Freeze/Thaw/Process/Freeze Pork Debate

[jimalbert]

OK.. ever since I have been very young I have had family and friends (that I would butcher with) tell me that it isn't good to take a fresh piece of pork and freeze it then thaw it to process it (into sausage or whatever) and freeze it again after processing.  What are everyone's thoughts on this?  If safe temps are maintained at all times, whats the big deal?  One of the reasons I am asking is because I can buy pork fat back really inexpensively if I buy 55 pounds at a shot, and even though I had planned on vacuum sealing it (as i do with everything) in say 3-5 pound packs then freezing it only to thaw it and process it with sausage and then possibly freeze again, in their thoughts I would be "compromising" the product.  You guys know best, whats the deal?

Jim

 

[BGKYSmoker]

Jim

Is the fat back already salted?

If so wrap it and freeze it.

If not salt it good and do the same.

Down here i find 10lb chunks of fat back salted in the freezer.

 

[jimalbert]

I have yet to buy it this way yet due to my concerns... But the same thought applied to fresh pork also.  Does everyone think its OK to take pork that has been cryovacd and freeze it for later use in sausage and then freeze again?  Thanks
 

 

[smoking b]

I am very interested in this too - I have heard heated arguments for both ways. If it doesn't affect the quality of the product very much I could save some money as well. Will stay tuned!

 

[chef willie]

I personally don't think freezing 'fresh' pork fat, then defrosting, then using in sausage and refreezing would hurt the final product. I do subscribe to the notion that freezing, defrosting and re-freezing solid muscle (like steaks) is not a good idea. I saw today fresh pork fat in a market, packed just like steaks on little styrofoam things, fairly cheap and thought of freezing some. Seems to me many here buy butts when cheap, freeze them and then make sausages etc with them later on....somebody must be freezing up those pounds of sausage.

 

[jimalbert]

That is what my thought was also.....  But there are many more that have a much greater knowledge base than I.  So I deferred to the pro's.  I think we will get enough valid opinions from this thread that we can come to a common consensus we can all live with.  HOPEFULLY.
 

 

[fagesbp]

I have been doing it that way since the first time I made sausage a few years ago and noone has gotten sick. I buy pork butts on sale and freeze them then defrost and make sausage then freeze the sausage every time.

 

[linguica]

Agree to all above. My wife will buy pork bellies when ever she sees a nice one at a good price. She then trims and freezes it. Later I make a batch of bacon and freeze most of it.   No noticeable loss of quality that I can perceive.

 

[bhawkins]

As long as your temps are kept right all the way through the process you should be OK. Even when thawing the previously frozen meats.

 

[BGKYSmoker]

I have been doing it that way since the first time I made sausage a few years ago and noone has gotten sick. I buy pork butts on sale and freeze them then defrost and make sausage then freeze the sausage every time.

Yeah in my 30 years of making sausage nobody has gotten sick. And way back the process was rather crude.

 

[chef jimmyj]

There are no issues IF handled properly. Working clean, freezing in packages with the greatest surface area possible, ONLY defrosting under refrigeration and working sausage in smallest batches possible keeping the bulk of the meat to be ground/stuffed cold until needed. Most concern comes from the fact that freezer temps do not kill bacteria it only inhibits growth. Additionally at refrigeration temps 34*F to 38*F bacteria still multiplies albeit very slowly. So, many people fear multiple thaw and freezing generates more bacteria growth then they are comfortable with. Beyond this multiple thaw and freezing will eventually cause the repeated formation of ice crystals to breakdown the texture of meat making the final product mushy and have a dry grainy mouth feel. Buy and freeze your bulk meat and fat and make and freeze your sausage once without concern. The following is taken directly from the USDA Fact Sheet on Freezing and Food Safety...

Refreezing
Once food is thawed in the refrigerator, it is safe to refreeze it without cooking,  although there may be a loss of quality due to the moisture lost through thawing. After cooking raw foods which were previously frozen, it is safe to freeze the cooked foods. If previously cooked foods are thawed in the refrigerator, you may refreeze the unused portion. Freeze leftovers within 3-4 days. Do not refreeze any foods left outside the refrigerator longer than 2 hours; 1 hour in temperatures above 90 °F.

If you purchase previously frozen meat, poultry or fish at a retail store, you can refreeze if it has been handled properly.

I hope this puts all your fears aside...JJ

 

[coachs]

I recently processed a hog and froze the meat immediately as I was not ready to make sausage I separated it until I could acquire a grinder. My plan is to unthaw it until I can grind it, make sausage and then refreeze what I am not using immediately. Is there any issue with doing this?

 

[worktogthr]

I also do this all the time with no ill effects in quality or sickness. Cheff Jimmy has you covered. Clean and sound thawing and freezing practices make it no problem at all. Another thing I always think about is that meat we get in stores is probably already frozen at some paint, then thawed at the super market, put in the display, goes on sale and us crazy meat hoarders stock our freezers with it haha

 

[scubohuntr]

I certainly hope it's okay. I just scored three butts on a 12 hour sale for $1.48 a pound. I can't start anything curing at the moment, as I have a road trip coming up in a week or so. The eventual intent is a picnic ham and maybe sausage, but they're all in the freezer for now.

 

[meatstick]

I have been doing it that way since the first time I made sausage a few years ago and noone has gotten sick. I buy pork butts on sale and freeze them then defrost and make sausage then freeze the sausage every time.

I do the same. I have not had any issues so far.