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Q-talk *ON TOPIC ONLY* QUALITY ON TOPIC discussion of Backyard BBQ, grilling, equipment and outdoor cookin' . ** Other cooking techniques are welcomed for when your cookin' in the kitchen. Post your hints, tips, tricks & techniques, success, failures, but stay on topic and watch for that hijacking. |
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04-17-2019, 06:44 AM | #1 |
Knows what a fatty is.
Join Date: 01-08-13
Location: Lim
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Vacuum sealing meat. Off smell when opened?
Took the plunge and got me vacuum sealer a couple of months ago. It works wonders with deli meats, sausages, cheeses, however i ran into a problem when vacuum packing meats.
The smell after opening the bag which was in the refrigerator for just 3 days after buying fresh was horrendous. It didn't go away even after the cook phase. Needless to say it was thrown out. Some say to rinse/pat dry and let it air out right after removing the meat from the bag, however doing that and then having to re-season is a bummer. Any tips on this? I did notice some liquid in the bag after taking it out, so maybe rinse and pat dry thoroughly before vacuum packing? I'm also dry brining before sealing. |
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04-17-2019, 07:17 AM | #2 |
Quintessential Chatty Farker
Join Date: 06-23-12
Location: Kansas City
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Guessing the meat was spoiled or on the verge of spoiling before you put it in the bag. I don't really use vacuum sealing to extend the life of raw/pre cooked meat in the fridge, usually I'll buy meat, portion it out as necessary, and freeze immediately what I don't use.
What kind of meat was it? I never make a point to rinse and dry meat before vacuum sealing it, unless it's so wet it might cause problems getting a good seal on the bag.
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Shirley Fab 250g trailer | Primo XL kamado | [COLOR="Red"]Red[/COLOR] Weber Limited Edition kettle + 26” kettle | Clonesaker PDS (pretty drum smoker) |
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04-17-2019, 07:29 AM | #3 |
somebody shut me the fark up.
Join Date: 01-16-13
Location: USA
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10 years ago I vacuum sealed a lot. Now I seldom vac anything. HD Freezer zip locks or double regular work great. In fact guessing a couple years since Ive vacuum sealed anything. . Stored this way chicken is the only thing I kind of need to watch a little closely.
Kind of depends on your situation. Beef, pork etc seem to last just as long.
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Tiernan SOB34, Primo Oval XL, Oklahoma Joe's Bronco, Oklahoma Joe's Highland, Pit Boss Austin XL, Pit Boss Table Top |
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04-17-2019, 07:41 AM | #4 | |
Knows what a fatty is.
Join Date: 01-08-13
Location: Lim
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Quote:
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04-17-2019, 07:45 AM | #5 |
Quintessential Chatty Farker
Join Date: 06-23-12
Location: Kansas City
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What other explanation would there be for a "horrendous" smell? I suppose "horrendous" is subjective but to me, "horrendous" is an intolerable smell and I've only ever had that from spoiled meat. If you're dry brining you are adding a preservative (salt) to the meat. I've dry brined hundreds of pounds of meat and never had a "horrendous" smell from doing so.
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Shirley Fab 250g trailer | Primo XL kamado | [COLOR="Red"]Red[/COLOR] Weber Limited Edition kettle + 26” kettle | Clonesaker PDS (pretty drum smoker) |
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Thanks from:---> |
04-17-2019, 08:00 AM | #6 |
somebody shut me the fark up.
Join Date: 01-16-13
Location: USA
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What’s exact temp in the part of fridge you’re using? My beer fridge varies dramatically from bottom shelf to mid to top. Like things thaw in three days in middle shelf and 7-10 days on bottom shelf.
One other suggestion. Advise your meat market what you’re about to do, give them the exact temp you’re working with and get their opinion. Take the off smelling protein with you. Most times in life close enough is good enough. With food poisoning close enough will put people in the hospital
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Tiernan SOB34, Primo Oval XL, Oklahoma Joe's Bronco, Oklahoma Joe's Highland, Pit Boss Austin XL, Pit Boss Table Top |
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04-17-2019, 08:06 AM | #7 |
Knows what a fatty is.
Join Date: 01-08-13
Location: Lim
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horrendous as in meat gone bad, sulfur smell
i dont immediately freeze to give the dry brine time to work, but upon opening the vacsealed pork, the smell was prevalent. Maybe it wouldnt have smelled like that if i didnt vacseal, so wondering if i'm doing something wrong in that respect. |
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04-17-2019, 08:11 AM | #8 |
Quintessential Chatty Farker
Join Date: 06-23-12
Location: Kansas City
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I frequently dry brine in vacuum sealed bags. I think 16Adams is on to something...parts of your fridge are warmer than you think.
I've had *light* sulfur smells when opening meat packaged by the store, most often pork butts, but it goes away and stays away with a rinse. And it wasn't what I'd call "horrendous", just a little funk from the bag. If it was still off even after cooking, guaranteed it was spoiled. Dry brining or vacuum sealing are going to help meat stay fresh longer, so the last variable is temperature. If it didn't smell when it went in the bag and it was "horrendous" when it came out....all signs point to...........
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Shirley Fab 250g trailer | Primo XL kamado | [COLOR="Red"]Red[/COLOR] Weber Limited Edition kettle + 26” kettle | Clonesaker PDS (pretty drum smoker) |
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04-17-2019, 08:13 AM | #9 | |
is One Chatty Farker
Join Date: 09-03-09
Location: Springdale Ar
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Quote:
Pork will sometimes smell like you describe but usually goes away after about 10 minutes or if you rinse it. If the smell does not go away, it is spoiled. Doubt that it was anything you did. I'd lay the blame with the butcher. Just because you purchase from a butcher doesn't always mean that their meat is the freshest. Test this practice again, but meat from a different source. Robert |
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04-17-2019, 10:06 AM | #10 |
somebody shut me the fark up.
Join Date: 07-16-16
Location: Johns Creek, Ga.
Name/Nickname : Ron
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If the butcher pulled a vac packed piece of pork out of the cooler, it doesn't necessarily mean that it is fresh. It could have come from a case that has been sitting in his cooler for a while. If the item (beef or pork) is opened from the original vac pack, it should still be ok even if it's past the expiration date, but will start to decline once the seal is broken. Cook, then freeze, or immediately freeze any unused portions to be safe.
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04-17-2019, 10:29 AM | #11 |
is One Chatty Farker
Join Date: 07-10-18
Location: East Peoria Illinois
Name/Nickname : Terry
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I'm in the "It was on the verge of spoiled when you bought it" camp.
Unless your fridge is too warm, but then you should see other indications of that issue. I don't see how the vac pack had anything to do with it. I would let the butcher know and see if anyone else had the same issue.
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04-19-2019, 05:09 PM | #12 |
Full Fledged Farker
Join Date: 03-15-17
Location: Conroe, TX
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You could have had a small hole or tear in your vac bag. Lots of consumer bags are 1mil thickness and can easily be compromised.
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500 gallon Moberg offset, Old Country Gravity Feed, PK Grill. |
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04-19-2019, 07:27 PM | #13 |
Full Fledged Farker
Join Date: 12-14-12
Location: McDonough, GA
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And there is no telling how it was handled before your butcher received it. Could have been on a truck with a bad refer unit (no, not a 4:20 joke).
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