# Urgent Food Safety question...



## kevin james (Jan 3, 2015)

So I kind of screwed up  and started a smoke when I shouldn't have. Put a 5lb brisket and 4lb pork butt in the smoker (cold) 2 hours ago and got the smoke blowing. Smoker got up to temp about an hour ago.

I just now found out today is a spare the air day and had to put the smoke out. 

So.... I'm really not interested in finishing in the oven with no smoke flavor so I was thinking about pulling the meat, vac sealing the brisket and shoulder (separately of course) and puting them in the freezer for a later time. Would that be safe, or is the only option to finish in the oven with now with no smoke?


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## mr t 59874 (Jan 3, 2015)

Kevin James said:


> I just now found out today is a spare the air day and had to put the smoke out.
> 
> Would that be safe, or is the only option to finish in the oven with now with no smoke?


Give me a break.  Did the burger joints and steak houses close for the day?

Finish it in the oven and enjoy.

Tom


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## kevin james (Jan 3, 2015)

Never mind. Answered my own question, not safe. Darn.


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## boykjo (Jan 3, 2015)

[h2]Spare the Air in the San Francisco Bay Area [/h2]







The 2014/2015* Winter Spare the Air* season runs from November 1 through February 28.

Each day by early afternoon, the Air District will issue an air quality forecast for the next day. If air quality is forecast to be unhealthy, a Winter Spare the Air Alert will be called. The alert will be in effect the entire next day, for a full 24 hours.

*When a Winter Spare the Air Alert is in effect, it is illegal to burn wood, manufactured fire logs, pellets, or any other solid fuels in your fireplace, woodstove or outdoor fire pit.*

*Who is the air district and did they send out the alarm.......I dont think this applies to grilling or cooking food.... Campfires, fireplaces yes. When you smoke food you are smoking with thin blue smoke not white billowing smoke.....* *As said finish in the oven... people are starving so waste not.....*


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## mr t 59874 (Jan 3, 2015)

boykjo said:


> [h2]Spare the Air in the San Francisco Bay Area [/h2]
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Nothing about cooker ovens (smokers) that I can see.

I can see myself doing 30 days for cooking a rack of spare ribs for my priest.

I'll tell you, if they are allowed, they will be issuing enema tubes ( at tax payers expense ) with Bic lighters attached and require us to light are own farts when expelling gas.

Tom


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## bear55 (Jan 3, 2015)

Mr T 59874 said:


> Nothing about cooker ovens (smokers) that I can see.
> 
> I can see myself doing 30 days for cooking a rack of spare ribs for my priest.
> 
> ...


That is California for you.


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## damnthatsgood (Jan 3, 2015)

You're not asking the right question, amigo.  The right question is:  "How far is it to the state line?  And can someone with a pickup help me move?"


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## timberjet (Jan 3, 2015)

I thought Washington was bad. haha..


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## noboundaries (Jan 3, 2015)

Local "spare the air" laws over here in Sacramento exclude outdoor cooking appliances including BBQs and smokers.  The law specifically applies to fireplaces, woodburning "heating" stoves, fire pits, etc.  You can call the local city government on Monday and just to confirm you can "still use your BBQ on spare the air days."  I'd ask it just like that.  Don't go into details about smoker, model, etc. Then smoke a spotted owl.


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## cmayna (Jan 3, 2015)

Been there,,,,,done that.  I called them some time ago and they confirmed if you are cooking with smoke, you're ok to continue.


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## chilefarmer (Jan 3, 2015)

Dang I love Texas. CF


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## crankybuzzard (Jan 3, 2015)

chilefarmer said:


> Dang I love Texas. CF



Amen to that!

I have to go to a plant in CA twice a year for the company I work for, their laws and regs are a PITA!


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## diggingdogfarm (Jan 3, 2015)

The land of fruits and nuts. :biggrin:


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## noboundaries (Jan 3, 2015)

We have friends who have received a warning.  According to them the smoke police have a heat sensitive infrared device that lights up on chimneys exhausting hot gases.  They also depend upon neighbors who complain or report you, aka fruits and nuts.  The enforcement folks write a ticket and put it on your door.  Fines increase dramatically after the first ticket. 

There must be some minimal area heat threshold they measure with the device to distinguish between an outdoor fire pit and the heat emitted by a smoker or BBQ.


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## timberjet (Jan 3, 2015)

Whatever!


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## boykjo (Jan 3, 2015)

*Spare the Air* is a program established by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District in 1991 to combat air pollution during the summer in the San Francisco Bay Area, the season when clear skies, hot temperatures, lighter winds, and a strong temperature inversion combine and trap air pollutants near the ground.[sup][1][/sup]

*Spare the Air days* are declared for days in which levels of ground-level ozone (a constituent of smog) are predicted to exceed the EPA's federal health-based standard of 84 ppb, or an air quality index over 100.[sup][2][/sup] On a Spare the Air day, Bay Area residents are asked through radio and television announcements to reduce their driving, refrain from using gas-powered gardening equipment and curb other air polluting activities such as painting and aerosol spray can usage. People especially sensitive to smog are advised to limit their time outdoors.

*Spare the Air nights* are also issued during the winter when particulate emissions often coming from wood burning and other activities become trapped in stagnant air masses. During winter Spare the Air nights, wood burning is banned and violators may have to attend a class or pay a fine of up to $500. Exceptions are allowed if a household has a power outage. Barbecues are permitted on a Spare the Air Day, but are discouraged to reduce air pollution


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## ajbert (Jan 3, 2015)

And here we've been burning the wood stove just about every day since back in Nov. 

I'd say most of the neighbors do the same.

I'm about 99.44% sure than none of us even feel the least bit guilty!


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## timberjet (Jan 4, 2015)

AJBert said:


> And here we've been burning the wood stove just about every day since back in Nov.
> 
> I'd say most of the neighbors do the same.
> 
> I'm about 99.44% sure than none of us even feel the least bit guilty!


I used to live in silverton and we burned coal in the woodstove. Best heat for the money for sure. I don't know if that would fly in cali though.


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## inkjunkie (Jan 5, 2015)

timberjet said:


> I thought Washington was bad. haha..


Live in Stevens County...pretty much a free-for-all for most things...


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