Help!!!

anothersteveg

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Original poster

Apr 20, 2010

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• Sep 4, 2011

• #1

Hi Everyone!

I need your input/thoughts.  Yesterday I bought 4 racks of ribs that I was going to smoke tomorrow.  I put them in the garage refrigerator last night, one of my kids got a coke out and the door was left cracked open (about an inch) because of a plastic bag that got caught.  I didn't realize it until this morning. 

Are they toast?  They were the vacuum packed kind and were still cool to the touch.  I put them in the freezer to cool down but I'm trying to decide what to do, I'd hate to throw them out if I don't have to.  I put a themometer in a water bottle that was in the fridge next to them and it read 50 degrees.

Thanks

 

rbranstner

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Oct 18, 2007

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West Fargo, ND / Northern MN

• Sep 4, 2011

• #2

How long do you figure they were in there with the fridge open?

 

anothersteveg

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Apr 20, 2010

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10

• Sep 4, 2011

• #3

Hard to say for sure, probably around 12 hours.  The fridge was open about an inch.  The ribs were on the middle shelf.  The door opens left to right and the ribs were on the side away from the door opening, hope that makes sense.  The fridge only has liquids in it water, beer, sodas etc.

 

davidhef88

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Jun 24, 2011

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• Sep 4, 2011

• #4

if your not sure, I'll take them

 

pops6927

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• Sep 4, 2011

• #5

Now, about the kid who got the coke out of the fridge....  he won't get the ribs, he'll have to knaw on the briskets instead! 

 

Last edited: Sep 4, 2011

rbranstner

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Oct 18, 2007

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West Fargo, ND / Northern MN

• Sep 4, 2011

• #6

Man that's a tough call. If you want to be 100% safe then you throw them out. Nothing worse then getting your family and friends sick. Are they safe? I would say probably especially if they are cold to the touch. But still there is always the chance. That's a call you will have to make. I have done similar things and gambled and cooked and ate the  meat and it turned out ok but you just never know. I wouldn't feel comfortable telling you its safe and then someone gets sick. This will be a call that only you can make.

If it were me I would cook them if it were just me eating it but if I was serving it to others I would probably throw them as I would feel horrible if someone got sick. If you knew their temp and knew  how long they were at that temp then you could make an educated guess but being there is a big unknown that's what makes it scary for me.

I've been there man and it sucks.

 

scarbelly

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• Sep 4, 2011

• #7

I agree with Ross. Next time use a temp probe to see what the temp is then you know for sure

 

rbranstner

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Oct 18, 2007

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West Fargo, ND / Northern MN

• Sep 4, 2011

• #8

Pops6927 said:

Now, about the kid who got the coke out of the fridge....  he won't get the ribs, he'll have to knaw on the briskets instead! 

Click to expand...

On second thought cook the ribs and feed  them to the kid that left the door open. If  he gets sick then that is  his punishment if he doesn't then you reheat them the next  day and have some great ribs.

I'm only kidding. I'm sure he feels horrible. The only good thing is maybe there is a lesson learned. Sucks is has to cost you 4 racks of ribs  but what can you do. What's done is done.

 

Last edited: Sep 4, 2011

pops6927

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• Sep 4, 2011

• #9

well, looks like my last post got eradicated, lol!  I replied that if your fridge was maintaining 50° and the meat was COV and cooler to the touch than the fridge, then it was 40-45°.  Most meatcases run about 45-50° and meat lasts 2-3 days in them, so there wouldn't be a problem, cook away!

 

anothersteveg

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Apr 20, 2010

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• Sep 4, 2011

• #10

Yeah, I thought about the probe, but that would puncture the vacuum pack and make me worry even more.  I think I'm going to freeze these and get 4 new racks for tomorrow.  I'll save the ones I have now and use for just me and the wifey (maybe the MIL!). 

Thank you all, I appreciate the input.

Steve

 

roller

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• Sep 4, 2011

• #11

I`d cook them...1 in. opening they would still be cool and all sealed up...

 

SmokinAl

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• Sep 4, 2011

• #12

If Pops says they are OK I would smoke them & not have any worries.

 

shiz-nit

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Jun 18, 2011

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Kentucky

• Sep 4, 2011

• #13

IF and ONLY if!!! they were cool to the touch I would say okay. But yes next time please prob and get an exact temp reading

 

venture

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• Sep 4, 2011

• #14

I am with Pops if they were cold to cool to the touch.  Only because of the cryo packaging. And because Pops said so.

Good luck and good smoking.