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Thawing Butts - How long?

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CaptainSpaulding
CaptainSpaulding Posts: 368
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
I bought 4 butts last Saturday, planning to do an overnighter but had a change in plans, so I wound up putting all 4 of them in the freezer Sunday evening. They are two cryovac packs with two butts per pack.

The new plan is to cook them overnight, this Saturday (tomorrow). I pulled the packages from the freezer last night at 7 PM and put them in the refrigerator. Any chance these will be thawed by 8 or 9 PM tomorrow (about 49 hours)?

Joe
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Comments

  • highpress
    highpress Posts: 694
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    I'm not the expert but i would think so. I'd try to open them up once they thaw out a little and try to seperate to individual pieces. I'm sure the vets will chime in...
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  • Pickle
    Pickle Posts: 74
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    I don't think they will thaw completely. It took me about 4 days to get the last ones thawed completely. I have smoked partially frozen ones before. It is a long cook, and probably won't hurt a thing to do it this way, but I would give yourself 24 hours on the smoker.
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  • Clam
    Clam Posts: 117
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    No, I wouldn't plan on them being thawed if they are in the reefer.
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  • Clam
    Clam Posts: 117
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    I don't know if it would hurt anything to "hot tub" them for about 3 or more hrs before the cook.

    My experience with salmon (I always have lots in my freezer) is they will still be hard frozen.
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  • CBBQ
    CBBQ Posts: 610
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    They don't need to be thawed. It'll take a little longer to cook them but not that much. There is so much fat throughout the butt, which heats up faster than the meat itself that it thaws very quick on the egg.
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  • emilluca
    emilluca Posts: 673
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    Frozen flesh is the same. A 14lb turkey will take about 3 days in the fridge to thaw.
    You can do the butts in a tub of cold water that you change frequently like you would do a frozen turkey.
    E
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  • emilluca
    emilluca Posts: 673
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    For thought the cryovac pac butts are usually good for 21 days. Freezing may not have been necessary. Check the date on the label in the future.
    They are like giant food saver bags.
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  • CaptainSpaulding
    CaptainSpaulding Posts: 368
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    Thanks for all of the responses.

    I think I might put them in a tub or cooler tonight after work and fill it up with water.

    I kinda figured that they'd be okay in the cryovac, but was thinking "better safe than sorry". Unfortunately, the job I'm working right now has almost no flex time or I would just do them on a weeknight.

    This silly work thing is really cramping my style when it comes to long, low and slows!

    Joe
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