Christmas Gift Smoked Meat - New Pics

[DTAggie]

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?


Two butts


Butt with Dizzy Pig Rub


Butt with Salt Lick Rub



Brisket


Brisket with Salt Lick

Into the fridge for the night

[hal4uk]

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.

[DTAggie]

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!!

[hal4uk]

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.   

[DTAggie]

Suggestions on wrapping material and shipping method?  FedEx, UPS etc?

[hal4uk]

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)

[DTAggie]

Good point.  I see that all the time in Big D.

[jiggerjams]

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!!

[DTAggie]

Jigger,

Milk bags?  Have not seen those in years.  They are still using them?

[jiggerjams]

 Hear in ontario you get two options when buying bulk:

-  Three 1.33  litre bags in a larger bag.
- 4 Litres in a jug

[BuyLowSellHigh]

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.

[OldHickory]

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.

[FLBentRider]

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

[DTAggie]

What a lucky piece of beef being between two nice butts!  Ready to put on racks and head to the OBS.



Loaded into the OBS.  Doing a long smoke..4 hrs Pecan and 4 hrs of Oak.



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.

[DTAggie]

After 4 hrs of Pecan.  Oak starting up.