Question about pork butt


 
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I'm going to cook some pork butts this weekend to send to some friends. I have a few questions:

1. If I vacuum seal them and ship them priority mail (one's going to Washington and one is going to Virginia), will they be okay? Should I freeze them first?

2. Should I take them off the smoker at 180-185 and include instructions to reheat them in a 250 degree oven to an internal temp of 190 and then pull the pork?

One last question -- I'm also going to send these folks some of the pastrami I'm doing today. Should I slice it paper thin for them, or let them slice it? I don't think either of them have a meat slicer.

Thanks for your help!

Kelly
 
Kelly,

I think the only way to ship it safely is frozen and by overnight delivery. I would pull the pork and slice the pastrami, package it in portions and freeze it solid. (I'm not sure how the pastrami will hold up to this treatment, but I know you've frozen pork butt and you know it turns out OK.) Pack in a suitable container using plenty of Blue Ice packets.

You can use dry ice, but FedEx, UPS and USPS have special regulations regarding dry ice. It must be declared at time of shipping and special forms and labeling are required, so it's probably best avoided.

Good luck,
Chris
 
Thanks, Chris.

When we were kids, my brother and I would spend the summer with our grandparents and go fishing almost every day. Grandpa would filet the fish and Grandma would freeze the filets in half-gallon milk cartons full of water. Then at the end of the summer we would wrap those frozen containers in many layers of newspaper and we'd take them home on the plane and have fresh northern pike all winter long!

Maybe I can do something similar -- obviously not freeze the meat in water, but maybe freeze the vaccuum-sealed bags in the water and wrap with newspaper?

Thanks for your input!

Kelly
 
Wouldn't it be better to freeze the pork butt whole or in large chunks (cooked), and vacuum-sealed? Then they can pull it once it thaws out and is heated. Might stay juicier that way.
 
Interesting thought, Rocky.... anyone agree or disagree?

Kelly
 
Pull the pork, place in freezer bags, when it's time for them to cook them add some chicken stock (does need to be a lot) it will be moist.
Jim
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Kelly Ratzlaff:
[qb]Maybe I can ... freeze the vaccuum-sealed bags in the water and wrap with newspaper?[/qb] <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>Then you'd have to put that in a water-tight container and hope that it doesn't leak during shipping...that's why Blue Ice would be better, IMHO.

Regards,
Chris
 
Jim, I suspect you mean, "does NOT have to be a lot". Thanks for the tip!

Kelly
 
LOL Jeff, I'm afraid you're absolutely right.... but they're such good friends!!!

Kelly
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Rocky:
[qb]Wouldn't it be better to freeze the pork butt whole or in large chunks (cooked), and vacuum-sealed? Then they can pull it once it thaws out and is heated. Might stay juicier that way.[/qb] <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>I freeze the whole cooked pork butt, wrapped airtight in foil and placed in a large freezer bag. When it's time for a quick easy meal, I just put the bag in the fridge for a day to thaw and then place the foil wrapped butt in a baking pan and stick it in a 350 degree oven until it's heated through -- I dunno, maybe an hour or so.

It "pulls" perfectly and the texture when reheated is very good.
 
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