-
xenforo has sucessfully updated our forum software last night. Howevr, that has returned many templates to stock formats which MAY be missing some previous functionality. It has also fixed some boroken templates Ive taken offline. Reat assured, we are working on getting our templates back to normal, but will take a few days. Im working top down, so best bet is to stick with the default templates as I work thru them.
How long can I freeze before smoking
- Thread starter Mattb82
- Start date
Joe Black
Babbling Farker
Should be OK up to 6 months as long as there is no air in the cryo.
Okie Sawbones
Banned
While the USDA says beef will keep up to 12 months, I'm with Joe. I never keep anything longer than 6 months. I date everything when it goes in the freezer.
Demosthenes9
is One Chatty Farker
If it's in sealed cryo and you have a decent freezer, meat will keep for YEARS without a problem. Taste and texture won't be affected.
va_connoisseur
Full Fledged Farker
I cooked some venison this weekend that had been lost in the freezer for over 2 years. No deterioration in taste or texture.
IamMadMan
somebody shut me the fark up.
When items are cyro-packed, the package is filled with a shot of nitrogen gas to displace and void the package of any oxygen before the package is sealed.
The USDA recommends up to a year for freezer storage, and this is a safe guideline. If kept at a constant temperature in a freezer that rarely gets opened, this would be ideal storage conditions. While not intentionally kept longer than recommended, I have had items get lost in the freezer for over a year and never had any signs of freezer burn.
In freezer storage, air is your enemy. Air can cause the surface to dry out, discolor, and get an off taste. That is why vac-sealed and cyro-packaging are so popular for long term storage.
Also keep in mind that frost-free freezers will actually have a warming cycle to defrost the surfaces, thus also warming the surfaces of the meat. A freezer without a self-defrosting cycle will keep more stable storage temperatures, thus giving items in cyro-packed or vac-sealed packages a much longer storage life.
The USDA recommends up to a year for freezer storage, and this is a safe guideline. If kept at a constant temperature in a freezer that rarely gets opened, this would be ideal storage conditions. While not intentionally kept longer than recommended, I have had items get lost in the freezer for over a year and never had any signs of freezer burn.
In freezer storage, air is your enemy. Air can cause the surface to dry out, discolor, and get an off taste. That is why vac-sealed and cyro-packaging are so popular for long term storage.
Also keep in mind that frost-free freezers will actually have a warming cycle to defrost the surfaces, thus also warming the surfaces of the meat. A freezer without a self-defrosting cycle will keep more stable storage temperatures, thus giving items in cyro-packed or vac-sealed packages a much longer storage life.
Okie Sawbones
Banned
I found a source that lists the following. I personally wouldn't want to eat beef that has been in the freezer for three years.
Uncooked & Vacuum Sealed
Uncooked & Vacuum Sealed
- Beef – Up to 3 years
- Pork – Up to 3 years
- Poultry – Up to 3 years
- Lamb – Up to 3 years
- Fish – Up to 2 years
- Hamburger – Up to 1 year
- Ground Meat – Up to 1 year
Thatgrimguy
is Blowin Smoke!
I cooked a brisket that was at the bottom of my freezer a week ago with a sell by date of Feb 2012... it was delicious. I couldn't discern any degredation or lack of quality. My friends all said it was my best brisket ever (granted they say that on every brisket)
