# Cold smoking - pork shoulder



## tim ostrander (Dec 10, 2012)

Hey guys I need some advise. I'm not new to the smoking deal, but I still am a little green. I have a little chief smoker, and when it gets cold it doesn't get real hot. I usually finish off my meat in the oven and it turns out great. My question is, can I smoke a pork shoulder, and then freeze it, then finish cooking it in the oven later? My grandfather is getting old and I want to take some smoked meat to him over Christmas. Thanks for any help you can give. I'll be using a dry rub on brined shoulder that is in roughly 4lb chunks.

Below is an answer I got from Alesia on FB, but I was advised to post here as well.

"I wouldn't advise it. I will also check with one of the SMForums safety moderators and if I am wrong, I certainly will let you know. Smoke it as you normally have been and finish it in the oven or the crock pot. If you are planning to pull it, go ahead and do so, vacuum seal it into the size portions you want and freeze. If you don't have a vacuum sealer, package it in freezer bags. It can be re-warmed in a crock pot, oven or saucepan by adding a little apple juice or even chicken stock.~Alesia"


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## chef jimmyj (Dec 11, 2012)

Alesia gave the correct advice. With what you are proposing, your are simply warming the meat, taking it slowly through the danger zone, then cooling through the danger zone and heating again through the danger zone. So since there is a good chance all the bacteria was not killed the first time, you are giving it two more opportunities to multiply and cause problems. Until the Pork is fully cooked you want " one " trip through the danger zone. Raw to fully cooked...After cooking pull it so it cools rapidly and bag it...JJ


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## smokinhusker (Dec 11, 2012)

Thanks JJ!


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