Thawing a butt quickly but safely.

[DMP]

Family informed me on Christmas Eve that they wanted be to cook a butt on the 27th. Forgot to get the butt out of the freezer that night or early Christmas morning. Didn't get it out till 10:00 Christmas morning.

Anyway, I have put it on the counter a couple of times to let it sit and then back in the fridge trying to speed things up. I normally rub my butts down the night before cooking so that I don't have to deal with it early the next morning when I put it on the smoker.

Reckon it will be ok to rub it down this evening? Concerned that it want be thawed enough.

[Demosthenes9]

Originally Posted by DMP

Family informed me on Christmas Eve that they wanted be to cook a butt on the 27th. Forgot to get the butt out of the freezer that night or early Christmas morning. Didn't get it out till 10:00 Christmas morning.

Anyway, I have put it on the counter a couple of times to let it sit and then back in the fridge trying to speed things up. I normally rub my butts down the night before cooking so that I don't have to deal with it early the next morning when I put it on the smoker.

Reckon it will be ok to rub it down this evening? Concerned that it want be thawed enough.

FWIW, I've read about people smoking partially frozen butts with good success. That said, quickest way to defrost a butt that I am aware of is to put it in a plastic bag and sit in a bowl in the sink under just over room tempish running water.

Goal is to keep the butt immersed in water, but you want the water to churn as it draws the coolness out of the butt. Otherwise, the water would just get cold and have little effect.

[aawa]

There is the bowl and dripping water technique as explained above. This is the fastest way.

Another way is to put it in a bucket of water and let it sit for an 30mins-1hr, drain it and refill it. Repeat this step till butt is thawed.

I have smoked semi frozen butts and they turned out fine doing low and slow. At hot and fast the bark sets in later but is usually very crispy and borderline inedible and you will have to ditch some of the bark because of this.

[Grumpy T]

i have done the same thing... plastic bag it or leave it in the cryovac, stop up one side of your sink, put the butt in the stopped side and let the coldest water you can run in that side. It will fill and drain into the other side of the sink and will thaw in a few hours. Assuming of course you have a double sink...

[ButtBurner]

laundry tub works well too

[IamMadMan]

You have your answer, the running water as described above is the quickest method...

[qman]

Don't any of ya'll use a microwave to defrost meat?
I do, all the time. That is the fastest way.
[If the piece of meat will fit into your microwave, of course.

[Pitmaster T]

The Old Funkotorium Videos from 2007.

Pitmaster T Build Series - Funkotorium Project Part 8 (Plumbing) - YouTube

[Pitmaster T]

Ugh I hate looking at these because it was the 80 cents a pound for Butt, 89 cents a pound for brisket days

[smoke ninja]

Originally Posted by qman

Don't any of ya'll use a microwave to defrost meat?
I do, all the time. That is the fastest way.
[If the piece of meat will fit into your microwave, of course.

Ill use the micro for smaller cuts but prefer not to on something that big.

[SmokinM]

Instead of thawing, I just go to the store if I needed one on short notice.