Rick Soliman
TVWBB Pro
Just curious.
How long can pork butts sit in the refridge?
- Thread starter Rick Soliman
- Start date
K Kruger
TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
Uncooked? Still wrapped in original cryo or...?
From a few days to a week or a bit more, depending on packaging, fridge temp, possible temp abuse during shipping or at the retailer, etc.
Raw butts, like most raw foods, will spoil safe, i.e., they will spoil before they become unsafe to cook and consume.
Cooked butts, like most cooked foods, are different. Since spoilage organisms were killed during cooking, along with the pathogens, recolinization takes time. Meanwhile, any pathogens (Staph. aureus would be the concern, mostly, but others are possible) that started to colonize would not have much in the way of spoilage organisms to compete with (because of cooking). This sets up the scenario that enables pathogens to grow to a point where food safety is an issue.
It is hard to say how long cooked butts can last. Most cooked food is figured in terms of a few days, tops, to be on the safe side. Much depends on how the food was handled post cooking: how it was cooled, how long, storage temps, whether it was handled (skin contact) or hit with an errant cough or sneeze.
Cooked food is often more of a food safety concern than is raw food meant to be cooked.
From a few days to a week or a bit more, depending on packaging, fridge temp, possible temp abuse during shipping or at the retailer, etc.
Raw butts, like most raw foods, will spoil safe, i.e., they will spoil before they become unsafe to cook and consume.
Cooked butts, like most cooked foods, are different. Since spoilage organisms were killed during cooking, along with the pathogens, recolinization takes time. Meanwhile, any pathogens (Staph. aureus would be the concern, mostly, but others are possible) that started to colonize would not have much in the way of spoilage organisms to compete with (because of cooking). This sets up the scenario that enables pathogens to grow to a point where food safety is an issue.
It is hard to say how long cooked butts can last. Most cooked food is figured in terms of a few days, tops, to be on the safe side. Much depends on how the food was handled post cooking: how it was cooled, how long, storage temps, whether it was handled (skin contact) or hit with an errant cough or sneeze.
Cooked food is often more of a food safety concern than is raw food meant to be cooked.
Rick Soliman
TVWBB Pro
4 butts in cryovac fridge temp is 35 degrees and they haven been in there since Sunday and will be cooked on Wed Night.
I also have 6 whole chickens in bags I am thinking of freezing those since they wont be cooked until Friday morning or do you think I can leave them out?
I also have 6 whole chickens in bags I am thinking of freezing those since they wont be cooked until Friday morning or do you think I can leave them out?
K Kruger
TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
Cooking the chickens to proper internals will pasteurize them, i.e., make them safe to consume. The problem with chickens, however, is that they are prone to quicker spoilage. Though spoilage bacteria are generally not harmful, they are the culprits that lead to off flavor(s) and odors. These particularly affect chicken (especially the more delicately flavored breast meat) and can remain despite cooking. I'd freeze now then thaw in enough time for cooking.
Jeff T Miller
TVWBB All-Star
As for your butts, I wouldn't blink an eye waiting til wednesday unless the the original packaging was pierced sometime along the way.
The guy in the butcher dept at sams says they go up to a month after the date on the case. I bought several cases through the summer and the date on the box was usually within 10 days of the current date. I wouldn't let it go past 2-2.5 weeks. What he actually said was 30 days after packing date, original cryovac and still sealed. Which was usually 3 weeks after purchase. Although I did keep my raw meat in a commercial refridge. That is a big difference.
I keep my fridge at 35, but a commercial cools down quicker than residential models and has an internal fan to circulate air. The cool thing about commercial is it will thaw a 2# bag of pulled pork in about 12 hours.
The guy in the butcher dept at sams says they go up to a month after the date on the case. I bought several cases through the summer and the date on the box was usually within 10 days of the current date. I wouldn't let it go past 2-2.5 weeks. What he actually said was 30 days after packing date, original cryovac and still sealed. Which was usually 3 weeks after purchase. Although I did keep my raw meat in a commercial refridge. That is a big difference.
I keep my fridge at 35, but a commercial cools down quicker than residential models and has an internal fan to circulate air. The cool thing about commercial is it will thaw a 2# bag of pulled pork in about 12 hours.