Will my butts still be frozen ?


 
S

Stuart Osterweil

TVWBB Fan
It's friday, and I'm sitting in my office. I am smoking a butt and a picnic tonight for a friend. I took the butt and picnic out of the freezer Monday night, and put them in the vegetable bin in the lower part of my (cold) fridge.

I now realize, I haven't checked them since I transfered them from freezer to fridge. Do you think they will have defrosted enough by the time I get home tonight ? (4 days or 96 hours)

Also, I am a little worried, as the butt has been in the freezer for about 9 months, would you think this would cause any loss of quality ?

And finally, because this is really for other people to enjoy, I am not sure how to "sauce it"

I like a spicy vinegar based (with a little ketchup), but not sure if I should make a "sweeter" sauce for others.

What do you think ?
 
Wether they are still frozen will depend on a couple of things.
How big are the butts, and how cold is your fridge. I think you'll be fine, but if they are large it might be hard to tell if they are thawed all the way to the center.

When I'm making puled pork for other people, I usually pull the pork and add just a little of a spicy vinegar sauce (no ketchup) to the meat.
Then when I serve the meat I put both the sweet sauce and the vinegar sauce out and let the people decide what they want. That way everyone is happy.
 
You're butt might not be completely thawed, depending on the temp of the area it's in, but it should be fine. If the center is still frozen this is not a problem. As soon as you get home pull it out of the fridge, unwrap it, and stick it in a rack on the counter (better air circulation) till you're ready to rub and cook. Pat it dry when you unwrap it but don't stick anything in it to test it.

I think: Make the sauce you prefer. If you wish, make more, and take about a third of it and sweeten it. (Sugar or a sugar-honey combo or a sugar-honey-touch of molasses.) Your sauce can be used alone of course, or the sweet one, or, if your guests prefer, the two can be mixed together to make a sauce somewhere in between (provide a couple little bowls for doing so).

Enjoy your cook and your meal!

(I do the same as Erik with a finishing sauce added when pulled.)
 
Sorry--spaced that one.

The only time one notices quality issues with something like butt that is goiing to be cooked through and pulled, is if the wrapping/bag broke or tore before or during freezing and freezer burn is present.

Though the cycling of frost-free freezers can cause quality issues for several long-frozen items (it's most often a texture problem), this should not be noticeable, were it to have occurred, with butt for pulled pork.
 
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