# Best meat to freeze for winter



## Wandz (Aug 3, 2020)

So I'm new to smoking this summer, but have done some big cooks already.  With winter getting close I'm starting to look for ideas of meat to freeze for winter as smoking meat in the winter is not doable where I live.  Looking to see what other people have done for cooks that are good after freezing and reheating, and possibly anything to stay away from.


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## kruizer (Aug 3, 2020)

As long as the products are vac sealed, they should last from six months to a year in the freezer.


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## daspyknows (Aug 3, 2020)

Pork Butts has my vote.  Pulled pork good year round.


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## JckDanls 07 (Aug 3, 2020)

kruizer said:


> As long as the products are vac sealed, they should last from six months to a year in the freezer.




I concur ....


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## chef jimmyj (Aug 3, 2020)

Pulled Pork or Beef holds up well. Smoked Pork Ribs, bite off, no more than an IT of 195°F, can be heated and finished. Cured and Smoked Meat does well. Belly Bacon, Loin Bacon, Buck Board Bacon, Shoulder Ham, City Ham, Corned Beef and Pastrami are all good after freezing. Then there are a whole host of Smoked Sausages, like Kielbasa, Andouille, Summer Sausage and Snack Sticks...JJ


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## D.W. (Aug 3, 2020)

chef jimmyj said:


> Pulled Pork or Beef holds up well. Smoked Pork Ribs, bite off, no more than an IT of 195°F, can be heated and finished. Cured and Smoked Meat does well. Belly Bacon, Loin Bacon, Buck Board Bacon, Shoulder Ham, City Ham, Corned Beef and Pastrami are all good after freezing. Then there are a whole host of Smoked Sausages, like Kielbasa, Andouille, Summer Sausage and Snack Sticks...JJ


All of this works really well. Only thing I'd add, and has been very good reheating, is pulled chicken. I do whole chickens with a simple brine, I then just put butter under the skin and season with black pepper; Smoke, pull, and vacuum seal. Then you can season the chicken for any dish you want when you reheat it. I usually do six to eight whole chickens and three or four pork butts each fall before covering the smoker for the winter.

If you don't want to do whole chickens, a bunch of bone-in chicken thighs works well too.


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## tallbm (Aug 3, 2020)

Wandz said:


> So I'm new to smoking this summer, but have done some big cooks already.  With winter getting close I'm starting to look for ideas of meat to freeze for winter as smoking meat in the winter is not doable where I live.  Looking to see what other people have done for cooks that are good after freezing and reheating, and possibly anything to stay away from.



Hi there and welcome!

I'm with the guys that basically anything u can vac seal should be good to go.

With that said the best bang for your buck will be the cheaper cuts.

This is pork butt when u can get them like $0.99/lb.
Doing whole chickens (be sure to brine them) and deboning and vac sealign when they are $0.99/lb are good too.
Any chicken for less than a dollar so do chicken leg quarters that u can get for $0.60/lb or less are good.
Boneless skinless chicken breast when they are are $1.99/lb or less rock as well.  Just be sure to brine them as well.

When you can get pork ribs on sale cut them St. Louis style or buy them that way or buy babybacks u can do them and vac seal them... I like to pull the bones out and vac seal them that way. 

You don't live in Texas but when briskets go on sale for $1.69 to $1.99/lb then u can do a number of them as well.

Anyhow u get the idea that anything cost effective will work... if u have a good vac sealer.  I mean a GOOD vac sealer none of those food saver or black and decker pieces of crap.  I'm talking a $300+ real vac sealer that wont die on u after 30 uses.

I hope this info helps :)


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## indaswamp (Aug 4, 2020)

We freeze Venison and other Wild Game meat in Winter....


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## SmokinAl (Aug 4, 2020)

Just about any meat will freeze well if it’s vac packed, than we just put the bag in hot water, not boiling just a few bubbles, until the meat is thawed & hot. I really can’t tell the difference than when it came off the smoker. And I have stuff in the freezer a couple of years old.
Al


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