 10 year old amana doesn't quite cut the mustard any more in that regards. 

Happy smoking!

Hello there fellow Charlottean.  I live on the SW side (by Lake Wylie).  I rarely get to your side of town but I may have to venture over there to check out your BBQ joint.

Anyway, I really was looking forward to putting the butt in my WSM but the weather is going to suck this weekend.  I hate smoking in the rain.  I may end up doing the butt Puerto Rican style--Pernil inside my house. 

Thanks again everyone. 

 

[801driver]

I have most always bought sides of beef the butcher had frozen for me and have used meat that had been wrapped properly in butcher paper and kept close to 0* sometimes for over a year with never a problem, same with fish I have cleaned and frozen in salt water.  If it is sealed and frozen, it does not age much in the bottom of my freezer.   

I did pick up a brisket "fresh" from a local grocery not long ago and opened it up after two days in the fridge to smoke that I sealed it back up with saran wrap and took it back to them.  It must have sat out somewhere way too long, yuck nasty smell as soon as I punctured the vacuum wrap.  No mistake, it was bad.

We tried some "Aged Steaks" from a new Homeland recently, supposedly kept 37 or so degrees and slow dried for several weeks.  Definitely not worth the extra money.  I can over cook our steaks to make them dry like that.

Sure fresh might be a little better, especially chicken, but in most cases we can never tell after it is cooked or smoked.  Most of what we eat that we smoke is re-frozen and thawed out in the microwave.  Guess we might just be used to it, but it seems better in most cases to me.  I tasted some ice that was several thousands of years old one time, could not tell the difference in that either.

My opinion, if you find a good sale, take advantage of it.

 

[saseekutz]

Lately I've been buying up my meat once a month and tossing it in my deep freeze. Haven't noticed any real difference in flavor either.