2021 Official Gratuitous Grilling/BBQ/Cooking Thread

[phylodog]

How long can you keep pork butts in the freezer?

They're good as long as you keep them above 140*F.

 

[KG1]

They're good as long as you keep them above 140*F.

 

[phylodog]

Lol, I saw "cooler" when I read it.

 

[Timjoebillybob]

How long can you keep pork butts in the freezer?

Depends. Forever, safety wise if kept below 0f. Cryovaced from the processor in a deep freeze? Taste wise 2-3 yrs. Maybe more. Store/home plastic wrapped, 4-6 months or so for taste.

I had one that was lost in the back for 4 yrs+. Tasted the same as one that had been in the freezer for 4 weeks. But I have an freezer that's manual defrost not self defrost and it stays at below -10f.

 

[tim87tr]

Anyone done this?...Tried a new method to load the smoker with a few slightly thawed food items. More efficient than one and done. About three hours 160 degrees low smoke (always use black cherry pellets), refroze the chuck roast for future crock pot, refrigerated the pork chop for a couple days then fried, and pulled the pork shoulder at 140 to 150 degrees cook temp to finish overnight in crockpot.

 

[BigRed]

How long can you keep pork butts in the freezer?

FWIW, I smoked some pork butt back in August for a get together that got cancelled.

I cut it into thick slices / chunks and vac packed it along with the juicesformthe freezer. Boiled some in the vac pack bag last night.....The boil in the bag keeps it from drying out on a reheat.

Shreded it and it turned out great.

The only drawback is that when doing it this way, the balance of meat to fat is not as good as when shredding the whole butt.

 

[phylodog]

FWIW, I smoked some pork butt back in August for a get together that got cancelled.

I cut it into thick slices / chunks and vac packed it along with the juicesformthe freezer. Boiled some in the vac pack bag last night.....The boil in the bag keeps it from drying out on a reheat.

Shreded it and it turned out great.

The only drawback is that when doing it this way, the balance of meat to fat is not as good as when shredding the whole butt.

I've vac sealed entire butts on several occasions and I use a sous vide cooker to reheat them, works great. They pull just like they came off the smoker that day.

 

[flyingsquirrel]

Not trying to make anyone's butt sore, but when you smoke them, is it fat side up or down? Might require a taste test here.

 

[yeahbaby]

Not trying to make anyone's butt sore, but when you smoke them, is it fat side up or down? Might require a taste test here.

I do them fat side up.

 

[klausm]

do one of each and let us know( I always go fat side up)

 

[Hoosierdood]

I always go fat side up

 

[sharkey]

I always go fat side up

 

[Jaybird1980]

Not trying to make anyone's butt sore, but when you smoke them, is it fat side up or down? Might require a taste test here.

Fat side up for me as well.
Did 2 this weekend.

 

[BigRed]

Not trying to make anyone's butt sore, but when you smoke them, is it fat side up or down? Might require a taste test here.

LOL!

The old debate!

It depends on the smoker.

Do one each way and figure it out. The internet is filled with opiners with no skin in the matter.

 

[flyingsquirrel]

Okay I'll admit it, I like to flip it over and try both ways.

 

[Jaybird1980]

I will say that they don't turn out as good on the pellet grill compared to the old charcoal setup. But the pellet is far easier.

 

[Jaybird1980]

Okay I'll admit it, I like to flip it over and try both ways.

Does it make a difference?
I wouldn't think it would have that big of an impact.

 

[BigRed]

I will say that they don't turn out as good on the pellet grill compared to the old charcoal setup. But the pellet is far easier.

Old simple smokers require attention, but are worth it.

 

[flyingsquirrel]

Well I had to pull mine after 8 hrs and not done. Looks like crock pot tomorrow. Boo all you want but I finally got my Acorn to hold at 250d so it's a start.

 

[Jaybird1980]

Old simple smokers require attention, but are worth it.

For sure.