Butt did not cool off! Need help before I serve for Fathers

rolltide · Newbie Joined: 26 Feb 2007 Posts: 49

Cooked a butt yesterday and put in fridge without pulling first. I put the towels on top that I used to rest in the cooler and I prevented the butt from cooling down like it normally would have.

So I am concerned that I did not cool the butt down approprietly. Here are the times...

195 deg - 11pm placed in fridge (wrapped in foil, covered with towels)
90 deg - 9am when I just pulled from fridge

I put in cooler with ice until I get some guidence if the meat i ok to consume.

Thanks for your help. Happy Fathers Day!

Ryan

BBQMAN · Posted: Jun 19 2011 Post subject:

Here are the rules (and HUGE proponent of why I suggest pulling and ice bath in plastic zip-lock before putting into the fridge).

The meat should be cooled to room temp, then down to fridge temps within 4 hours.

The only way that I know of to safely accomplish the above (unless you own a blast chiller, and mos of us do not) is by pulling, bagging, and ice bath, then into the fridge.

Wanna take a chance you might be ok!

AND I WOULD NOT SUGGEST THE ABOVE IN ANY WAY SHAPE OR FORM

My professional and personal opinion is toss it.

Sorry my man, but its not a mistake you want to make with your family, and it's not a mistake you are likely to make again.
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Inner10 · Posted: Jun 19 2011 Post subject:

BBQ man summed it up perfectly, according to the rules that butt is trash.

Never put anything hot in a fridge, its a refrigerator not a blast chiller, it will bring up the temp and harm other foods stored in it.

k.a.m. · Posted: Jun 19 2011 Post subject:

If it were just myself and Debbie I would probably test the waters. I am not sure I would test the waters on a lot of guests. I know by now you realize the Butt should have been pulled placed in storage bags and given an ice bath before placing in the fridge. There is no real way of knowing how long the Butt stayed above 140� your talking about 10hrs. starting at 195� and dropping to 90�. Sorry if I seem wishy washy on this.
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Mr Tony's BBQ · Posted: Jun 19 2011 Post subject:

Maybe just run to the nearest food mart, grab a bunch of country ribs, rub em up and smoke at higher temps.....wont be quite as good as that butt WAS, but you will have some pulled pork for your gathering. [The pork country rib is actually part of the butt]
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BBQMAN · Posted: Jun 19 2011 Post subject:

SoEzzy · Posted: Jun 19 2011 Post subject:

As with many things you take your own chances for your self and your family, but for guests, I will add my voice to the don't do it crowd.

I don't know enough about how fridges efficiently cool, and how food cools in fridges either.

If it was a straight line cooling, (of all parts of the meat), then it's possible that you can get away with it, but is it really worth the risk... I don't think so!
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Pit Boss · Posted: Jun 20 2011 Post subject:

One of the two biggest lessons to learn here is that wrapping in a towel is for resting...resting before cooling. You can cool after the rest.

The "temperature danger zone" starts at 135 degrees. Above that point and you're ok no matter the time frame. Once you drop below 135 you need to get the meat to 70 degrees within 2 hours. At that point, you have 4 hours to get the meat from 70 to 40 degrees.

I would certainly toss the meat you already have.

I would also never put meat wrapped in a towel in my refrigerator ever again. I hope no one actually told you to do that.
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jednalf · Newbie Joined: 06 Feb 2010 Posts: 76 Location: Eugene Or

I would tear that sucker apart and eat it Whats the worst that will happen?
A little Vomiting never hurt anyone
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BluDawg · Posted: Jun 20 2011 Post subject:

BBQMAN · Posted: Jun 20 2011 Post subject:

BBQMAN · Posted: Jun 20 2011 Post subject:

Straight from my Serve-Safe managers book:

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feldon30 · Posted: Jun 20 2011 Post subject:

I temp the butt about 1 inch into the meat after I take it out of the cooler. If it's 135�F, I am good-to-go. If it's 125�F, then it was probably in the 'zone' for an hour or two. Below that, I start getting nervous.

I know I am a broken record on this but I really am hooked on smoking butts in the afternoon into the evening, foil, throw it in the oven til 8am, double wrap in foil, wrap in towels, throw it in an igloo, and it's perfect and ready-to-pull til 1pm without additional warming.
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compound13 · Joined: 29 Aug 2008 Posts: 18

i know this comment will be met with much guffawing and ridicule, but here you go nonetheless...

if you're REALLY in a tight situation - go to costco and get the kirkland signature smoked pulled pork. 2 lbs of precooked vacuum sealed meat for $10 and i'm telling you it's actually not that bad. there's obviously no bark, but in a pinch trying to feed a hungry crowd...you could do worse....and i'm guessing they cooled their's down properly Smile

kind of got me thinking - I think it would be funny/interesting to see some competition scores of packaged ribs and pulled pork just to see how badly they score against "live" food and how they score in relation to each other.