Pork butt date

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SmokingUPnorth

Master of the Pit
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Dec 7, 2017
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Michigan UP
So I bought a 10lb pork butt last Friday to smoke for this weekend. Planned on just leaving it in my fridge since it was a week away from planned smoke. It’s shrink wrapped and sealed from the store but I noticed the pack dat was 11/18. Does that seem right and still good or would you guys cut your $20 loss and get a new one.
 

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Intact Packer Vac-Packed Pork is good for 6 to 8 weeks from pack date. Store Wrapped meat, film wrapped on foam trays, 5 days.
As above, The Nose, Knows! But don't Panic. A Funk that dissipates in a couple of minutes or can be rinsed off is Normal...JJ
 
Also ensure your fridge is cold (measure) and store at the bottom. Pack date is like half the battle.
 
I am betting that butt saw some freezer time at the store between 11/18 and the day you bought it.
However, as everyone said above, the nose knows.
It might smell a bit "strong" upon opening.

On the other hand, you could take it back to the store and exchange it.
Bring the receipt along with you.
The store probably won't even question you and gladly exchange it.
 
HB, The sell by date is the important one and it says 12/18/19, it's good for days after that anyway! I just used a pork butt that was 7-8 days past the sell by date and it was fine.
 
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HB, The sell by date is the important one and it says 12/18/19, it's good for days after that anyway! I just used a pork butt that was 7-8 days past the sell by date and it was fine.


Good catch.
I didn't see the sell by date until I put my glasses on and looked again after your post.
 
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HB, The sell by date is the important one and it says 12/18/19, it's good for days after that anyway! I just used a pork butt that was 7-8 days past the sell by date and it was fine.
Perfect. Man you have good eyes I didn’t even see the sell by date on there haha. Thanks everyone. Didn’t want to throw 4 meals in the trash
 
we recently found a store that has butts that were out of date. Also much of their other FROZEN meat. They sell frozen meat that ran out of their fresh date and they were froze.We buy frozen butts for making sausage for .69 cents a pound. you can't beat that. They have other meats selling for discounted prices that are froze as well. One pack of butts I looked at had 1.99 a pound on the pack,
we always waited for a sale for .99 or 1.09 and bought ours and froze them for time to make sausage.
So all this works great for us.
 
Just had this happen
 
The Nose, Knows! But don't Panic. A Funk that dissipates in a couple of minutes or can be rinsed off is Normal...J
This!

Cryo-pork almost always has a sulfury stank when opened. I read an explanation once but can't find it and can't remember the actual "why." What I know for certain, let it air out on the cutting board for 5-10 min. I also like to wipe off the sweat with paper towels. If the stink is gone, you're fine. If the smell lingers like pulled fingers, trash it.
 
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