Thawing butts


 
M

Mike Zarecky

TVWBB Pro
This past weekend the local Farm Fresh had bone in pork butts for $.98/lb. (2) packs each butt over 8 lbs. I bought (2) of them and put them in the freezer. I wish I would have had room for more. What's the best way to thaw them? I was thinking about placing them in a cooler to thaw rather than take up room in the fridge. Any thoughts?

MikeZ
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Mike Zarecky:
This past weekend the local Farm Fresh had bone in pork butts for $.98/lb. (2) packs each butt over 8 lbs. I bought (2) of them and put them in the freezer. I wish I would have had room for more. What's the best way to thaw them? I was thinking about placing them in a cooler to thaw rather than take up room in the fridge. Any thoughts?

MikeZ </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

The cooler will work fine, but I'd put ice water in it and let them thaw over a couple days in the cooler.

Or you can do a quick thaw the day before you're planning on cooking them by placing the frozen butts in your kitchen sink or other vessel that will hold water. Fill with cold water and change the water every 30 minutes or so with cold water. This should thaw an 8lb butt in about 3 hours or so. Make sure the butt is properly wrapped, if not put it into a 2 gallon zip loc bag and then submerge in water.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Mike Zarecky:
I was thinking about placing them in a cooler to thaw rather than take up room in the fridge. Any thoughts?

MikeZ </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Mike, I have done the dry cooler thing, but I use a very small cooler. I always put the cooler on the garage floor, indoor concrete is always cold.
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If you are planning on using a big one, in relation to the size of the butts then maybe what Larry said might be better. But you know once you get the inside of a cooler cold, it doesn't take much to keep it cold so but......... On the other side it also takes cold to keep that ice water cold so....... seems like a double edged sword to me. Either way with dry or water, you'll just have to really keep a eye on it once it starts thawing out. Maybe put a ET-73, Polder, or a NU Temp to work.
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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Bryan S:
Mike, I have done the dry cooler thing, but I use a very small cooler. I always put the cooler on the garage floor, indoor concrete is always cold.
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If you are planning on using a big one, in relation to the size of the butts then maybe what Larry said might be better. But you know once you get the inside of a cooler cold, it doesn't take much to keep it cold so but......... On the other side it also takes cold to keep that ice water cold so....... seems like a double edged sword to me. Either way with dry or water, you'll just have to really keep a eye on it once it starts thawing out. Maybe put a ET-73, Polder, or a NU Temp to work.
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Bryan the cold water will actually be warmer than the frozen butt, therefore it will increase the thaw rate as well as keep the butt at a safe temperature throughout.

Thawing in a dry cooler will work but there's more room for error. If you do not monitor the core temp of the butt there is nothing to help keep it cool once it thaws.

Look at it this way, thawing in a cooler of ice water is more like thawing in the fridge and it's safer. Thawing in a dry cooler is like thawing on the counter, safe to a point, but not the safest or fastest way to thaw.
 
I'm not really seeing the need for the ice in the water in the cooler--especially if you have a drain in the cooler and can simply replace the water periodically--because water replacement is all you need do. You don't really have to do that either but it speeds things up nicely.

(Notwithstanding the claims of the FDA and ServSafe, neither of whom has any science to support their position, you actually can thaw packages of raw meat on the counter. As long as you plan to cook it once thawed, or start the cooking a bit sooner, it is not unsafe. Still, I don't think it's a very good method.)

Water transfers heat more efficiently--we see that in cooking and feel in in the weather (it's why Miami feels hotter than Phoenix)--so the transfer from water to frozen meat works well and increases thaw rate, as Larry notes. Water movement can boost thaw rate more. Flowing cold water is especially effective but not everyone want to run or waste all that water.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by K Kruger:
I'm not really seeing the need for the ice in the water in the cooler--especially if you have a drain in the cooler and can simply replace the water periodically--because water replacement is all you need do. You don't really have to do that either but it speeds things up nicely.
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I had suggested the ice in the cooler because I think Mike is looking for a place to store the butts instead of taking up space in his fridge, while they thaw. The ice in the water would keep the butts cold while thawing over the coarse of several days. Of course you'd have to change the ice when needed.

If a quick thaw was intended then I agree, using just water and draining through the drain hole.
 
Thanks for all the info. I plan to start the thaw process (in the cooler) on Wednesday morning for a Friday morning cook start.

MikeZ
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">I think Mike is looking for a place to store the butts instead of taking up space in his fridge, while they thaw. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
That makes sense. Even with two fridges I run out of space easily.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by K Kruger:
That makes sense. Even with two fridges I run out of space easily. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Isn't that the truth! I do as well! It's hard to imagine at one point in life I had only one fridge!!
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