Will it hurt freezing a Brisket?

DavidEHickey · Jul 10, 2011

I bought a 8.5 pound vaccum sealed brisket yesterday to smoke today but my plans changed. Will it hurt freezing it? Just wondering if it will make the meat tough. It still vaccum sealed. Any help would be appreciated
David

ytsejam · Jul 10, 2011

it will be ok to freeze it

Stevesonfire! · Jul 10, 2011

I froze a brisket once.... didn't feel any pain at all....

As far as making it tough.... it comes that way! Smoking it makes it tender and tasty!

Bourbon Barrel BBQ · Jul 10, 2011

I've taken 1st place with a previously frozen briskets at comps. You will be fine.

The_Kapn · Jul 10, 2011

Another thread going on right now about the same thing.

http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=110938

Lots of opinions there.

TIM

colonel00 · Jul 10, 2011

I think in this situation it is a no brainer. Even if it does diminish the quality of the meat a little, that is a whole lot better than having to toss the whole thing out because you didn't find time to cook it. I have been in the exact same situation before where I had a huge packer sitting in the fridge waiting for the weekend. All of the sudden plans change and I knew it wouldn't get to it. So, into the freezer it went. I ended up cooking it a couple months later and it was fine. Just remember it will take forever for it to thaw.

bigabyte · Jul 10, 2011

Freeze away and sleep tight knowing it will be fine.

Cook · Jul 10, 2011

Here's my "opinion".

Freezing will not make your meat tough. If anything, it will tenderize it a little. All those tiny ice crystals that form during a slow freeze should tear away at some of the muscle...therefore tenderizing it.

Just my convoluted thoughts.

I'm sure there's some smart person out there who will type a boring 6 paragraph response just to say my opinion is wrong.

bignburlyman · Jul 11, 2011

If it is in the cryovac from the packing plant it should'nt need to be frozen at all if you are just waiting a week to cook. I have aged brisket in the cryovac for up to 45 days with no problem. One point---I do buy a case at a time and know what the packing date is, so I know how much age is already on the brisket.

LMAJ · Jul 11, 2011

Wasw it previously frozen?? If so, then I would cook it now. If not - freeze away!

Will it hurt freezing a Brisket?

DavidEHickey

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ytsejam

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Stevesonfire!

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Bourbon Barrel BBQ

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The_Kapn

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colonel00

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bigabyte

somebody shut me the fark up.

Cook

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bignburlyman

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LMAJ

somebody shut me the fark up.

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