Big Smoke and Food Handling Question

71-South · 04-12-2010, 08:13 PM

Hey All,

My Uncle Art and I smoked 50-60 lbs of pork on his big trailer smoker yesterday. Pic below.

Quick food handling question: I pulled the pork late last night, vacuum sealed it, and stuck it in the fridge. We're serving it Thursday night. Will it be OK in the fridge until then, considering it's food sealed? Or, do I need to stick it in the freezer and thaw it out on Thursday?

Thanks,
Bret

QuietOne · 04-12-2010, 08:18 PM

Was it at or below room temperature when you vacuumed it? If it was cooled well it might hold till Thursday. 4 days.

But for me.... That's 4 days and two to long for me. I'd freeze it NOW. Thaw it on the day of. Heat in hot water in the vac bag, but then I've never had that much meat to do all at once either.

71-South · 04-13-2010, 08:58 AM

I stuck it in the freezer and will thaw it out on Thursday. The bags are too big to boil, though (I got 4 butts worth in two gigantic food saver bags). I just thought that when vacuum sealed, I could get more time out of them in the freezer.

Thanks,
Bret

Chef Jim · 04-13-2010, 09:04 AM

You might get more time but I would not take the chance when feeding others. Just my .02

Prairie Smoke · 04-13-2010, 09:17 AM

Length of time in foodsaver bags isn't much of a concern, seriously. What I am concerned about is packaging four butts in two bags! That's a lot of meat in one package, and it would take a very long time for the meat in the middle of the package to cool down to below 40 degrees. If all that meat was still hot when it went in the fridge that's more trouble. You have 4 hours in the 'danger zone' to play with, but this includes prep time (trim & rub), and time during reheat before the meat reaches serving temp. Please make sure you re-heat very well.

71-South · 04-13-2010, 09:19 AM

Will do. Thanks.

04-12-2010, 08:13 PM	#1
71-South is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 05-02-08 Location: Harrisonville, MO Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Big Smoke and Food Handling Question Hey All, My Uncle Art and I smoked 50-60 lbs of pork on his big trailer smoker yesterday. Pic below. Quick food handling question: I pulled the pork late last night, vacuum sealed it, and stuck it in the fridge. We're serving it Thursday night. Will it be OK in the fridge until then, considering it's food sealed? Or, do I need to stick it in the freezer and thaw it out on Thursday? Thanks, Bret __________________ UDS / Mini WSM --- "Q or Q not. There is no try." -YodaQ Cass Lodge #147 AF&AM Harrisonville, Missouri

04-13-2010, 08:58 AM	#3
71-South is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 05-02-08 Location: Harrisonville, MO Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I stuck it in the freezer and will thaw it out on Thursday. The bags are too big to boil, though (I got 4 butts worth in two gigantic food saver bags). I just thought that when vacuum sealed, I could get more time out of them in the freezer. Thanks, Bret __________________ UDS / Mini WSM --- "Q or Q not. There is no try." -YodaQ Cass Lodge #147 AF&AM Harrisonville, Missouri

04-13-2010, 09:04 AM	#4
Chef Jim Babbling Farker Join Date: 02-07-10 Location: Tequesta, Florida Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	You might get more time but I would not take the chance when feeding others. Just my .02 __________________ Judge Jim, Given to me by Terry @ Git R Smoked. Chef Jim, Gym, Jim, or CJ. I'm not a Chef, but I play one on the internet. http://www.chef-jim.com A veteran is Someone who, at one point in his life, wrote a blank check made payable to "The United States of America", for an amount of "up to and including my life." That is honor, and there are far too many people in this country who no longer understand it. Author unknown.

04-13-2010, 09:17 AM	#5
Prairie Smoke On the road to being a farker Join Date: 12-01-08 Location: Regina, SK Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Length of time in foodsaver bags isn't much of a concern, seriously. What I am concerned about is packaging four butts in two bags! That's a lot of meat in one package, and it would take a very long time for the meat in the middle of the package to cool down to below 40 degrees. If all that meat was still hot when it went in the fridge that's more trouble. You have 4 hours in the 'danger zone' to play with, but this includes prep time (trim & rub), and time during reheat before the meat reaches serving temp. Please make sure you re-heat very well. __________________ Cooking on: JR Enterprises 23-60 stickburner (on catering trailer) Primo XL Oval, Traeger BBQ200, Traeger LilTex Memphis Pro FEC-100 Southern Pride XLR-1400 WSM x 3, UDS, Weber 22" OTG You don't win friends with salad! @prairie_smoke

04-13-2010, 09:19 AM	#6
71-South is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 05-02-08 Location: Harrisonville, MO Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Will do. Thanks. __________________ UDS / Mini WSM --- "Q or Q not. There is no try." -YodaQ Cass Lodge #147 AF&AM Harrisonville, Missouri

04-12-2010, 08:18 PM	#2
QuietOne Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 09-18-09 Location: Fort Smith, NT Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Was it at or below room temperature when you vacuumed it? If it was cooled well it might hold till Thursday. 4 days. But for me.... That's 4 days and two to long for me. I'd freeze it NOW. Thaw it on the day of. Heat in hot water in the vac bag, but then I've never had that much meat to do all at once either.

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