Help freezer issues.

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hillbillyrkstr

Master of the Pit
Original poster
OTBS Member
Jun 11, 2013
2,638
822
Left the stand up freezer door open for about 3 hours. Completely full of meat. Went back in barn (probably 85 degrees) and water was dripping out and all over inside. Thermo on back wall behind some meat was reading 48 degrees. Some meat was getting soft on spots. I dried everything off best I could and threw most of it back in. Pulled out a few vacu packs of hamburgers that were real soft and some brats that were in freezer paper and pretty wet. My question is will everything else be ok? Help please.
 
Man that's a bummer,my dad unplugged mine once I feel your pain. Best of luck figuring it out personally if it was thawed much I would play it safe and toss it,hopefully someone has a better answer for you.
 
The Ground Meat and Sausage, even Chicken that was up front and exposed,  I would toss. The rest, being at 48°F, I would not sweat but be Proactive in using that stuff up. Go above and beyond with good Safe handling practices. Defrost in the refer, plan well so as soon as it is defrosted it gets cooked, not days later. And I would use High Heat cooking methods, Roast, Saute, Fry. Not a meat choice I would use for Low and Slow smoking...JJ
 
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Can easily do that with the tritips chef, but we're taking 8 slabs of runs as well..... Not sure what to do with them.

Huge mistake.

Also another 16 pound prime brisket.
 
No Injecting and 275° in the MES. Give the meat a good rinse, add the Rub, salt and sugar binds usable moisture to inhibit bacteria and smoke them. Limit the Racks to no more than 4 at a time. You want good heat convection and quick heat recovery. No foil Ribs will be bite tender in 4 or 2-2-1 with Foiling for more FOB. The Brisket should be a Solo Act and it will be fine with your normal low and slow. Packers are vac-packed under strict conditions that limit bacterial exposure. I have been down this road before. When my kids were young and in too much of a hurry to make sure the freezer door was shut properly after an Ice Cream Pop Stampede. Found some stuff pretty defrosted the buried meats were barely soft on the surface. The door therm read 72 and inside therm read 50. Tossed all the Bacon and odds and ends on the door and proceeded as described...JJ
 
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Thanks all!

Had a slab or two of ribs that were pretty soft. From being on top of a few shelves. I said the hell with it and froze them. I'm hoping it won't make me sick. Most of the other slabs of ribs and tri tips were soft on the thin edges but solid toward the center.

The door was open for about 3 hours total but the barn was hot. Thank God I went back in the barn last night or it would have been a total loss.

One more question i had cheese blocks on the door that was open. They were soft. Should i toss them?
 
If the Ribs were Vac-Packed, I would not worry about them. Real Cheese is preserved milk. By its nature it is temp stable, bacterial resistant and can be stored for months at 55°F. The exception is processed cheese products. American, Cream Cheese, Cold Pack Spreads, that kind of stuff...JJ
 
It's all the 8oz bar cheese chef. Not Kraft some smaller brand.
 
No issue with the cheese. It's fine..JJ
 
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