Cooking For Engineers

[meathook]

OK, over did the BBQ thing; did a large pork butt, and four large beef racks for visiting relatives. We were so busy going here and there, that there was no time to enjoy the BBQ except for one very late quick meal. So, company has left but will drop by in a few weeks on their way back home. BBQ is still in the fridge but am concerned about keeping very long in a fridge. Options are to somehow consume it, freeze it, give it away (but would not do this after a week in fridge) or leave it as is.

Question: What is the reasonable limit for keeping smoked, then completely cooked meat in the fridge? When does it become unsafe. I have a tendency to toss foods at a week old but I really hate to do that....this stuff is good! And I have no experience freezing BBQ'd meat (although some world class soups and sauces with meat have done well in freezer with very little loss of quality and no one has died).

[GaryProtein]

No more than one week cooked and well wrapped in the fridge or if well wrapped or in a cryo-bag, many months in a freezer.

[meathook]

OK, thanks for your comments. Thought one week was ok to be on the safe side; had some today which was nine days so the rest will be pitched. The ribs usually turn out better than the brisket, perhaps because they get longer smoking time and larger surface area exposed to the smoke than a roast.

[Paul79UF]

I feel your pain.

My father is from Argentina, his bbq (a.k.a. "asado") is legendary but he always cooks too much and I invariably get sent home with a huge tray of leftover meat.

After a week of eating all that salty meat for two meals a day, I'm usually pretty sick of it.