Help! Speeding up butt thaw?

smokemonster · 05-06-2011, 08:51 AM

So I have an 8 lb bone in butt that I moved from the freezer to my refrigerator Wednesday morning. It has thawed to some degree, but is still pretty solid and I'm planning on throwing it on the WSM around 5am tomorrow. This is the first time I've had to thaw one, and i'm starting to get really worried it's not going to be thawed in time. Is there anyway to speed up the process without spoiling the meat? Not sure if I could rotate it from the counter to fridge throughout the day or not? I'd really appreciate any help you guys could throw my way.

Bbq Bubba · 05-06-2011, 08:54 AM

Float it in a sink of cold water. Change the water hourly and will be thawed in about 5-6 hrs.
Never thaw meat on a counter.

smokemonster · 05-06-2011, 09:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bbq Bubba

Float it in a sink of cold water. Change the water hourly and will be thawed in about 5-6 hrs.
Never thaw meat on a counter.

Awesome! Will get the wife on it since she's home all day

Thanks Bbq Bubba!

Smokin'hoglegs · 05-06-2011, 09:09 AM

The fastest way I've found to thaw a frozen butt is to throw it on the smoker and cook it

I'm not kidding! I recieved the advice a while ago, did some research on it and went with it. Even found a pictoral of a guy who had to drill a hole in a frozen SOLID butt to insert his thermo probe!

Comes out just fine

Smokin'hoglegs · 05-06-2011, 09:10 AM

Oh yeah, it does take a bit longer to cook that way!

Q-Dat · 05-06-2011, 09:33 AM

I always like standing with my back to a space heater or campfire ;)

fnbish · 05-06-2011, 09:41 AM

I have done the the water thawing and that works great for me. Just start cooking it as soon as it is done thawing. Not a good idea to put it back in the fridge. I have also heard about smoking something that is only partially thawed. I remember seeing a show on the food network where a guy at a bbq joint actually smoked his briskets or something when they were partially frozen because it actually helped him better with the timing of smoking overnight and they came out looking like anything else smoked.

RX2006JE · 05-06-2011, 09:48 AM

fnbish, it was a turkey breast and it was Smokin Guns BBQ

Full Draw BBQ · 05-06-2011, 09:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Q-Dat

I always like standing with my back to a space heater or campfire ;)

Now that made me laugh.

zydecopaws · 05-06-2011, 10:27 AM

Another option if you don't want your sink out of action for several hours is to use a water-tight cooler and put the water over the butt. This has the added benefit of allowing you to use warm water, as the water will cool as the meat thaws and still keep it at a safe temperature. I find this works a bit faster than the sink method as long as you have a tight-fitting lid for the cooler.

Wallaby · 06-21-2011, 08:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Smokin'hoglegs

The fastest way I've found to thaw a frozen butt is to throw it on the smoker and cook it

I'm not kidding! I recieved the advice a while ago, did some research on it and went with it. Even found a pictoral of a guy who had to drill a hole in a frozen SOLID butt to insert his thermo probe!

Comes out just fine

Thanks Mike

BBQ Bandit · 06-21-2011, 09:11 AM

Got a five gallon bucket of water?

CharcoalCowboy · 06-21-2011, 09:27 AM

Another option is you can put it in a brine of cold water (completely covered of course). This is a safe way to expedite it quickly and add some flavor from your brine. I just "thawed" 2 butts in 12 hours last week. As others have said just make sure you cook it once thawed vs. putting it back in the fridge.

05-06-2011, 08:51 AM	#1
smokemonster Knows what a fatty is. Join Date: 05-29-10 Location: Midlothian, VA Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Help! Speeding up butt thaw? So I have an 8 lb bone in butt that I moved from the freezer to my refrigerator Wednesday morning. It has thawed to some degree, but is still pretty solid and I'm planning on throwing it on the WSM around 5am tomorrow. This is the first time I've had to thaw one, and i'm starting to get really worried it's not going to be thawed in time. Is there anyway to speed up the process without spoiling the meat? Not sure if I could rotate it from the counter to fridge throughout the day or not? I'd really appreciate any help you guys could throw my way.

05-06-2011, 08:54 AM	#2
Bbq Bubba somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 05-03-07 Location: New Baltimore, Mi. Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Float it in a sink of cold water. Change the water hourly and will be thawed in about 5-6 hrs. Never thaw meat on a counter. __________________ Pitmaster @ Lockharts BBQ Beer Snob I cook the best brisket north of Dallas. Get over it. Northern midwest director for OBR www.operationbbqrelief.com

05-06-2011, 10:27 AM	#10
zydecopaws Babbling Farker Join Date: 01-14-09 Location: Battle Ground, WA Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Another option if you don't want your sink out of action for several hours is to use a water-tight cooler and put the water over the butt. This has the added benefit of allowing you to use warm water, as the water will cool as the meat thaws and still keep it at a safe temperature. I find this works a bit faster than the sink method as long as you have a tight-fitting lid for the cooler. __________________ [B][URL="http://noexcusesbbq.com"]No Excuses BBQ[/URL][/B] [I][COLOR=Red]BBQ, no excuses! Who cares about the weather?[/COLOR][/I] [B][COLOR=Blue] MOINK Ball Wizard and ALF Award Recipient[/COLOR][/B] [SIZE=2]Webers up the wazoo, a bunch o' Pyromids, Bubba Ho-Keg, and [URL="http://noexcusesbbq.com/archives/2987"]the CrockaQue[/URL][/SIZE]

06-21-2011, 09:11 AM	#12
BBQ Bandit Babbling Farker Join Date: 02-15-08 Location: Harrisburg, PA Downloads: 1 Uploads: 0	Got a five gallon bucket of water? __________________ Bacon should be capitalized as a pronoun for pork! A BBQ Servant; cooking for the Troops, Churches, and Charity Operation BBQ Relief founding member Lang 84 Deluxe Kitchen known as "The Glamazon" Custom Klose Backyard Chef... of Snot, 22.5 WSM Former smokers; Lang 60 Mobile - The Damsel II, Lang 48 Patio - The Damsel, and Bubba Keg Grill - RIP

06-21-2011, 09:27 AM	#13
CharcoalCowboy Got Wood. Join Date: 08-26-10 Location: Franklin, TN Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Another option is you can put it in a brine of cold water (completely covered of course). This is a safe way to expedite it quickly and add some flavor from your brine. I just "thawed" 2 butts in 12 hours last week. As others have said just make sure you cook it once thawed vs. putting it back in the fridge. __________________ Stumps Elite 7, 22 & 18 WSMs, La Caja China, Bubba Keg, Weber Kettle, 180 Brisket Club

05-06-2011, 09:09 AM	#4
Smokin'hoglegs Got Wood. Join Date: 11-28-10 Location: Venice FL Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	The fastest way I've found to thaw a frozen butt is to throw it on the smoker and cook it I'm not kidding! I recieved the advice a while ago, did some research on it and went with it. Even found a pictoral of a guy who had to drill a hole in a frozen SOLID butt to insert his thermo probe! Comes out just fine

05-06-2011, 09:10 AM	#5
Smokin'hoglegs Got Wood. Join Date: 11-28-10 Location: Venice FL Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Oh yeah, it does take a bit longer to cook that way!

05-06-2011, 09:33 AM	#6
Q-Dat Babbling Farker Join Date: 12-03-08 Location: Pearl River LA Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I always like standing with my back to a space heater or campfire ;)

05-06-2011, 09:41 AM	#7
fnbish is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 01-10-11 Location: Buford, GA Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I have done the the water thawing and that works great for me. Just start cooking it as soon as it is done thawing. Not a good idea to put it back in the fridge. I have also heard about smoking something that is only partially thawed. I remember seeing a show on the food network where a guy at a bbq joint actually smoked his briskets or something when they were partially frozen because it actually helped him better with the timing of smoking overnight and they came out looking like anything else smoked.

05-06-2011, 09:48 AM	#8
RX2006JE On the road to being a farker Join Date: 07-16-09 Location: Anniston, AL Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	fnbish, it was a turkey breast and it was Smokin Guns BBQ

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