Frozen Pork Butt for Sopressata

iceboxer449 · Post by **iceboxer449** » Wed Jan 18, 2017 21:21

Hi Guys,
have any of you used frozen pork butt to make sorpressata ?
I have only used fresh in the past. i just bought 90lbs and may need to freeze until i can get to it, had a family emergency...

thanks

Post by **Bob K** » Wed Jan 18, 2017 22:44

Welcome to the forum!

No problem at all. In fact freezing is one of the recommended methods of destroying Trichinae.
https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/9/318.10

iceboxer449 · Post by **iceboxer449** » Wed Jan 18, 2017 23:31

Bob,
I really appreciate the reply. Glad I found this place. I will be sure to post some pics of my Chamber and the final product. thanks again.

StefanS · Post by **StefanS** » Fri Jan 20, 2017 01:18

iceboxer449 wrote:I will be sure to post some pics of my Chamber and the final product

- it can be nice to share them with us.
Returning to main question - most of meat I have to buy in larger quantities (60-80 Lbs) so only freezing is a option to not use it at once. Before freezing I have pack them in smaller vacuum pouches and put them on coldest shelf in freezer. Vacpack created a barrier so meat do not get freeze burnt ( dried ring outside of piece of meat, fish,etc). Then before using it - defrosting, thawing is very important process.
2-3 days before use meat(depends on size of pieces) - I'm moving it from freezer to refrigerator. It is staying there before it is thawed. That slow process has these purposes - during slow defrosting inside meat is minimalized process of rapid bursts of structural collagen, so meat is more "flexible" during other processes. Also there is less juice/water leakage from inside meat. ( it is same juicy as fresh). Less juice means also - less possibilities for secondary bacterial contamination of meat. (lower temperatures plus less juice means less base for bacterial grow).
Another benefit of freezing meat - Bob K mentioned in post above.