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Store butt in frig - How long

rclark1187
rclark1187 Posts: 7
edited February 2012 in EggHead Forum
I picked up 2 pork butts last saturday from Costco. My wife took them out of the cryo packaging on Monday, froze one and put the other in frig with ice on it. I was planning to smoke it this Saturrday nite for consumption on Sunday. I got to worrying about it being in the frig for that long. What does everyone think?

Comments

  • Chubbs
    Chubbs Posts: 6,929
    I think you will get mixed responses here. I usually dont let things sit in the fridge that long. Especially pork. I am, however, somewhat of a germafobe since my wife is pregnant. I bought pork ribs last saturday and just pulled them out of freezer to the fridge to thaw this AM for Saturday cook. What does it say on the package with the sell or freeze by date? Some will probably tell you no worries. I would get several responses and then make your decision.
    Columbia, SC --- LBGE 2011 -- MINI BGE 2013
  • jbates67
    jbates67 Posts: 168
    With beef, you can store considerably longer that pork, poultry or seafood. Think of dry aging on beef where it sits refrigerated sometimes for weeks. When all else fails and you are on the fence, before rinsing it off, remove it and give it the good ole sniff test, if it smells funky, discard it and thaw the one from your freezer and cook away. If it smells fine, you're probably fine. You could also check the FDA website but that will likely just confuse you more.
  • IrishDevl
    IrishDevl Posts: 1,390
    If it is in/under ice as you state, I would assume fine.  Easiest way next time is just freeze them both and thaw when needed.
  • stike
    stike Posts: 15,597
    edited February 2012
    well, they dry age pork too (yep.).  storingfish is a quality issue, not so much a safety issue.

    but pork and beef?

    safety-wise, pork is not really different than beef other than trichinella/tichinosis.  hasn't been a case of trich from commercial pork in literally decades.  no issue there.  heck, pork may even be safer. haven't seen many recalls for pork.  but that's not anything more than anecdotal. let's be rational instead.

    we're talking bacteria (not trich). 
    what bacteria? well, the bad kind.  because good/bad bacteria is everywhere.

    the bacteria we are concerned with are on the outside of meat, and they get there during slaughter. fecal bacteria.  e. coli (we all carry it, it's just that some strains are 'bad'), lysteria, staph etc.

    this is the same bacteria (and it gets there the same way) as with beef.  some of it gets there through handling, too. 

    so if beef is fine after a week, why not pork?
    truth is, if your fridge temps are fine, you are fine. and you went even further, using ice.

    let's look at it rationally for a sec.  people worry about chicken, cooking it to 160+, because of the tougher strains of salmonella.  the salmonella these days is much more virulent than previously, and has even managed to cross the barrier into eggs, where it can be found (never used to be able to pass that barrier).  even so, the usda states that chicken eggs are safe for 6 to 8 weeks, and they state clearly that they are safe far beyond the 'sell by' date.

    i guess what i'm saying (and forgive me for the long paragraph's worth), but the ONLY reason to throw out that pork is if you don't feel comfortable despite knowing that there's no real reason to worry.

    if temps are fine, there's no reason to worry.  certainly not for a week.

    i have a recipe for ham here which starts by hanging the ham at ambient temps (ideally 50-60) for three days, to drain and dry a bit.  THEN it is cured.  and even then, the cure takes place at room temp.

    sure. an older recipe (mid-60s).

    but my point is, you are under refrigeration.  why are you not throwing out eggs, bacon, milk, etc. if you feel the need to toss the poor?

    the bacteria on that pork are essentially no different than those on beef. 

    and if you toss it, and go buy another, you have an excellent chance of reaching into the butchre's case and buying a pork butt that was in the same case that yours came from.  the one you didn't buy earlier, which he hasn't sold yet.




    ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante
  • IrishDevl
    IrishDevl Posts: 1,390
    I think stike is stating you are fine, but I am gonna need a second opinion.
  • Chubbs
    Chubbs Posts: 6,929
    What is impressive about Stike's response is that the original post was at 8:22am and his response was at 9:02am... How many words per minute can you type, Stike? @-)
    Columbia, SC --- LBGE 2011 -- MINI BGE 2013
  • IrishDevl
    IrishDevl Posts: 1,390
    I think he is all knowing and anticipates everyones question before they are asked.  He has all his responses written out in advance and just tweaks accordingly.  For this he has a "why are you worried about <insert meat> here" and just puts pork in if this is what is asked.  Well done stike.   
  • stike
    stike Posts: 15,597
    it's more that the same questions get asked over and over and are easier to type each time. :)>-

    actually, a half hour for that many words would make for a very poor typist

    ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante
  • When I cook pork butts, I let them thaw for 24 to 36 hrs at room temp, then prep them.  Then vacuum seal and refrigerate and marinate for at least another 48hrs.  Then warm-up for 6 hrs to room temp, them smoke those butts.
  • stike
    stike Posts: 15,597
    why room temp? i know that's great for even heating across a relatively quickly cooked roast (or steak especially).  just not sure the advantage of doing it with a butt.  i like a smoke ring, too.  i find warming the meat first reduces the smoke ring potential
    ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante