Thawing butts - water or fridge?

[NCguyHere]

I have four butts (2 per pack) frozen solid. I need to smoke one and have it ready at 6pm tomorrow for the in-laws. And then I need to do two of them and have them ready for delivery at 10am Thurs morning. What am I looking at as far as thaw times with water in the sink vs. fridge thawing? Also what do I do about the 4th butt? I'd hate to lose it because of the dethaw process but I gotta get these done :sad: Feel like I'm gonna be in a bind with that last butt. My gut tells me I'm just gonna have to smoke it, pull it, and freeze it. Any tips/advice/suggestion is mucho appreciated.

[Caseyjoenz]

Fill your bathtub with cold water and thaw them in there, probably about a three hour thaw.

[cpw]

Yeah, definitely under water. Frozen solid in the fridge would take 2 or 3 days to thaw.

[caseydog]

Assuming they are vacuum packed in plastic, definitely thaw in water.

CD

[NCguyHere]

Thanks guys. Looks like the water thaw is definitely my route. Yeah they are in the vacuum packs.

[Jarhead]

As much as I dislike defrosting in water, I don't think you have much choice.
Hope you got a 2 holer for a sink.:wink:
Put 1 pack in each sink filled with cold water. Don't break the cryovac packaging.
Change the water every couple hours or when you think of it.
Check them to see if they will break apart. If they do pack them in ziplock baggies and back into the water until they are defrosted all of the way through.
That is one tight schedule you put yourself on. Hopefully you can get them on the pit around 3 a.m. Save the spare for yourself, pull it, vac pack it and freeze it.
Plenty of time on the other 2.
Good luck.

[CarolinaQue]

Like said...thaw in water. But I think you may thawing them for 8 to 10 hours. You may want to start the process in the water and then move them into the fridge over night, or a couple of days. I'd cook the 4th one and refrezze it for later myself.

[Scubadoo97]

I have four butts (2 per pack) frozen solid. I need to smoke one and have it ready at 6pm tomorrow for the in-laws. And then I need to do two of them and have them ready for delivery at 10am Thurs morning. What am I looking at as far as thaw times with water in the sink vs. fridge thawing? Also what do I do about the 4th butt? I'd hate to lose it because of the dethaw process but I gotta get these done :sad: Feel like I'm gonna be in a bind with that last butt. My gut tells me I'm just gonna have to smoke it, pull it, and freeze it. Any tips/advice/suggestion is mucho appreciated.
In a time crunch water is fast but slow thaw in the fridge is safer is you plan ahead.

[Pitmaster T]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfgo5CxDBHo&list=PL23E21B0A5DD0AB94&index=5&feature=plpp_video

[tarheelsmoker]

Hey nc guy have you thought about just buying some new ones? Food lion has them going on sale tomorrow morning. That would solve your fourth butt issue as well.

[NU2QN]

I agree with the water plan. place all in cool water and replace the water every half hour. Cook the fourth butt, pull and freeze in food saver bags.

[jeffjenkins1]

Donnie's video about 2 minutes in is the ticket.

Jeff

[NCguyHere]

I'm thinking I'm gonna go with the bathtub thaw here in just a minute actually. Jeff you're right, Pitmaster T's video was pretty helpful. Although I think the most important lesson is taught at about the 4 minute mark, make sure there is a fresh supply of cold ones:thumb:

Tarheel I thought about just buying a single butt, but I was able to get a case of eight for 83$ last week :grin: Kinda hard for me to go out and spend anymore right now when I know I have them on hand already. I just need to prepare a little more next time. You ever hit Fletcher's BBQ in Gastonia? Used to love that place and all the Tar Heel regalia adorning the walls. Haven't been in years though.