Thaw time for a frozen solid packer?


 
C

ChadVKealey

TVWBB Pro
A while back, I picked up a 13# packer brisket from the discount bin at Wally Mart. It was there (@ $2.07/lb!) because it was one day from its "sell by" date. I took it home and threw it straight into the upright freezer downstairs. Now (well, this weekend) the time has come to cook that bad boy, but since it was frozen so close to the "use it or toss it" date, I don't want to thaw it too soon. I'm planning to prep it (inject garlic & apply rub) right before cooking and want to have it on the smoker by 11 PM Friday night.

The real problem is that I don't have adequate fridge space to thaw it properly (3-4 days would probably do), so I'll have to do it in a cooler. If I put it in a cooler, covered with cold water, before work on Friday, then change the water after work, think it'll be fully de-frozen in time?
 
What I remember, there has to be regular water changes (not once in 8r) every half hour or so.

Found this:
Cold Water Thawing

The upside to this approach is that it’s much faster than refrigerator thawing. The downside is that it requires a lot more attention on your behalf.

To thaw the food, submerge the bag in cold tap water. Never use hot water, as that can cause the outer layer of the food to heat up to a temperature where harmful bacteria begins to multiply. You’ll need to change the water every 30 minutes to ensure that it stays sufficiently cold.

Using this thawing method, small packages of frozen meat or poultry (about a pound) can defrost in one hour or less. For larger items, you should estimate about 30 minutes of defrosting time per pound of food.

Once the food is thawed completely, you’ll need to cook it immediately. If you have a change in plans, you can safely refreeze the food once you’ve cooked it thoroughly.
Click to expand...
http://www.stilltasty.com/articles/view/9

Meathead agrees http://amazingribs.com/tips_and_technique/thawing_meat.html changing the water every 30 minutes
 
Last edited:
Hrm...not sure the boss will let me work from home so I can be there to change the water every 30 minutes. I remember on an episode of Good Eats, Alton Brown used an aquarium pump to recirculate the thaw water. I don't have one of those on hand, but could probably borrow one.

Or, I could just shoehorn it into the fridge tonight and it'll probably thaw in time without the need for water. That sounds like the more practical option.
 
ChadVKealey said:
Hrm...not sure the boss will let me work from home so I can be there to change the water every 30 minutes. I remember on an episode of Good Eats, Alton Brown used an aquarium pump to recirculate the thaw water. I don't have one of those on hand, but could probably borrow one.

Or, I could just shoehorn it into the fridge tonight and it'll probably thaw in time without the need for water. That sounds like the more practical option.
Click to expand...


Read to the bottom of the last link, the Very cold water bath method. Basically, just what you said, but add some ice to the water. Can you come home once during the day to add more ice??
 
DaveW said:
Read to the bottom of the last link, the Very cold water bath method. Basically, just what you said, but add some ice to the water. Can you come home once during the day to add more ice??
Click to expand...

Not a chance. It's a 45 minute train ride each way. However, I did some rearranging in the secondary fridge and wedged the brisket in there with the two butts I'll be cooking as well. If they don't thaw by Friday morning, I'll try the very cold water method.
 
Well!!!, I'm retired, so I would, if it still is in the cyrovac, which sounds like it because you put it in the freezer, I would use my bathtub with it filled up to the appropriate level, or the kitchen sink if it is big enough. I do this with steaks and roasts frequently with no adverse results even when they aren't thawed 100% Turkeys, Prime Rib, i plan ahead--
 
A friend of mine has a turkey processing business. He says 10 hrs in cold water to thaw a large bird. I would think a solid packer 15 hours or so.
 
I do a lot of fully frozen or partially defrosted beef or pork roasts and I think they offer a juicer roast. So defrost it the best you can, and let it go on the WSM.
It might take a tad longer, but give it a shot.:wsm:

Tim
 
timothy said:
I do a lot of fully frozen or partially defrosted beef or pork roasts and I think they offer a juicer roast. So defrost it the best you can, and let it go on the WSM.
It might take a tad longer, but give it a shot.:wsm:

Tim
Click to expand...

It'll be tough to inject them still frozen. I always inject whole garlic cloves into brisket and use Chris Lilly's pork injection for butts.
 
So, after two days in the fridge, the brisket and butts were barely starting to thaw. I put them all in a cooler last night, covered with cold water, and by 5:30 this morning, they're all perfectly thawed. Moved 'em back to the fridge so they'll stay out of the danger zone until I can inject & rub 'em tonight.

The brisket is for dinner tomorrow, one butt will be given to a friend as payment for some work he did and the other will be portioned and donated to our church's hospitality outreach (they provide meals for families in need). I'm still not sure whether I'm going butts-over-brisket or brisket-over-butts. I know most folks prefer butts on top so the dripping fat can help season the brisket and keep it moist, but pork fat does weird things to my wife's digestive system.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

 

Back
Top