Shipped Briskets - Are these safe or should I toss them?

[kevin james]

I ordered two USDA Prime Briskets from a very reputable supplier. These are the same briskets Franklin BBQ uses and many other top 50 Texas BBQ places, and they definitely aren't cheap. I received them today and they were very well packed inside a Styrofoam cooler with a layer of ice packs on the bottom of the cooler, then the two briskets, then another layer of ice packs on top of the briskets.

My concern is that I used my infrared temp gun to check the temps and found that the sides of the briskets that were touching the ice packs were about 33 degrees F, but the sides that were brisket on brisket were 41-42 degrees. These were shipped two day air, and the briskets were obviously very cold to the touch and are in their original cryovac packages.

I called customer service who was very nice, and they said that their general rule of thumb is that as long as they are still cold to the touch there should not be any problems. But, they also said they want me to be comfortable, and so just to be safe go ahead and toss them and they will replace my order and overnight me two more.

So, they definitely are delivering great customer service, no problems there at all. But these are very expensive briskets and very difficult to get (they offer them on sale to the public only every once in a while) so I'm wondering if I should really throw these two out.

Any thoughts and advice would be much appreciated. Thanks!

 

[jcam222]

If it's me I'm 100% eating those.

 

[Retired Spook]

I'm with jcam222

 

[rjob]

Had similar issue with KC Steaks. Arrived @ 33 f due to shipping delays. KC shipped replacement. They said we were safe to eat or throw away whichever we were comfortable with. Great customer service. They have a good write-up on temperatures and what they consider safe. By their recommendations you are safe to cook or freeze. We cooked & consumed the 33 f meat.

 

[JLeonard]

I'm with the others.......Trim, smoke, eat, be happy!

Jim

 

[chopsaw]

I'd have no problem with it , but understand having concerns .

 

[Smoking Allowed]

Box them back up and send to me for disposal . All kidding aside, I would smoke the heck out of them

 

[gmc2003]

If it's me I'm 100% eating those.

If it's me I'm letting jcam222 eat those .


Just kidding I'd eat them in a hearbeat.

Chris

 

[dr k]

I never have luck like that. Dang!

 

[SmokinEdge]

Might cost you repackaging but open them up and give them the smell test. If they have a clean meat smell I’d either cook them or repackage and freeze. I really can’t imagine a two day air package the way they did it going sour. I’ll be watching for the smoke on these.

 

[Texas Cookin']

Send em over here I’ll check for poison! Haha enjoy your brisket.

Fred

 

[kevin james]

Thanks everyone. I was already heavily leaning towards keeping them, but seems like that is also the consensus, that everyone here would do the same. So that pretty much seals it, I'm keeping them.

 

[normanaj]

Smok'em if you got'em!

 

[hoity toit]

I ordered two USDA Prime Briskets from a very reputable supplier. These are the same briskets Franklin BBQ uses and many other top 50 Texas BBQ places, and they definitely aren't cheap. I received them today and they were very well packed inside a Styrofoam cooler with a layer of ice packs on the bottom of the cooler, then the two briskets, then another layer of ice packs on top of the briskets.

My concern is that I used my infrared temp gun to check the temps and found that the sides of the briskets that were touching the ice packs were about 33 degrees F, but the sides that were brisket on brisket were 41-42 degrees. These were shipped two day air, and the briskets were obviously very cold to the touch and are in their original cryovac packages.

I called customer service who was very nice, and they said that their general rule of thumb is that as long as they are still cold to the touch there should not be any problems. But, they also said they want me to be comfortable, and so just to be safe go ahead and toss them and they will replace my order and overnight me two more.

So, they definitely are delivering great customer service, no problems there at all. But these are very expensive briskets and very difficult to get (they offer them on sale to the public only every once in a while) so I'm wondering if I should really throw these two out.

Any thoughts and advice would be much appreciated. Thanks!

you are good....no problem...

HT