Freezing Prime Beef

rcbaughn · 05-22-2013, 04:05 AM

So, I went to Costco and bought a four pack of USDA Prime Boneless Ribeyes using my NEWLY OBTAINED COSTCO AMERICAN EXPRESS!!! Yep, getting that was a dumb idea because it's on mom's account and she knows how much I love good meat. SHe trusts me though even though I don't. $41 for four steaks seemed like a good deal to me.......

That said, I've never ever eaten prime beef, not even in a good restaurant. I've certainly never cooked it before and since I always cook for myself usually I need to store these steaks somehow. I have a vacuum sealer and was thinking about individually vacuum bagging and freezing them quickly. Is that a dumb idea? I really don't want to ruin these awesome steaks. Be a shame to eat that one steak that is awesome and mess up the other three I plan to freeze.

Anyone ever had any experience though with Costco prime beef and freezing it? Mom and the rest of the family aren't big on steaks or I'd say I would carry them home and just cook a big meal for them.

BigBellyBBQ · 05-22-2013, 05:14 AM

Columbus said, go for it...

SteelSmokin · 05-22-2013, 05:19 AM

You'll be fine doing what you said vacuum seal them and freeze them. They will be just as good the next time you cook them as long as its not like a year from now.

Tiger fan · 05-22-2013, 05:29 AM

Put them in zip lock bags and freeze for a couple of hours first. Then use vacuum sealer with vacuum bags.
Keeps from squeezing out the steaks.

drjiveturkey · 05-22-2013, 05:29 AM

Great choice. I bough some a few weeks ago for Mother's Day. The prime ribeyes at Costco was really good. We didnt have to freeze them, but ive froze other steaks before and they are fine. Just make sure you thaw them out in the fridge completely to relax the meat. I've defrosted in the microwave before cooking and it came out tough. If you plan on eating one now and one next week, just freeze 2 of them.

pmad · 05-22-2013, 07:58 AM

If you can, put a couple of chunks of dry ice in a cooler.
Wait 20 minutes for the temp to get nice and cold.
Put steaks in ziplock and put in cooler for an hour or 2.
Remove steaks and vacuum seal.

The dry ice freezes faster and doesn't allow ice crystals to form out of the moisture in the meat. Those crystals can hurt the texture.

rcbaughn · 05-22-2013, 08:15 AM

If I cant find dry ice cheap I might do that but my freezer runs super cold. It is literally jam packed full too. I have trouble closing the door. I guess that's a good thing though, probably have 20 packs of different meats and fish and hard to find stuff like quail, squab, etc in there. Guess there will be a few nice steaks in there too.

BTW, the pack date was the 19th but it has a sell by date of the 23rd. Are they that strict? I thought that a steak wrapped in a pack would last way longer than that on a shelf. Maybe a week on the shelf at the store and a week in the fridge at the house at least. Maybe I'm wrong about pre-cut steaks and their spoilage rate.

pmad · 05-22-2013, 03:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rcbaughn

If I cant find dry ice cheap I might do that but my freezer runs super cold. It is literally jam packed full too. I have trouble closing the door. I guess that's a good thing though, probably have 20 packs of different meats and fish and hard to find stuff like quail, squab, etc in there. Guess there will be a few nice steaks in there too.

You could invite me over and we will reduce the load.

ButtBurner · 05-22-2013, 05:15 PM

I have bought those plenty of times

I just vac seal them and put them in the freezer.

Works perfectly fine.

JohnHB · 05-22-2013, 05:41 PM

Firstly how long do you intend to keep them. Vacuum packed and in the fridge they will last a number of days!!!!
John

rcbaughn · 05-23-2013, 08:39 PM

Well, I'll probably eat one a week so they are gonna be in there at least three weeks, or at least he last one. I vacuum bagged em this evening and threw three in the freezer in the coldest part so they'd freeze real fast.

That said..... What the HELL have I done to myself. First time having prime beef, so I went all out and used a probe therm on one single steak and did a reverse sear on it last night on my Performer......

I can honestly say I had no idea that the difference between Prime vs. Choice would be so big. If was like literally eating meat butter. I've never had a steak that tender and that flavorful. It was as tender as a filet mignon but had all the beefy flavor of a tougher cut.

It almost makes me wanna eat steaks A LOT less often and just eat the good stuff. Maybe if I get better at cooking Choice beef I won't say that, but as of right now that first prime steak has me rurnt.

rcbaughn · 05-23-2013, 08:45 PM

Here's the pack before I split it last night.

boogiesnap · 05-23-2013, 08:47 PM

dry age, eat one a week. please don't freeze(or refreeze as it were)prime meat.

rcbaughn · 05-23-2013, 08:49 PM

After three weeks I think it would be rotten if left out to open air. If it was a whole roast now I might think different, but maybe I am wrong wrong wrong. Not as knowledgeable as most of you fellers here. I'm a young un'.

Gore · 05-23-2013, 09:28 PM

I know a lot of people say they can't tell the difference between them, but many of us can. Freezing does its damage. If you do freeze, do it as quickly as possible to minimize.

05-22-2013, 04:05 AM	#1
rcbaughn Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 09-27-12 Location: Birmingham, AL	Freezing Prime Beef So, I went to Costco and bought a four pack of USDA Prime Boneless Ribeyes using my NEWLY OBTAINED COSTCO AMERICAN EXPRESS!!! Yep, getting that was a dumb idea because it's on mom's account and she knows how much I love good meat. SHe trusts me though even though I don't. $41 for four steaks seemed like a good deal to me....... That said, I've never ever eaten prime beef, not even in a good restaurant. I've certainly never cooked it before and since I always cook for myself usually I need to store these steaks somehow. I have a vacuum sealer and was thinking about individually vacuum bagging and freezing them quickly. Is that a dumb idea? I really don't want to ruin these awesome steaks. Be a shame to eat that one steak that is awesome and mess up the other three I plan to freeze. Anyone ever had any experience though with Costco prime beef and freezing it? Mom and the rest of the family aren't big on steaks or I'd say I would carry them home and just cook a big meal for them. __________________ Weber Spirit E-310, Weber Performer, Weber Smokey Joe, Mini-WSM, ECB Electric.

05-22-2013, 05:14 AM	#2
BigBellyBBQ is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 11-15-08 Location: Lake View, New York	Columbus said, go for it... __________________ [I][FONT=Comic Sans MS]TwinTech Pro Double, Backwoods Fat Boy, TwinTech Hawg Kooker, FE 400, SP SPK 700, Empty check book and understanding wife...sometimes..[/FONT][/I]

05-22-2013, 05:19 AM	#3
SteelSmokin Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 10-21-09 Location: Sharpsville,PA	You'll be fine doing what you said vacuum seal them and freeze them. They will be just as good the next time you cook them as long as its not like a year from now. __________________ Bravery is knowing what to fear. .....Plato

05-22-2013, 05:29 AM	#4
Tiger fan Knows what a fatty is. Join Date: 03-29-13 Location: Pearland, Texas	Put them in zip lock bags and freeze for a couple of hours first. Then use vacuum sealer with vacuum bags. Keeps from squeezing out the steaks. __________________ Red Kamado Joe Big Joe, Tailgator grill, Weber Performer, Big Easy, purple & gold LSU Yeti

05-22-2013, 08:15 AM	#7
rcbaughn Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 09-27-12 Location: Birmingham, AL	If I cant find dry ice cheap I might do that but my freezer runs super cold. It is literally jam packed full too. I have trouble closing the door. I guess that's a good thing though, probably have 20 packs of different meats and fish and hard to find stuff like quail, squab, etc in there. Guess there will be a few nice steaks in there too. BTW, the pack date was the 19th but it has a sell by date of the 23rd. Are they that strict? I thought that a steak wrapped in a pack would last way longer than that on a shelf. Maybe a week on the shelf at the store and a week in the fridge at the house at least. Maybe I'm wrong about pre-cut steaks and their spoilage rate. __________________ Weber Spirit E-310, Weber Performer, Weber Smokey Joe, Mini-WSM, ECB Electric.

05-22-2013, 05:29 AM	#5
drjiveturkey On the road to being a farker Join Date: 05-07-13 Location: Herndon, VA	Great choice. I bough some a few weeks ago for Mother's Day. The prime ribeyes at Costco was really good. We didnt have to freeze them, but ive froze other steaks before and they are fine. Just make sure you thaw them out in the fridge completely to relax the meat. I've defrosted in the microwave before cooking and it came out tough. If you plan on eating one now and one next week, just freeze 2 of them.

05-22-2013, 07:58 AM	#6
pmad is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 08-15-11 Location: St. Louis, MO	If you can, put a couple of chunks of dry ice in a cooler. Wait 20 minutes for the temp to get nice and cold. Put steaks in ziplock and put in cooler for an hour or 2. Remove steaks and vacuum seal. The dry ice freezes faster and doesn't allow ice crystals to form out of the moisture in the meat. Those crystals can hurt the texture.

05-22-2013, 05:15 PM	#9
ButtBurner Babbling Farker Join Date: 12-18-12 Location: Dearborn Mi, Manton Mi	I have bought those plenty of times I just vac seal them and put them in the freezer. Works perfectly fine. __________________ Michigan Custom 'Que "Serving Those Who Have Served US" Shirley Fabrication Custom Smoker Member Great Lakes BBQ Assn ServSafe Food Handler Certified [URL]https://www.facebook.com/pages/Michigan-Custom-Que/327994370697180?sk=timeline[/URL]

05-22-2013, 05:41 PM	#10
JohnHB is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 12-14-12 Location: Sydney NSW	Firstly how long do you intend to keep them. Vacuum packed and in the fridge they will last a number of days!!!! John __________________ John When you stop horsing around it is time to fire up the BBQ & Smoker

05-23-2013, 08:39 PM	#11
rcbaughn Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 09-27-12 Location: Birmingham, AL	Well, I'll probably eat one a week so they are gonna be in there at least three weeks, or at least he last one. I vacuum bagged em this evening and threw three in the freezer in the coldest part so they'd freeze real fast. That said..... What the HELL have I done to myself. First time having prime beef, so I went all out and used a probe therm on one single steak and did a reverse sear on it last night on my Performer...... I can honestly say I had no idea that the difference between Prime vs. Choice would be so big. If was like literally eating meat butter. I've never had a steak that tender and that flavorful. It was as tender as a filet mignon but had all the beefy flavor of a tougher cut. It almost makes me wanna eat steaks A LOT less often and just eat the good stuff. Maybe if I get better at cooking Choice beef I won't say that, but as of right now that first prime steak has me rurnt. __________________ Weber Spirit E-310, Weber Performer, Weber Smokey Joe, Mini-WSM, ECB Electric.

05-23-2013, 08:45 PM	#12
rcbaughn Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 09-27-12 Location: Birmingham, AL	Here's the pack before I split it last night. __________________ Weber Spirit E-310, Weber Performer, Weber Smokey Joe, Mini-WSM, ECB Electric.

05-23-2013, 08:47 PM	#13
boogiesnap Babbling Farker Join Date: 04-22-10 Location: NEW ENGLAND	dry age, eat one a week. please don't freeze(or refreeze as it were)prime meat. __________________ [SIZE="3"][B][COLOR="Blue"][I][FONT="Lucida Sans Unicode"][/FONT]"YAWN"[/I][/COLOR][/B][/SIZE]-[COLOR="Red"][SIZE="2"]In memory of a friend.[/SIZE][/COLOR] avatar by grillman. patent pending. :mad2::becky:

05-23-2013, 08:49 PM	#14
rcbaughn Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 09-27-12 Location: Birmingham, AL	After three weeks I think it would be rotten if left out to open air. If it was a whole roast now I might think different, but maybe I am wrong wrong wrong. Not as knowledgeable as most of you fellers here. I'm a young un'. __________________ Weber Spirit E-310, Weber Performer, Weber Smokey Joe, Mini-WSM, ECB Electric.

05-23-2013, 09:28 PM	#15
Gore Phizzy Join Date: 10-05-08 Location: Hiding out from blood suck ghost snake gods, Nazis and scrap iron chefs trying to harvest body parts Name/Nickname : Gore (surprise!)	I know a lot of people say they can't tell the difference between them, but many of us can. Freezing does its damage. If you do freeze, do it as quickly as possible to minimize. __________________ Assistant to a Mad BBQ Scientist (and a squirrel): Primo Oval XL, Small Offset, Gasser, Optigrill, UBS "I love everything about the pig, even the way she walks." -- Spanish proverb (\__/) (='.'=) This is the rabbit baby. Invests him in yours signature, (")_(") and the help rabbit baby takes over control of the world! Hmmmm, I wonder, WWGALD? Avatar courtesy of Grillman and NorthwestBBQ Promoted by Bigabyte to "Idiot #1" , and dubbed "Phizzy" by Sir Ron.