Need FAST help!!!!


 
T

T Bounds

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Friends

I have a real problem and need advice. I purchased some baby backs still in the "factory" vacuum pack on sale Tuesday from Fresh Market. The meat people told me the ribs would be fine for at least three weeks in a cold fridge saying in the vacuum pack. I need them tonight for an early morning smoke, starting at 5 in the morning. I opened the pack tonight to start the process and was surprised at a pungent, pungent smell. I've never smelled pork that smelled that way. I called the market; they said wait 15 minutes and if the smell remains something might be wrong. I'm pretty scared to use these ribs, but if the smell is normal then I'm just ignorant. I'm on the hook for the meat at a tail gate at noon. Any suggestions? Please help fast. Thanks all.
 
Agree with Ryan, nothing worst than food poisoning. Take them back if you can. No amount of rub/seasoning will make them better. Although some people have stated the vacuumed packed ribs can smell, still not worth it.
 
I can't say you can use them, but I will share that most that I get in the vacuum packs have s strong smell. But if they are open and close, take the worry out and exchange them.
 
IMO, once out of the packaging and in oxygen, if the smell goes away you're ok. That smell is not in and of itself an indication that the meat is bad. If the smell doesn't go away, return the meat for some fresh meat if possible.
 
If you're concerned enough to ask the question I think you've answered it already.
Had a great butt once. Opened the Vac Pak and I thought it smelled bad. I washed it, waited and waited some more. My wife came home and asked what the terrible smell was before she was through the door. I just wanted it to be fine.
 
I also get that off smell when I open a cryovac package. But it usually goes away after 10-15 minutes.

On page 114 of Gary Wiviott's Low & Slow BBQ book there is a tip at the bottom.
Tip: Ribs often have a slightly "off" smell and a sticky feel when they are taken out of a vacuum-sealed package. Rinsing with vinegar removes the odor and tackiness, and vinegar is also a natural antibacterial agent.

Like what others have said, if the smell still remains. Return them.
 
nothing worst than food poisoning.
Click to expand...
Perhaps. But a pungent odor won't tell you if pathogens responsible for food poisoning are present. These pathogens have no odor whatsoever.

Cryo'd meat often develops odors due to the restricted atmosphere. The odor should dissipate in 15-20 minutes.

The bacteria responsible for malodors on foods are spoilage bacteria. They are not responsible for food poisoning - though they can make the food virtually inedible.

Again: The lack of an odor does not indicate the food is free of pathogens.
 
He was worried enough to ask the question.Despite the fact that the odor dissipates, I personally would not cook or consciously serve any food that smelled bad prior to cooking.Correct, there are bacteria that have no foul smell, i.e. Staphylococcus bacteria in potato salad, E.Coli in ground meat, Listeria in cheese,Clostridium botulinum in canned foods, just to name a
few. Incidentally it is actually the toxin that the bacteria produces that makes an individual sick.
 
Some pathogens are toxigenic (some Clostridia spp., B. cereus, S. aureus), others (Campylobacter, Listeria, Salmonella) are not.

By-and-large spoilage bacteria are not pathogenic. Odors are common in cryo'd meats. If this is distasteful cryo'd meats, especially pork, where odor is more common, should not be purchased.

No pathogenic bacteria have a smell, nor can they be tasted.

My comment was not meant to encourage nor discourage consumption of the meat the OP's question was about - that's up to him - but to correct the often asserted but erroneous assumption that malodor = pathogens = food poisoning. Malodor does = spoilage bacteria. One should assume that pathogenic bacteria are present (regardless of the presence or lack of odor) and use standard food safety precautions.

Proper cooking of the meat in question would pasteurize it thus nearly removing any risk of pathogen contamination. If the meat were in fact spoiled it would likely be unappealing to consume even after cooking - but it would be pasteurized nevertheless.

If prominent odor remains some time after the meat is removed from the cryo it will likely remain (often coupled with a bad taste) after cooking. If it doesn't, it won't.
 
This is great info. I had a less than experience with vac ribs once before. The vinegar rinse is great info. I love this site,so much to be learned.
 
Friends,

Thanks for all the insight and help. We rinsed the ribs and most of the smell dissipated, except for the top one. The smell was lessened on it too, just not as much. There was no where else to go for ribs since it was 9:00 and I had to put them on the WSM at 6:00 am. My wife and I talked about it and reasoned: the ribs were purchased from Fresh Market on Tuesday; the butcher said if they stayed cold and in the vacuum pack they would be good for weeks (not just days), and so many people said smell was normal. So we decided to roll the dice. I coated them with mustard, applied my dry rub, saran wrapped them and put them back in the fridge. I got up at 5:30, lit the WSM, and put the ribs on at 6:00. I took them off at 10:45, foiled them and went to the tailgate. We ate at 12:30 and I got the usual comment: "Those were the best ribs I've ever eaten." Nobody got sick (although I couldn't get the though out of my head.)

One thing I know: I will not buy any pork, vacuumed or not, and hold it in the fridge for 3 or 4 days. I'll just buy the day before, or freeze, but Friday night was just too stressful for me. Thanks again for all the insights. That's why I brag about and recommend this site to everyone I know who grills or smokes or wants to.
 
Glad to hear all was well. As I said, I too was concerned the first time I experienced that smell. I also learned in this thread about the vinegar rinse and will do that the next time
 
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