Dumb mistake with Boston butt

[mike3ga88]

picked up 2 Boston butts at Kroger for .99 lb, forgot them in the truck. Outside temp about 63° and it was in truck for 3.5 hrs. Best bet to toss them?

 

[mike5051]

I'm not an expert, but I wouldn't eat em!

Mike

 

[mosparky]

When in doubt, throw it out. Anything more than 4 hours is a huge risk. 3.5 hours is too close for comfort when you add in the time it took to cool it back to under the 40 deg mark. Pitch it or return it. Happens all the time at my store, you won't be the first or the last to return product like that. Personally I'd pitch it, lesson learned.
$20 for butts ain't nothin' compared to hospital bill and/or deductible, assuming you live.

 

[chef jimmyj]

That one is a tossup. What was the overnight temp? If less than 40, the meat was likely in the danger zone only a few hours. We're they vac-packed? Processors take great care to keep meat bacteria free. Most contamination happens through handling in the stores filthy butcher shop by untrained workers. USDA recommends no more than 2 hours out of refrigeration but test show at temps below 70, bacterial growth is minimal even at 4 hours. Any bacteria is only onthe surface and a good rinse followed by a rub containing salt and sugar will eliminate them rendering the meat safe after smoking at 225°F or higher. I personally would have no issue cooking BOTH those butts asap. No Injection and Do Not try to refer or freeze them for some future cook beyond the next 72 hours. Go from refer to smoker, no counter warming...JJ

 

[SmokinAl]

Well JJ is the food safety expert on here!
If he says it's OK, then I'd eat it!
Al

 

[mike3ga88]

That one is a tossup. What was the overnight temp? If less than 40, the meat was likely in the danger zone only a few hours. We're they vac-packed? Processors take great care to keep meat bacteria free. Most contamination happens through handling in the stores filthy butcher shop by untrained workers. USDA recommends no more than 2 hours out of refrigeration but test show at temps below 70, bacterial growth is minimal even at 4 hours. Any bacteria is only onthe surface and a good rinse followed by a rub containing salt and sugar will eliminate them rendering the meat safe after smoking at 225°F or higher. I personally would have no issue cooking BOTH those butts asap. No Injection and Do Not try to refer or freeze them for some future cook beyond the next 72 hours. Go from refer to smoker, no counter warming...JJ

Thanks JJ, they are in the vac packed plastic, not the Saran Wrap on foam tray. It’s was in vehicle from 6:30 pm to about 9:45. Air temp was about 63 at 6 and 58 by 9. I’ve had a couple people tell me that if I call kroger and tell them what happened, they may exchange them for me. I was planning on smoking them early Saturday morning, so probably within 36 hrs of them sitting out. I am thinking that going from Kroger’s cooler to my vehicle for 3hrs and 45 min, then into cold fridge that had to cool them back down, they were probably easily over the danger temp over 4 hrs.

 

[chef jimmyj]

Some time ago my wife put frozen vac-packed pork tenders on the counter to get to other items in the freezer. She forgot to put them back and discovered them some twelve hours later defrosted and at room temp. Asking what to do, I told her to put them in the refer and I would evaluate them at supper time. I found them to be in perfect condition. No smell, slime or anything out of the ordinary. I washed and added a salty rub and grilled them to medium. They were fabulous.
As I said, packers plan for the meat to be moved cross country over the next few weeks and likely spend some time out of refrigeration when trucks are loaded and unloaded. They follow strict sanitation and HACCP programs allowing their vac-packed meats weeks of storage, maintaining quality, compared to the three days store cut and wrapped meat lasts before going bad...You are fine, just no more mistakes. Washed, rubbed and refer to hot smoker with careful monitoring of smoker temp the entire cook will result in safe and tasty pulled pork...JJ

 

[mike3ga88]

Some time ago my wife put frozen vac-packed pork tenders on the counter to get to other items in the freezer. She forgot to put them back and discovered them some twelve hours later defrosted and at room temp. Asking what to do, I told her to put them in the refer and I would evaluate them at supper time. I found them to be in perfect condition. No smell, slime or anything out of the ordinary. I washed and added a salty rub and grilled them to medium. They were fabulous.
As I said, packers plan for the meat to be moved cross country over the next few weeks and likely spend some time out of refrigeration when trucks are loaded and unloaded. They follow strict sanitation and HACCP programs allowing their vac-packed meats weeks of storage, maintaining quality, compared to the three days store cut and wrapped meat lasts before going bad...You are fine, just no more mistakes. Washed, rubbed and refer to hot smoker with careful monitoring of smoker temp the entire cook will result in safe and tasty pulled pork...JJ

JJ, I got those butts a smokin lol. I washed good, put on a good rub with salt and sugar. They weren’t slimy and no odor. If by chance the meat has bacteria or is bad, is there a certain taste I should look for when tasting it? They sure be smelling good right now. I’ll be taking them up to 200-205 and rest and pull. Thanks for all the info you share here.

 

[chef jimmyj]

You are fine. Bad meat let's you know right away! An off smell that dissipates after the pack is opened is normal. The funk from bad meat stays,fills the room and would have others in the house yelling for you to stop farting and stinking up the house...JJ

 

[John Aceves]

JJ, I got those butts a smokin lol. I washed good, put on a good rub with salt and sugar. They weren’t slimy and no odor. If by chance the meat has bacteria or is bad, is there a certain taste I should look for when tasting it? They sure be smelling good right now. I’ll be taking them up to 200-205 and rest and pull. Thanks for all the info you share here.

Mike- how did those butts come out?

 

[mike3ga88]

Mike- how did those butts come out?

John, must have been something wrong with them. Smoked them up to 205 unwrapped and then foiled and rested an hour, they completely fell apart on me lol. Seriously, JJ was spot on, they were fine just like the other 2 I smoked with them. I almost tossed them, until I read his comments. Only thing that would have made me sick from that pork is if I would have had a 3rd sandwich instead of 2 with my smoked beans. This site is always my goto place for info on smoking.