Freezing a Butt

Clavin

A quick search on the topic showed a lot of answers concerning freezing a butt after the cook, but I didn't see anything about freezing an uncooked one.

Kroger had a good deal on Boston butts and I picked up one even though I really don't have any plans to cook it in the immediate future.

Can I freeze it for a month or two without destroying it?

Thanks.

Little Steven

Clavin,

You can freeze it for years.

Steve

Richard Fl

Double wrap in saran or food saver bags and go for it. Should be ok 3-4 months.

gdenby

Sure. Freezing meat tends to make it a little drier when cooked, unless you are using liquid nitrogen to flash freeze it, but otherwise its fine. Avoid repeated thaws and freezes.

Wrap it really well in plastic, several layers, and then foil, or freezer paper if you can. Or use a freezer bag. Zip-Loc recently came out with a cheap hand vacuum pump and freezer bags that work pretty well. The seal sometimes isn't as good as from a machine, but I've had about a 75% success getting at tight package.

stike

"indefinitely" (effectively, 'forever') is the term the USDA like to use. ok. NOW i'm out. :laugh:

Clavin

Can I freeze it in the packaging it came in?

My nitrogen flash freezer still hasn't come back from the shop.

Thanks for the quick responses :side:

Mr. & Mrs Potatohead

If it is already "vac-packed" in the heavy plastic from the meat market, you don't even need to wrap it in anything else.
I've had some in the freezer for 3 to 4 months and have not noticed any ill effect over a fresh one.
My 2 cents.

stike

is it cryovac? hard vacuum plastic, or a foam tray with shrink wrap and the price slapped on it?

in cryo, yes. in the foam tray from a butcher's case, no

Desert Oasis Woman

Have 2 pork shoulders (fresh hams) still in original cryovac packaging in freezer from last year (late 2009) -- don't look burned, but do need to use at least one soon....

Little Steven

That is a big concept. I try not to be "ambiguous" hahahaha

Clavin

yeah, cryo, same stuff a whole brisket comes in.

maybe I will go back and get a couple more.

stike

they will literally keep forever as long as the temps are ok. they'll never be unsafe to eat, it's only a quality issue. and in cryo, you can go years

Papa bear

Whe QFC has them on sale for $0.99 a pound will buy a coule and freeze them for later.

Just let them defrost completely before ya coo em. They still come out great.

Mr. & Mrs Potatohead

WOW :ohmy:
I'm drooling. I haven't seen .99 / lb. for over a year. :(
Stock up my friend.

Fidel

FWIW you can put them on frozen rock solid if you want. They'll come out fine and won't take that much longer to cook.