# Buying Rib Roast, then freezing it?



## hbark

So I'm going to smoke prime rib (standing rib roast) at our new year's eve party (there's only going to be 7-8 of us old farts).  I've smoked a lot of stuff but never one of these, so I'm planning on doing one as a "test" on Christmas eve, for just 3 of us.

Anyway, the local supermarket (Giant) has standing rib roasts, bone-in on sale this week for $5.99/lb.  Seems like a good price for around here (I didn't realize how expensive these things were when I volunteered to make on on new year's eve...).

So I ordered a 4 pounder to pick up on Friday to make for Christmas eve, and thought I'd order a bigger one for New Year's eve too since they're on sale.  I'd pick it up Friday too, and bring it home and freeze it for a week or so.

My question is, will freezing it mess up the taste or texture?  am I better off just getting a fresh one the next week at whatever price they are?  Costco has them for $7.99/lb, doesn't look like a sale, I'm guessing it's their regular price.

Thanks.


----------



## smoke king

Welcome!  You should have no problem freezing it for a few days and then thaw it for a few days in the refridgerator prior to New Years.  It shouldn't affect the taste.  In fact, buy another  and put in in the freezer for in a few months at that price!


----------



## pineywoods

I buy them anytime I can catch them on sale and have found it no problem to freeze then thaw and smoke


----------



## forluvofsmoke

I freeze them all the time. A sale is a sale, and we can't pass up the sale prices @ 4.99 to 5.99/lb when regular price is 10 bucks. We always get the full 7-bone, and as of late, I discovered that boning it out for a heavy, meaty slab of ribs makes a great lunch while the rib eye is smoking for dinner, found HERE.

A 4lb will be 3 bones from a smaller rib, or 2 from a large one, I suspect.

I will say though, for 7-8 men, I'd go for close to 1lb each, maybe more if they have good appetites for a great cut of beef (yes, it is crazy-good eating), as there is a lot of fat and bone in the rib roast...maybe 40% by weight.

Eric


----------



## JckDanls 07

was just looking at these yesterday at Publix... save $5.40 on sale for $5.99 a lb...  reg. $11.39 a lb and still didn't pull the trigger..   gggrrrrrrrr... 
as they said..  get it now and freeze


----------



## hbark

> Originally Posted by *forluvofsmoke*
> 
> I will say though, for 7-8 men, I'd go for close to 1lb each, maybe more if they have good appetites for a great cut of beef (yes, it is crazy-good eating), as there is a lot of fat and bone in the rib roast...maybe 40% by weight.
> 
> Eric


Thanks all for your suggestions, I can call the market and order another one.

Eric -- in our case on new year's eve it's 3 women and 4 men, and most are not big eaters (like I am....), I'm sure I'll have plenty with a 7-8 pounder, especially with appetizers and all the other stuff.  I'm going to the Eagles game the next day (yeah on New Year's day, geez) and I can add any leftovers to the tailgate.  Thinking of smoking up some ribs to go with that...  _before _I do the prime rib though!  Those are always good reheated at the tailgate too.

Q view promised when I do all this!!

Howard


----------



## chef jimmyj

Hbark...Don't freeze the one for New Years...DRY AGE IT!!!!....When you pick it up grab 2 packs of Chese Cloth at Giant. You can season now or later, wrap the meat in two-three layers of cloth and set it on a cooing rack in a 9x13 pan. Stick it in the bottom of the refer and leave it alone for two days. Remove the cloth, re-wrap and continue to age/change the cloth every two days for up to 6 days +/- a day or two. When you are ready season and Smoke according to plan...The meat will become really rich in meaty flavor and extra tender! I have been doing this for many years and it always comes out great...Freezing for 1 week is a waste when you can make the roast Better!...JJ


----------



## sprky

MAN u all lucky to get rib for that price. I just checked other day and it was over 10 a pound, that's why I hardly ever get it.


----------



## SmokinAl

On sale here too. I bought 8 of them. They freeze really well.


----------



## jak757

Chef JimmyJ said:


> Hbark...Don't freeze the one for New Years...DRY AGE IT!!!!....When you pick it up grab 2 packs of Chese Cloth at Giant. You can season now or later, wrap the meat in two-three layers of cloth and set it on a cooing rack in a 9x13 pan. Stick it in the bottom of the refer and leave it alone for two days. Remove the cloth, re-wrap and continue to age/change the cloth every two days for up to 6 days +/- a day or two. When you are ready season and Smoke according to plan...The meat will become really rich in meaty flavor and extra tender! I have been doing this for many years and it always comes out great...Freezing for 1 week is a waste when you can make the roast Better!...JJ


Hbark -- I'd go with JJ's suggestion.  He gave me some pointers on dry aging a rib roast, and I cooked one last Sunday, after 7 days of dry aging.  It was my test run before doing it the first time for Christmas.  Man oh man was it good!  That evening I started dry aging a really fine rib roast that I'll cook Christmas day.  My wife and daughter are already looking forward to it -- the "dry run" was that good!


----------



## mballi3011

I buy them when find them on sale and have no problems freezing and defrosting them either


----------



## hbark

Chef JimmyJ said:


> Hbark...Don't freeze the one for New Years...DRY AGE IT!!!!....When you pick it up grab 2 packs of Chese Cloth at Giant. You can season now or later, wrap the meat in two-three layers of cloth and set it on a cooing rack in a 9x13 pan. Stick it in the bottom of the refer and leave it alone for two days. Remove the cloth, re-wrap and continue to age/change the cloth every two days for up to 6 days +/- a day or two. When you are ready season and Smoke according to plan...The meat will become really rich in meaty flavor and extra tender! I have been doing this for many years and it always comes out great...Freezing for 1 week is a waste when you can make the roast Better!...JJ


Jimmy -- I've tried to read up about info on the whole dry aging thing, and just don't get it. I read all over the place how dry aging improves the flavor.  But how can the beef stay in the refrigerator that long without going bad?  I know I'm missing something here.... 

Thanks.


----------



## biaviian

I just thought that I should brag a bit.  I have always purchased my rib roasts from a different butcher than my other meat.  Why?  I am not sure; it is just something that I have always done.  Well I just went to my normal butcher for other supplies and asked about their price on standing rib roasts.  The answer I got was $4.99/lb.  So I just assumed this was a great sale for the time of year.  *No, their normal price is $6.49/lb.*   Yes, that's right, $6.49/lb.  That is just over 1/2 the price of most other places in the area.  So no more stocking-up and freezing for me!  It's fresh all the time now.


----------



## tigerregis

Sorry guys, I am buying US beef (choice, I know) at $3.99/lb. The first go at this was a choice NY strip roast (cry-o-vac) that I wet aged for 30 days, steaked and froze last week. The meat smelled fine after that time and the juices were absorbed into the muscle. We'll see. Yesterday, I bought two prime ribs at the same price. Checked for musculature and and got them from the loin end. Had the butcher wrap again and they are going to age the same way. The Giant I shopped at (Annapolis) sold everything at almost double what I pay here in Ontario. Wrong time of year to play Scrooge, but' what do I do when I see my southern friends pay through the nose. These are "standard Xmas prices BTW" here in the north.


----------



## chef jimmyj

hbark said:


> Jimmy -- I've tried to read up about info on the whole dry aging thing, and just don't get it. I read all over the place how dry aging improves the flavor.  But how can the beef stay in the refrigerator that long without going bad?  I know I'm missing something here....
> 
> Thanks.


Going BAD means nasty bacteria are growing on the meat...These need time and moisture.The bacteria get there when the butcher at the grocery breaks the seal on the cryovac wet aged box beef they get from the packer and handle, cut and wrap for display. A hunk of beef on the foam tray wrapped in plastic or butcher paper holds in this moisture, the bacteria grow and after a few days of the kids opening the refer and staring in looking for something to eat, the meat gets Stinky and Rotten.

When we dry age in your refrigerator we take the Roast and Season it with whatever containing Salt, I use Montreal Steak Seasoning, wrap it in Cheese Cloth and stick it in the refer. The salt and wicking action of the cotton cheese cloth Removes the moisture and therefore bacteria can't grow. There are other enzymatic things happening to tenderize the meat that take time the more time the more tender. We get a Meatier flavor because as the the moisture is removed the flavor Concentrates.  

There is no such thing as Fresh Beef, virtually all beef in the US is slaughtered and  either Cryovac Packed (wet aged) or Hung (dry aged) and allowed to Age 2 weeks before it hits the grocery stores...The high end Butchers will slaughter and Hang (dry age) 4 weeks or more before cutting and distribution but understand this is in a Very Controlled Environment that can not be duplicated in a Home Refrigerator and should not be attempted. My Butcher Dry ages 3 weeks SOP, I called and ordered an 8lb Standing Rib Roast and asked him to cut and further age 2 week for pick-up on 12/26. I will bring it home, Rub with Montreal, wrap and let it further age an additional week until I Smoke it on New Years Day, for a Grand Total of 6 Weeks of Dry aging!...The meat will be super Rich and Meaty and Cut Like Butta'...

Understand this can be taken too far and the Meat will get gamey and as the English call it "High" aka Funky! The longest aging I know of is 65 days at David Burke's Steak House in Chicago, supposed to be unbelievably awesome!

I hope this clears up the concept for you. If you have additional questions sent them in a PM...JJ


----------

