School me on Meat

SaintJohnsEgger

I went to the Restaurant Depot today and I was like a kid in a candy store. Bought a few items but no meat as I realized how ignorant I am concerning meat. I want to do pulled pork and brisket primarily. Along with steaks and chops.

My questions:

1. After purchasing a large piece of meat can I freeze it until I am ready to slow cook it?
2. What pieces should I look for so that I can cut them myself into roasts and steaks or chops?
3. After cooking and eating, how should I handle the left overs?  Just freeze it in zip lock bags.

I don't want to run to RD for each cook but I don't know how to store until cooking then how to store after cooking.

So I am turning to you guys and gals for some education.

NPHuskerFL

Yes, of course you can freeze it.
Brisket look for thick flat and look for it to have flexibility/floppy.  Pick up a couple of whole primal cuts.  Portion them into steaks or what have you.  Vacuum save them if you have the means as they will survive in the freezer longer.  When defrosting for a meal defrost only what you need.  If your talking leftover brisket, butt or large cuts you can freeze if your not going to eat it for awhile.  Again food saver/ vac save if possible.  Also avoid multiple freeze/defrost....won't hurt you but, the quality will suffer.

Wolfpack

pulled pork- Boston butts or shoulder

brisket- you want a full packer- point and flat

if you buy a whole primal- rib eye, strip, tenderloin. I would go ahead and cut into steaks and 

Wolfpack

For the butts and brisket- seal and freeze whole. You can thaw prior to smoking. 

Legume

NPHuskerFL

You're shopping at the RD on Powers Ave.
Get their Superior Angus Brisket.  They only sell whole briskets. Not just a flat or point.
Butt is butt IMHO.
Whole Primal Ribeye, whole beef tenderloin etc.  PM me and I'll help if you like since I'm local.  Good Luck

SGH

NPHuskerFL said:

Butt is butt IMHO.

Brother Husker, I'm inclined to disagree with the above

All butts are not created equal

Little Steven

Damn man!

NPHuskerFL

@SGH Glad I'm not a Steeler fan
The second one would get cooked hot and fast. 

Legume

blasting

@SGH

both hilarious, and deeply disturbing

YEMTrey

Hans61

Lots of guys use leftover brisket and pork butt in chili or tacos on pizzas you can get really creative - second @NPHuskerFL food saver I love mine!

Little Steven

This guy is as exciting as a guy named "stike" who used to roam these forums but there is good info here. Watch the whole series.

http://how2heroes.com/videos/techniques/beef-education-series-breaking-down-beef

Hans61

@Little Steven like that video :-)

Little Steven

Haven't looked at it in years. Thought it had died off but there's some really good stuff in that site. The duck confit one is about the best explanation of the process I've seen.

tikigriller

@sgh I would plan on low and slo but would run into issues and have to go turbo!

JustineCaseyFeldown

Legume said:

That from
the UK or canada?

Little Steven

JustineCaseyFeldown said:

Legume said:

That from
the UK or canada?

Brit. Aus has even more weird names.

Legume

Neither, Google.

Didnt even check that one, damn.  Nothing I even recognize.

DoubleEgger

Legume said:

Apparently these folks like to boil brisket too. 

Legume

Well, so does Travis.

DMW

Legume said:

Well, so does Travis.

But he's famous.

YEMTrey

What's this boiling of brisket you speak of? 

Wolfpack

DoubleEgger said:

Legume said:

Apparently these folks like to boil brisket too. 

They must have spoken to Travis. 

fishlessman

i tend not to freeze cooked beef, but nothing wrong with freezing pulled pork.  i would just go buy the brisket when i need it to cook

chadpsualum

SGH said:

NPHuskerFL said:

Butt is butt IMHO.

Brother Husker, I'm inclined to disagree with the above

All butts are not created equal

C'mon!  Did you really have to go with the Big Ben underwear?  Being a Steelers fan I may not be able to get this image out of my head when I watch a game. Yikes.

SaintJohnsEgger

fishlessman said:

i tend not to freeze cooked beef, but nothing wrong with freezing pulled pork.  i would just go buy the brisket when i need it to cook

I just took a look at all the junk in our freezer. I too may have to just buy when I need one to cook. 

Ladeback69

@SaintJohnsEgger, as others have said go with a prime brisket if you can find it and the more flexible the more tender usually.  On pork butts, RD usually has bone in and bone out.  It all depend on what you are using it for.  When I am doing pulled pork I like the bone in, for pork burnt ends or steaks I prefer the bone out.  RD usually sells for strip lions and that is were your strip steaks come from.  They also sell full tender loins and those are great cooked whole or cut into steaks.  To get pork chops and roast, look for the whole pork loin.  I cut the the first 6" or so off to use for roast, cut out 4 to 5 think pork chops and leave about 8" to 10" piece to do a pork roulade.  

As for cost, a strip steak could cost $10 to $12 per pound sometimes.  The whole strip loin at RD's is sometimes around $7 to $8 and cutting them yourself is pretty easy.

I agree that a Food Savor is the way to go to freeze meat you have cooked.  I use mine all the time.

westernbbq

SGH said:

NPHuskerFL said:

Butt is butt IMHO.

Brother Husker, I'm inclined to disagree with the above

All butts are not created equal

Oh man SGH.  I was about to circulate a petition calling for the revocation of your SGH Seal of Approval credentials based on the first photo...then i scrolled down and you more than made up for it.   She looks exactly like my second wife and ive only been married once!

SaintJohnsEgger

Ladeback69 said:

@SaintJohnsEgger, as others have said go with a prime brisket if you can find it and the more flexible the more tender usually.  On pork butts, RD usually has bone in and bone out.  It all depend on what you are using it for.  When I am doing pulled pork I like the bone in, for pork burnt ends or steaks I prefer the bone out.  RD usually sells for strip lions and that is were your strip steaks come from.  They also sell full tender loins and those are great cooked whole or cut into steaks.  To get pork chops and roast, look for the whole pork loin.  I cut the the first 6" or so off to use for roast, cut out 4 to 5 think pork chops and leave about 8" to 10" piece to do a pork roulade.  

As for cost, a strip steak could cost $10 to $12 per pound sometimes.  The whole strip loin at RD's is sometimes around $7 to $8 and cutting them yourself is pretty easy.

I agree that a Food Savor is the way to go to freeze meat you have cooked.  I use mine all the time.

Thanks @Ladeback69. That is the kind of stuff I was looking for. Which pieces to buy to cut into steaks or chops. I wasn't sure what the larger pieces were called and I know you can't get good roasts or steaks from just slicing up any ole piece of meat.

Plan to go back tomorrow and at least get a pork butt. Not sure I have freezer room for much else at the moment. I'll probably have to wrap the cuts in butcher paper as I don't have a Food Savor. Can you or anyone recommend a good model?