After much research, last year I told my wife and kids the only thing I want for Christmas is a Bradley Original Smoker. Christmas day it was under the tree. It has been the best gift I have ever received. The family loves everything I smoke in it and neighbors are always asking when I am smoking. Thebest part though is this forum and the friends I have made. I wish you all a very merry Christmas.
I have a couple of relatives whom for one reason or another cannot smoke meat for themselves. This weekend I am doing two butts totaling 13+ pounds and a 9.75 lb brisket to split and send them. I plan on pulling the butts and slicing the brisket then vac sealing and freezing to prepare to ship. I welcome advice on best way to ship the meat. Also, I usually do a butt to around 200* and brisket to 182-185* then FTC. Should I still do this when I need to ship or stop a little sooner knowing the recipients will have to thaw and reheat?
(http://i762.photobucket.com/albums/xx270/dtaggie/Christmas%20Meat/99f0d6d7.jpg)
Two butts
(http://i762.photobucket.com/albums/xx270/dtaggie/Christmas%20Meat/1b2f8317.jpg)
Butt with Dizzy Pig Rub
(http://i762.photobucket.com/albums/xx270/dtaggie/Christmas%20Meat/d6fbd44a.jpg)
Butt with Salt Lick Rub
(http://i762.photobucket.com/albums/xx270/dtaggie/Christmas%20Meat/b48b6c88.jpg)
Brisket
(http://i762.photobucket.com/albums/xx270/dtaggie/Christmas%20Meat/4b4136ae.jpg)
Brisket with Salt Lick
Into the fridge for the night
IMHO... Just cook it like you always do.
Freezing, in general, tends to make meat "mushier", but I think pulled pork freezes/thaws very well.
Most of us (at home) can't "flash freeze", but that is the best way...
(The internal ice crystals form differently when they form FAST.)
If you have a modern deep freeze (I don't, but I want one), they have settings for faster freezing which helps.
I don't suppose you're gonna run out and research/buy a great deep freeze tomorrow...
(me neither)
Just info for thought.
Awrighten.
Dang Hal you just had me drive all over North Texas looking for a modern flash freezer...not....I never have a problem vac seal and freezing pulled pork. It is always great in a crock pot reheated. Only have done brisket once and it too was just as good on the reheat in a foil pan with a little broth.
My big question is the shipping. I know this has been discussed before, what is suggested for getting frozen meat from Texas to Colorado?
BTW. I will be keeping some of that butt for myself to hit with the Starnes!!
This time of year... Probably won't be any problem no matter what you do...
I'd just get some cheapo freezer paks from Wally World to be safe.
Suggestions on wrapping material and shipping method? FedEx, UPS etc?
Quote from: DTAggie on December 10, 2010, 09:02:38 PM
Suggestions on wrapping material and shipping method? FedEx, UPS etc?
Plain old newspaper has INSANE insulative properties.
Homeless folks use it for blankets in the winter, and
it saves their lives.
(seriously)
Good point. I see that all the time in Big D.
Hey guys
DTA those look like they are gonna be good eats. For the company I work for I utilize Fedex for our shipping needs. Very rarely have a problem.
Hal - Very good point. I am all about trying to find a use for a product that is headed for the final destination. The baseball club my boy plays for has a program that collects milk bags (the outside bag that holds three individual bags). These bags get woven into blankets for the homeless. Awesome!!
Jigger,
Milk bags? Have not seen those in years. They are still using them?
Hear in ontario you get two options when buying bulk:
- Three 1.33 litre bags in a larger bag.
- 4 Litres in a jug
By the time you wrestle with materials and wrapping, a cheap foam cooler may be the best bet. You can often pick 'em up for ~$2-3. Drop in the well frozen goodies, along with a few frozen gel packs, tape it to seal the lid, put it in a box with some filler, and take to the delivery store at the latest possible time.
Bubble wrap and foam pellets both make great insulation. When I get my annual turkey from Heritage Foods it cones in a box lined with a foil-coated bubble wrap and about three of those frozen gel packs around the turkey, shipped overnight. I doubt it would stay frozen for two days.
As far as shipping, I wouldn't want to go beyond 2nd Day. It will cost, but even a solid big hunk-o-meat from my -20 °F chest freezer thaws in three days in the refrigerator. Even though it's cooked, it needs to be kept at 40 °F or, or below, especially in a vacuum pack.
BLSH has it nailed. Good advise, pre frozen, should be good. Butts after freezing work well for me with 3hr room thaw and into the oven covered @240* for two hr then pull, should work for you.
I sent a pork butt to my BIL in AZ a couple of years ago.
Frozen, I packed it with dry ice. overnighted, cost like $40.00
What a lucky piece of beef being between two nice butts! Ready to put on racks and head to the OBS.
(http://i762.photobucket.com/albums/xx270/dtaggie/Christmas%20Meat/819bc5a2.jpg)
Loaded into the OBS. Doing a long smoke..4 hrs Pecan and 4 hrs of Oak.
(http://i762.photobucket.com/albums/xx270/dtaggie/Christmas%20Meat/789501a4.jpg)
Wind is blowing like crazy and it is about 35* out but OBS is holding at 210* after 2 hrs of puuting the meat in.
After 4 hrs of Pecan. Oak starting up.
(http://i762.photobucket.com/albums/xx270/dtaggie/Christmas%20Meat/ac9f2f76.jpg)
Well this has been an interesting smoke. Woke up this morning and ambient temp was around 30 with a strong wind. Temp probe said cabinet 211*, which I thought was pretty good. Temp in one but was 145* and the brisket was the same at 145*. Very windy all day. About 1:00 I put a towell the front of the door and a little of the side and the cabinet temp was up to 230* in about an hour. Temp on the one but was at 175* and brisket on the top rack, above the two butts was saying 175*. By 8:00 his evening..24 hours into the smoke the butt was up to 185* and brisket at 180*. I decided to put the probe in the other butt and it was 192*. I took it to 195*. Went to pull this butt out and it just fell apart in my hands.
So this had me thinking that probe may be bad. So I put the probe that was in the brisket in the remaining butt and it is reading the same. So 25 hours into the smoke now one butt is pulled and vac sealed. It is the butt rubbed with the Salt Lick rub. I have to say, this stuff Rocks. Then while vac sealing I was dashing some Starnes sauce, compliments of Hal4UK and STC. WOW. You guys were not kidding. It is made for pulled pork. Now I am not sure I want to send this out as a gift!
(http://i762.photobucket.com/albums/xx270/dtaggie/Christmas%20Meat/82e63a0d.jpg)
Butt fell apart when I was taking it out of the OBS
(http://i762.photobucket.com/albums/xx270/dtaggie/Christmas%20Meat/e323698d.jpg)
All pulled and the nice bark chopped
Looks awesome David!
Nice Bark!!
This marathon is finally over. Brisket first then the second but rubbed with Dizzy Pig. Observations: Salt Lick Original Rub is awesome on butt and brisket. Have to lightly dust brisket otherwise gets a bit salty. Butt can handle whatever you put on it. Dizzy Pig not as salty and has great flavor.
(http://i762.photobucket.com/albums/xx270/dtaggie/Christmas%20Meat/bd0b9558.jpg)
(http://i762.photobucket.com/albums/xx270/dtaggie/Christmas%20Meat/c775c744.jpg)
(http://i762.photobucket.com/albums/xx270/dtaggie/Christmas%20Meat/31c51223.jpg)
(http://i762.photobucket.com/albums/xx270/dtaggie/Christmas%20Meat/e6a6b6cd.jpg)
Dizzy Pig Butt
Nice job, DTA!
I think you make a good point about the (rub) difference --- between a butt and a brisket...
The butt has so much bulk, that it ain't gonna get too salty overall no matter which rub you use.
Glad you like the Starne's sauce!
I've been lickin' it up for FIFTY YEARS, and KyNola has been using it since before I wuz born!
I use it on lots of stuff, but ALWAYS on pulled pork.
Nice job DTA!
Don't that Starnes sauce just make a pork sandwich?
Heck yeah. Love that stuff. When I get low I am going to have to find a way to get my hands on more.
Now thats some good lookin grub you got there.
My mouth started watering when I saw the brisket. :o
Been meaning to smoke up a brisket for a wile now but the ones I've seen lately are going for $3/lb and they are some pretty thin wimpy lookin little guys.
yikes. paid $1.98/lb for that one
Some good looking Grub for sure DTA. I looked this morning and pondered on getting a brisket they are $1.98 a pound here as well
You would think me bein in the middle of cow country beef would be cheeper than it is but nooooooooo.
Was lookin for some beef to smoke for the christmas party at work and the cheepest I have found is $2.49
Pork butt is $1.49 on sale
I gotta get some thing goin soon the party is the 22nd.
Great looking DTA! Superb!
Nice DT, very nice!
Love the look of the Brisket and look how easy the bone pulled on the butt.
Dang!!
Very nice pics. Everything looks great!
Man just had a pulled pork sandwich with the little I held back for myself slathered in the Starnes sauce. Made my bald head sweat! The vinegar and spice is just right!
Everything looks like $$$$.
They will love the great food.
Decided to send all of it to my brother in Colorado. He is going through a very rough divorce and bad work situation. Just have to do more for my uncle whom I planned to send some of this to.
You nailed all of it DTA ! Very, very nice.
I know your bro' will really appreciate it. Great gift from your heart and your labor. Those are the best kind.
DTA, Good looking 'cue going to Colorado. Your brother will undoubtedly appreciate it mightily! Great job and great inspiration.