Got a pork shoulder in freezer right now

CarlWayne · 02-06-2013, 12:51 PM

Plan on sticking it on the UDS Friday night. How many days should it take to thaw out in fridge should I go ahead and put it in fridge tonight?

gtr · 02-06-2013, 12:56 PM

Put it in the fridge as soon as you get home. Depending on how cold your fridge is, it may not thaw out by Fri. evening, in which case you can put under slowly running cold water in a pot (and still wrapped) to finish it thawing.

Terry The Toad · 02-06-2013, 12:57 PM

Yeah, if it's more than a few pounds, it needs to start thawing now (in the fridge, of course.)

NickTheGreat · 02-06-2013, 01:34 PM

Yeah put in fridge ASAP and if you're lucky you'll be smoking on Friday night!

J-Rod · 02-06-2013, 01:37 PM

If I'm thawing on the day of, I always thaw my meats in a clean sink or dishwashing container, in COLD water. It works pretty well.

MS2SB · 02-06-2013, 02:01 PM

Drop it into a bucket of water and put in the fridge today. I started thawing a butt Wed last week using this method and it was thawed by Fri. morning.

Stevieg891 · 02-06-2013, 03:05 PM

What's wrong with sitting it out in the sink and letting it thaw out normally? Why put it in water and stick it in the fridge?

MS2SB · 02-06-2013, 03:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stevieg891

What's wrong with sitting it out in the sink and letting it thaw out normally? Why put it in water and stick it in the fridge?

Basic food safety, keeping it in the sink for a long time will have it sitting in the danger zone for bacteria to grow. Keeping it in the fridge doesn't slow the thaw time much and is a lot safer.

Stevieg891 · 02-06-2013, 03:39 PM

Gotcha. I usually buy them thawed and come home and cook them the next day so I've never thawed one, but in case I do I'll try the water in the fridge.

BobM · 02-06-2013, 03:48 PM

Last pork picnic I thawed took 4 days.
If it's still frozen, put it in a large pot and run cold water over it.
If it's still a bit frozen in the middle when you're ready to cook it, it's fine.

NickTheGreat · 02-06-2013, 04:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MS2SB

Basic food safety, keeping it in the sink for a long time will have it sitting in the danger zone for bacteria to grow. Keeping it in the fridge doesn't slow the thaw time much and is a lot safer.

I'll agree with everything except the thaw time. I've had stuff in the fridge for 4 or 5 days that won't have thawed, and it would thaw overnight in the sink or on the counter. I try to not do that any more than I have to, though

MS2SB · 02-06-2013, 05:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NickTheGreat

I'll agree with everything except the thaw time. I've had stuff in the fridge for 4 or 5 days that won't have thawed, and it would thaw overnight in the sink or on the counter. I try to not do that any more than I have to, though

If its just in the fridge it can take quite a while, but if you submerge it in water and then put it in the fridge it will thaw much more quickly. I've thawed a 22 lb turkey which was frozen solid in 3-days using this method. The cold water will thaw things much faster than even setting it out on the counter at room temperature.

funugy · 02-06-2013, 06:11 PM

I've thawed meats every which way, and many of them are the "wrong" way, but I am still alive. I agree with everyone and their recommendations as far as doing it the safe way, in the fridge, or quickly under cold running water.

I am however intrigued with the submerged in water in the fridge method. I like the basic idea, but I wonder for those of you that have used this method is it possible to use a brine to submerge the meat in? Any draw backs by using brine instead of plain water? I'm really curious as I have never seen or done this, and I recently (thanks to this forum) started brining my chicken before smoking, and have seen some threads with regards to brining pork.

Thanks

02-06-2013, 12:51 PM	#1
CarlWayne Take a breath! Join Date: 10-24-11 Location: Granbury, Texas Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Got a pork shoulder in freezer right now Plan on sticking it on the UDS Friday night. How many days should it take to thaw out in fridge should I go ahead and put it in fridge tonight? __________________ My real name is Clint. Weber Kettle 22.5. UDS. Working on another UDS.

02-06-2013, 12:56 PM	#2
gtr Quintessential Chatty Farker Join Date: 10-16-10 Location: Culver City, CA Downloads: 2 Uploads: 0	Put it in the fridge as soon as you get home. Depending on how cold your fridge is, it may not thaw out by Fri. evening, in which case you can put under slowly running cold water in a pot (and still wrapped) to finish it thawing. __________________ 50" Klose BYC, Backwoods Chubby, UDS, 26" & 22.5" Weber Kettles, Jumbo Joe, WGA, WSJ/MUDS, Jumbo Old Smokey, Pig Hibachi, a piece of expanded metal I throw over the fire pit sometimes, Stealthy Black & Vol Orange Thermapens Displaced East Tennesseean Proud recipient of a Tick Former outlaw MOINK baller, now IMBAS Certified, but still lookin' over my shoulder. Golden Goose Egg - Got 2 in the nest baby! SPFP Mayzie's keeping an eye out for you! WTFWGALD?

02-06-2013, 12:57 PM	#3
Terry The Toad Take a breath! Join Date: 08-16-11 Location: Saint Cloud, FL Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Yeah, if it's more than a few pounds, it needs to start thawing now (in the fridge, of course.) __________________ Lang 48 Original Superfast RED ThermaPen "I love animals. I just love to eat them more. Fun to pet; better to chew." - Jim Gaffigan

02-06-2013, 01:34 PM	#4
NickTheGreat is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 05-08-12 Location: Iowa Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Yeah put in fridge ASAP and if you're lucky you'll be smoking on Friday night! __________________ 18.5" WSM ; Weber E-330 ; Weber Q200 (tailgating) . . . Guess I'm a Weber fanboy!

02-06-2013, 01:37 PM	#5
J-Rod is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 08-15-12 Location: Detroit Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	If I'm thawing on the day of, I always thaw my meats in a clean sink or dishwashing container, in COLD water. It works pretty well. __________________ "Hey careful man there's a beverage here!!!"

02-06-2013, 02:01 PM	#6
MS2SB is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 06-28-10 Location: Bothell, WA Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Drop it into a bucket of water and put in the fridge today. I started thawing a butt Wed last week using this method and it was thawed by Fri. morning. __________________ Traeger lil Tex, 2 Weber 22.5", UDS Mop, Sauce & Two Smoking Barrels BBQ Team "Go Cougs!" They call me "Dave" Noobian Warlord

02-06-2013, 03:05 PM	#7
Stevieg891 Is lookin for wood to cook with. Join Date: 07-19-12 Location: Texas Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	What's wrong with sitting it out in the sink and letting it thaw out normally? Why put it in water and stick it in the fridge?

02-06-2013, 03:39 PM	#9
Stevieg891 Is lookin for wood to cook with. Join Date: 07-19-12 Location: Texas Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Gotcha. I usually buy them thawed and come home and cook them the next day so I've never thawed one, but in case I do I'll try the water in the fridge.

02-06-2013, 03:48 PM	#10
BobM is Blowin Smoke! Join Date: 02-16-12 Location: Long Island, NY Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Last pork picnic I thawed took 4 days. If it's still frozen, put it in a large pot and run cold water over it. If it's still a bit frozen in the middle when you're ready to cook it, it's fine. __________________ "Beer is living proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy." - Benjamin Franklin \| Weber 18 1/2" & 22 1/2" WSM, 22 1/2" & 26 3/4" OTG, Genesis S-330 \| \| BBQ Guru CyberQ WiFi \| Maverick ET-732 \|

02-06-2013, 06:11 PM	#13
funugy On the road to being a farker Join Date: 05-21-12 Location: Oak Harbor, WA Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I've thawed meats every which way, and many of them are the "wrong" way, but I am still alive. I agree with everyone and their recommendations as far as doing it the safe way, in the fridge, or quickly under cold running water. I am however intrigued with the submerged in water in the fridge method. I like the basic idea, but I wonder for those of you that have used this method is it possible to use a brine to submerge the meat in? Any draw backs by using brine instead of plain water? I'm really curious as I have never seen or done this, and I recently (thanks to this forum) started brining my chicken before smoking, and have seen some threads with regards to brining pork. Thanks