Freezing a prime rib roast without vacuum sealer

[Dirtylarry]

Hey all,

So long story short: got a pricey(for us) 9 lb prime rib roast and intended to smoke it for everyone today but an unfortunate event happened and plans are canceled. Tentatively shooting for Thursday to do it but in the off chance that doesn't happen I need to be able to reliably freeze the meat until maybe sometime early December. Currently it is in packaging like you would get hamburger in(styrofoam tray covered with cling wrap). I don't have a vacuum sealer per the title above, and I'm not thrilled with the idea of freezing it as is due to possibility of freezer burn.

I'm hoping you guys have suggestions in case I have to actually freeze it. I appreciate your time and insight.

 

[TNJAKE]

Since no vac sealer I'd probably take out of that tray and wrap the heck out of it with freezer paper. The moisture in the tray with the plastic wrap will form ice crystals much faster than the freezer paper route

 

[justplainbob]

if you have a zip lock bag big enough you can submerge it in water til it forces the air out

 

[smokerjim]

Looks like your only going to freeze for at the most a couple weeks, I would just wrap with some freezer paper.

 

[Dirtylarry]

Since no vac sealer I'd probably take out of that tray and wrap the heck out of it with freezer paper. The moisture in the tray with the plastic wrap will form ice crystals much faster than the freezer paper route

That's a good idea. I've never used freezer paper before, what's a safe/effective thawing process look like for a piece of meat the size of mine? I usually go with cold water in a cooler if my item is in cryovac and it works very well, but freezer paper I'm not so sure of.

 

[TNJAKE]

That's a good idea. I've never used freezer paper before, what's a safe/effective thawing process look like for a piece of meat the size of mine? I usually go with cold water in a cooler if my item is in cryovac and it works very well, but freezer paper I'm not so sure of.

Thaw it in the fridge. I'd say around 4 days

 

[Dirtylarry]

Thaw it in the fridge. I'd say around 4 days

Okay I'll keep that in mind. Thanks!

 

[jcam222]

I’d suggest freezer paper first, wax side toward meat. Then wrap that nice and tight with a layer or two of foil. FYI Inkbird vacuum sealers are pretty nice and they often run really good specials. They really come in handy.

 

[SmokinEdge]

Another thought would be to use dry age wrap or the umaidry bag and just keep it in the fridge up to a month.

 

[gmc2003]

If it's bone-in then I would remove the bones before freezing. It's a whole lot easier to get a tight seal w/o the bones connected. No matter which way you decide to wrap it up.

Chris