Question about thawing meat

[sweet_magnolia]

Not sure if this is in the best spot to ask, so feel free to move it if necessary, Ken.

I have about an 8 lb pork butt in my freezer that I want to thaw and smoke. In the fridge, how long or how many days should I plan for it to thaw? Is there a general rule of ______ hours per pound?

Any advice and / or tips are appreciated. Thanks!

[wutang]

Don't know about a general rule but when I thawed an 8+ lb. pork butt for my buckboard bacon it was in the fridge for 2 days before I trimmed/cured. And it was still slightly frozen in the very center. Actually made it easier to debone.

[Texas-Hunter]

I just did a pork shoulder that was around 7.5 lbs. I sat it in the frig 3 days before I smoked it.

[jbchoice1]

2-3 days in the fridge... I don't know a general rule either but I google the question... how quick does meat thaw in the refrigerator... came up with this from the university of IL...

http://web.extension.uiuc.edu/meatsa...n/thawing.html

[irishteabear]

2 or 3 days is about right. Depends on how much fat and where it is as to how long it will take to thaw.

[sweet_magnolia]

Thanks, everyone!

[PitRow]

Hmmm I had a double pack of pork butts, about 13 lbs total that I smoked up for the super bowl. Took them from the deep freezer to the fridge about a week before hand and they were still pretty frozen in the center where the two butts touched when I took them out the next saturday. Could be because my refer hovers closer to 34 degrees than 40.

[Darrin]

I would say it depends on the temp of your fridge.

[desertlites]

yup 2-3 days

[firemandan]

thawing brined meats

when thawing brined meat, the flavor tends to drip with the water...thus, it loses flavor during grilling or smoking....what must i do to prevent it or better yet other options to consider before i smoke or grill the meat?

will frozen marinated or brined meats taste the same as those cooked right after being brined? or can marinated meat be kept in the freezer for two days before grilling?

thanks to all...

Blessings to all!

[SMOKE FREAK]

Becky...30 minutes in the microwave on defrost...

OK Im sorry....never mind...

[Fishawn]

Becky...30 minutes in the microwave on defrost...

OK Im sorry....never mind...

[DennyD]

When I need a piece of meat that size quicker than 2-3 days, I will put it in the sink for 4-5 hours(not overnight). Stays pretty cold in the bottom of the sink. Then I put it back in the fridge after I get the ouside started to thawing. Takes a day and a half to mostly thaw if I do that. Even so I expect the center to still be frozen when I start to prepare it.

Yeah, I know.... it's not a practice approved by the food police, but no part of it is over 40° when I put it back in the fridge. I won't leave anything smaller than a turkey out overnight to begin thawing, and the outside of a turkey's still 40° in the morning too(hell, it's just barely beginning to thaw). Sorry, but we don't have enough room in the fridge to let a turkey thaw for a week. That way the turkey thaws somewhat in 2-3 more days, and I can run cold water through it to finish thawing. If I didn't do that, I'd have to have a dedicated fridge just for thawing meat out.

Not recommending it, just sayin.... works for me.

[WALLE]

Becky,
I'll agree with the let it set in the sink for an intial thaw, then transfer to fridge for 2-3 days crowd.

I understand the the concerns of just letting a piece of meat sit on the counter, however: I'm sitting here fat and kicking after a lifetime of butchering and freezing pratically all of the meat I eat. A typical routine we use is: Before bed, which is usually not before 10:00pm, pull what ever we are planning on eating the next day (from steak to sausage, beef to elk), set it in the sink, and the next morning, place it in the fridge for that evening or eat it for breakfast.

On larger cuts, like a prime rib or shoulder, same process, and then the 2-3 days. Even after sitting for 6 to 8 hours, these large cuts will likely still have a layer of frost on them. I wipe that off to keep the water out of the fridge.

still fat... still kicking!

[Uncle-Honky]

More often than not, I will use the cold water method. It gets the job done, for I dont always have room for a hunk 'o meat in the fridge for days at a time.

here are some interesting tid bits...

Safe Thawing
Never thaw foods in a garage, basement, car, dishwasher or plastic garbage bag; out on the kitchen counter, outdoors or on the porch. These methods can leave your foods unsafe to eat.

There are three safe ways to thaw food: in the refrigerator, in cold water, or in the microwave. It's best to plan ahead for slow, safe thawing in the refrigerator. Small items may defrost overnight; most foods require a day or two. And large items like turkeys may take longer, approximately one day for each 5 pounds of weight.

For faster thawing, place food in a leak proof plastic bag and immerse it in cold water. (If the bag leaks, bacteria from the air or surrounding environment could be introduced into the food. Tissues can also absorb water like a sponge, resulting in a watery product.) Check the water frequently to be sure it stays cold. Change the water every 30 minutes. After thawing, cook immediately.

When microwave-defrosting food, plan to cook it immediately after thawing because some areas of the food may become warm and begin to cook during microwaving

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/factsheets/...g/index.asp#13