Reheating from frozen foodsaver packets

[John Lantern]

So I got a foodsaver over the winter and with the nice weather have been smoking and saving the leftovers. I've read that lots of people just drop the bag in simmering water and let it go. When I've tried that, I've gotten frozen chunks in the middle each time that I had to microwave out after I'd cut the bag open.

What do people here do? Do you defrost the bag then boil? Just let it go? For anybody who just lets it go, do you have a problem with it getting overcooked?

I like the idea and feel like I'm just a half step away on the execution. Any tips appreciated.

 

[Darren Wilson]

With any frozen left overs, I always defrost first in the fridge before wrapping the actual leftovers in foil and placing back in the smoker or oven until the internal temperatures reach the safe marks again for each different meat.

This is the way I was taught to do it, and not had any cases of food poisoning yet!!!

 

[Rick Body]

I have used the boil in the water method with ribs. But I cut the corner or good portion of the top of the bag open. I don't know if you are doing this or if this makes a difference but it has always worked for me. After they defrost a little in the water, you can break the meat up in the bag and put it back in the water still in the bag

 

[Jon K]

I start from frozen

I have used the boil in the water method with ribs. But I cut the corner or good portion of the top of the bag open. I don't know if you are doing this or if this makes a difference but it has always worked for me. After they defrost a little in the water, you can break the meat up in the bag and put it back in the water still in the bag

I take the frozen vac. sealed food out of the freezer and it goes directly into a simmering pot of water.
I leave it in the water for about an hour and have never had an issue with a frozen center in my food.
Good luck.

 

[Don Fry]

My wife and I normally bag leftovers that will make one meal and maybe a little more for the two of us. We'll try to put them in the refrigerator to thaw if to be used as an ingredient in a dish. If the main course like pulled pork, we put the frozen bag in cold water and turn it on medium heat. When the water comes to a boil the meat is thawed and at the perfect temp ready to be served.

 

[Erik Anderson]

I've read that lots of people just drop the bag in simmering water and let it go. When I've tried that, I've gotten frozen chunks in the middle each time that I had to microwave out after I'd cut the bag open.

I've had that issue as well. To mitigate it, I've started using larger-than-necessary foodsaver bags, and ensuring that the meat stays in more or less a single thin layer in the bag - no thicker than .75" at any point. The frozen bits come into play when you have a large mass of food, and packing it in a thinner layer helps with this.

 

[Ron A]

I slow-thaw any frozen, vacuum-sealed meat product (smoked or otherwise) in the fridge. A 1.5 to 2 lb. packet of pulled pork usually thaws in about 24-36 hours. I then re-heat LOW and SLOW in a 175 degree oven using a foil-covered glass baking dish. I've never used the simmering water method simply because it's too easy to forget and you end up potentially re-cooking the meat. I also don't like thawing at room temperature, even though the meat is still sealed in the bag.

In the end, just like the smoking process, it's whatever method works best for you.