Meat by the Case: Frozen or Not?

bbqgeekess · 01-07-2014, 08:42 PM

Hi, I recently got a Sam's club membership and I'm interested in buying meat by the case; e.g. pork butt for $1.39/lb and baby back ribs for $2.16/lb.

My question is, do these come frozen in the case or not?

I presume that all the pork butts, ribs, etc. that Sam's gets, comes to them frozen in their cryo packs, in these cases--then they thaw it out and sell it. And when they sell by the case, they simply sell what they receive, without thawing it out first.

Hopefully this is what they do because I'd hate to re-freeze meat unnecessarily because it degrades the quality/texture of it I hear.

bbqwilly · 01-07-2014, 09:00 PM

I bought a case of butts and ribs there before and neither were frozen.

c farmer · 01-07-2014, 09:05 PM

Hmmmmm. Have to check my sams to see if they sell by the case.

ClayHill · 01-07-2014, 09:20 PM

of all the cases I've bought at Sam's....they have never been or appeared to be frozen, meat is always fresh. My local sam's moves a lot of meat

IamMadMan · 01-07-2014, 09:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by c farmer

Hmmmmm. Have to check my sams to see if they sell by the case.

You have to ask the meat department for the case price...

Pyle's BBQ · 01-07-2014, 09:28 PM

The meat that comes by the case is always fresh. The chickens will seem frozen, but under USDA rules they can be cooled down to, I think, 28*F and be shipped. This will slightly freeze the them, but they are considered fresh. The only thing that would be frozen would be turkey, but that is never fresh. If you get a case of butts or ribs, it should have a cook/freeze by date on it. Pay close attention to these. Don't ask me how I know.

Pyle's BBQ · 01-07-2014, 09:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by c farmer

Hmmmmm. Have to check my sams to see if they sell by the case.

Quote:

Originally Posted by IamMadMan

You have to ask the meat department for the case price...

There should be a sign near the meat case with the prices on it. It will have about 9 different prices on it, but I think you can get a case price for any of the whole meats they have. Case price for chicken is $.99/lb. It is not a posted price.

c farmer · 01-07-2014, 09:37 PM

Mine does not post case price and they have chicken .99 cents in a twin pack everyday.

Different stores I guess have different ways.

ClayHill · 01-07-2014, 09:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pyle's BBQ

There should be a sign near the meat case with the prices on it. It will have about 9 different prices on it, but I think you can get a case price for any of the whole meats they have. Case price for chicken is $.99/lb. It is not a posted price.

Yeah...Hagerstown MD store has case prices posted as well

bbqgeekess · 01-08-2014, 09:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by c farmer

Mine does not post case price and they have chicken .99 cents in a twin pack everyday.

Different stores I guess have different ways.

Aldi sells single whole chickens (Tyson's) for .89 cents a pound.

daninnewjersey · 01-08-2014, 09:51 AM

During the summer I buy about 5 cases of spares a week from Sam's. They've never been frozen.....always fresh.

HankB · 01-08-2014, 10:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by c farmer

Mine does not post case price and they have chicken .99 cents in a twin pack everyday.

All of the "100% natural" chicken at my local Sam's is injected. Even the parts.

c farmer · 01-08-2014, 12:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HankB

All of the "100% natural" chicken at my local Sam's is injected. Even the parts.

Might be a stupid question but does it really matter?

They seem to cook up just fine.

HankB · 01-08-2014, 01:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by c farmer

Might be a stupid question but does it really matter?

They seem to cook up just fine.

You are right, they do cook up fine. Mostly I suppose it just rubs me the wrong way. I feel like I'm paying chicken prices for some water, salt and broth.

I'd prefer to brine poultry myself rather than rely on what the processor does.

Wampus · 01-08-2014, 02:21 PM

I've bought cases of butts and brisket from Sam's and they've never been frozen.

01-07-2014, 08:42 PM	#1
bbqgeekess Babbling Farker Join Date: 07-06-13 Location: Oklahoma	Meat by the Case: Frozen or Not? Hi, I recently got a Sam's club membership and I'm interested in buying meat by the case; e.g. pork butt for $1.39/lb and baby back ribs for $2.16/lb. My question is, do these come frozen in the case or not? I presume that all the pork butts, ribs, etc. that Sam's gets, comes to them frozen in their cryo packs, in these cases--then they thaw it out and sell it. And when they sell by the case, they simply sell what they receive, without thawing it out first. Hopefully this is what they do because I'd hate to re-freeze meat unnecessarily because it degrades the quality/texture of it I hear. __________________ 18.5" WSM and 22.5" OTG.

01-07-2014, 09:05 PM	#3
c farmer Babbling Farker Join Date: 06-13-13 Location: pa	Hmmmmm. Have to check my sams to see if they sell by the case. __________________ Adam Gold mini wsm 1st gen mes, amazin dust and pellet smoker, and the uds. Double O' Seven == Rotisserie/Grill/Smoker Hybrid and offset.

01-07-2014, 09:20 PM	#4
ClayHill Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 10-31-09 Location: Greencastle, PA	of all the cases I've bought at Sam's....they have never been or appeared to be frozen, meat is always fresh. My local sam's moves a lot of meat __________________ [URL]https://www.facebook.com/ClayHillCookers[/URL]

01-07-2014, 09:28 PM	#6
Pyle's BBQ Babbling Farker Join Date: 10-25-06 Location: Madrid, IA	The meat that comes by the case is always fresh. The chickens will seem frozen, but under USDA rules they can be cooled down to, I think, 28*F and be shipped. This will slightly freeze the them, but they are considered fresh. The only thing that would be frozen would be turkey, but that is never fresh. If you get a case of butts or ribs, it should have a cook/freeze by date on it. Pay close attention to these. Don't ask me how I know. __________________ Bryan, Team: Pyle's BBQ Yoder YS640; Good-One "Trail Boss" 60T; Weber Kettle rotisserie ring; Big A$$ Rotisserie; New Braunfels offset smoker; Weber Smokey Mountain; Backyard Bombers BBQ HJM Μολὼν λαβέ

01-07-2014, 09:37 PM	#8
c farmer Babbling Farker Join Date: 06-13-13 Location: pa	Mine does not post case price and they have chicken .99 cents in a twin pack everyday. Different stores I guess have different ways. __________________ Adam Gold mini wsm 1st gen mes, amazin dust and pellet smoker, and the uds. Double O' Seven == Rotisserie/Grill/Smoker Hybrid and offset.

01-07-2014, 09:00 PM	#2
bbqwilly Babbling Farker Join Date: 02-03-12 Location: Chickamauga, Ga	I bought a case of butts and ribs there before and neither were frozen.

01-08-2014, 09:51 AM	#11
daninnewjersey Babbling Farker Join Date: 01-01-11 Location: Southern NJ...exit 36	During the summer I buy about 5 cases of spares a week from Sam's. They've never been frozen.....always fresh. __________________ Proud owner of 4 VERY ugly drum smokers....and a Greasy Hill reverse flow....

01-08-2014, 02:21 PM	#15
Wampus somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 06-05-09 Location: Mooresville, IN	I've bought cases of butts and brisket from Sam's and they've never been frozen. __________________ [COLOR="Blue"][B]"Oh, I don’t reject Christ. I love Christ. It’s just that so many of you Christians are so unlike Christ." -Mahatma Gandhi[/B][/COLOR]