Shipping BBQ

[Smokesman]

Brethren. Since I can't be there I would like to ship ribs and pork to the east coast (DC) for my brother on his 40th birthday. Wondering if others have advice for the best process?

My initial thought for the ribs is to cook as normal but pull them underdone, wrap tightly in foil with some cooking liquid and freeze quickly in dry ice. To reheat thaw for 24 hours then into 275 oven for 30 minutes.

Pork cooked until done, pulled into large chunks and quick frozen. Reheating on low in a crockpot always seems to reheat pork well.

Thoughts?

[Grillman]

I think I would just freeze them normally... and not with Dry Ice.
If you freeze them by Dry Ice...they will become brittle and could shatter if
dropped or if it gets a good bump.

I'd vacuum seal them, then freeze them solid for at least 48 hours. Wrap them in
some good insulation....like those frozen food bags with the handles that you can
buy at most grocery stores
Then put some Dry Ice on top of them once they are wrapped...and then wrap them
again.....the amount of dry ice you need will depend on how much meat you send.
Be sure to use a good sturdy cardboard box to ship it in.

Fedex is the best way to send it...it will be there the next morning by 10am. Unless
you send it on Friday; then it will arrive on Monday. Send it Priority Overnight.
Fedex is more expensive than others, but it is also far more reliable than any
other carriers. For the best help in packaging and how much Dry Ice
you can use etc. Call 1 800 go fedex

They can answer any questions you may have (even if you don't end up using them)
and they can give you a price quote...keep in mind that if you weigh it at home...your
scale may not be certified and not accurate. So when you take it to a Fedex
station their scale may show a different weight than yours did at home.

(That happened quite a bit when I worked for Fedex some years ago)

As a final thought....Do not send this as a surprise....make sure they know it
is coming, and someone will be there to receive it.
You'd be amazed how many people send LIVE Lobsters and Crabs to somebody
for Christmas, as a surprise...and the people aren't home to receive it.
So the Lobsters died and we had to throw them out.

[1FUNVET]

It's real expensive. Get a quote before ya get a big surprise.

[chachahut]

Agreed on the freezing regularly for 48 hours (not dry ice freeze). Vac seal if at all possible.

As to shipping, you'll need to pack in dry ice or frozen gel packs in an insulated but not air tight container. Something like this:
http://www.uline.com/BL_2157/Insulat...+Shipping+Kits

You'll need to ship overnight via UPS or FedEx on Monday - Thursday. Basically, your package should not be sitting in a depot over the weekend. If shipped on Friday - you'll have to pay the megahit for Saturday overnight.

Keys to shipping meat:
1. freeze solid for 48 hours
2. pack well
3. no more than 24 hours to the destination

cheers,

[Low-n-Slow]

The others covered the shipping exactly how I use to ship fish.

As for the doneness of the meat, I'd smoke everything to completion before freezing.

[Slamdunkpro]

The last time I shipped 'que out it was from DC to Charlotte NC and it cost me about $65 to send 2 racks of ribs and half a brisket via FedEx.

I've found that vacuum packing, freezing and reheating bag and all in boiling water works very well.

[jestridge]

My wife get one of her shot by ups it is in a foam box with 4 ice pak . I bet one of those would work tape it up with duct tape

[shdybrady]

Here recently a member asked me to make some bbq for a friend. The fried was in ga, and he was located in Missouri. It was like a bbq-gram. Really thoughtful and alot less hassle. Might be something to consider

[eagle697]

Why not try the dry ice. My thoughts on it would be freeze quickly with dry ice because the faster it freezes, the smaller the ice crystals, the less damage to the meat. Put in freezer for a few days, i would think it may "soften up" to normal freezer hardness, but have much less damage due to crystal formation. If i ever freeze berries, i use dry ice and they don;t turn to total mush when thawed. I have been thinking about using dry ice to freeze meat for a while, but haven;t tried it yet. though. i may be totally off base. Anyone tried it before?

[Shiz-Nit]

Originally Posted by Slamdunkpro

The last time I shipped 'que out it was from DC to Charlotte NC and it cost me about $65 to send 2 racks of ribs and half a brisket via FedEx.

I've found that vacuum packing, freezing and reheating bag and all in boiling water works very well.

Yep same here on price..... But NO boiling the Que please.... Boil Hee Hee

[dataz722]

Originally Posted by eagle697

Why not try the dry ice. My thoughts on it would be freeze quickly with dry ice because the faster it freezes, the smaller the ice crystals, the less damage to the meat. Put in freezer for a few days, i would think it may "soften up" to normal freezer hardness, but have much less damage due to crystal formation. If i ever freeze berries, i use dry ice and they don;t turn to total mush when thawed. I have been thinking about using dry ice to freeze meat for a while, but haven;t tried it yet. though. i may be totally off base. Anyone tried it before?

I was always under the same assumption and planned to freeze like that if/when I get a cow.

[Smokesman]

Thanks for all the great advice everyone! I'll let you know how it works out.

[Mad Max]

I have shipped 'Que, to different parts and this is what works for me. I cook normal and then vacuum seal, with a little added juice. I freeze for at least 48 hours. Then I get an Styrofoam cooler from wally world or local gas station, fill with product, use either gel packs, or dry ice(only on top in brown paper bag). seal cooler, with duct tape, and into a sturdy box. Try to drop or arrange pick up within an hour of packing, and over night shipping, with Fed Ex or Postal Service. For my nephew's birthday, I shipped pulled pork, brisket and sauce for over 20 people and it arrived partially frozen, in the mid afternoon. All they had to do was re-heat, in hot water, for about 20-30 minutes.