Pork Roast - Storage & Handling Questions

[jim D]

I have never ever bought or handled a pork roast of any type. It's just now something my family has ever been interested in. Now with my new smoker-cooker, I want to try some different things. I read so much about everybody doing pork butts that I wanted to try one.

So here are the facts of my case:
- On 12/26, I bought a 6#, vacuum packed, pork butt from Kroger.
- The sell by date on the package was 12/28.
- I brought it directly home and put it in the refrigerator.
- Then, I realized on 12/30 that I had forgotten about it, as I had ended up cooking something else, so I put it in the freezer for future use.

And the questions:
What do you think about this piece of pork for cooking now? Is it risky?
Did I let it sit in the fridge too long before freezing, and now it would be chancy to cook and eat it?
Should I have cooked it or frozen it by the sell by date? Or even sooner?

I will appreciate learning what others think about this, or how they buy and store pork roasts.

.

[Okie Sawbones]

Jim, I have left pork butts in the fridge for up to a week when circumstances prevented me from cooking it right away. I don't think I'd leave it longer than that. The sell by dates are just a guide, nothing etched in stone.

The most reliable tester is your nose. When you are ready to cook it, remove it from the cryovac, give it a real good rinse in the sink, and then smell the meat. If it smells bad, it probably is bad. But given the time frame you are talking about, I wouldn't be too worried about the meat myself.

[BDSkelly]

Howdy Jim.
The USDA says that its okay to cook and eat pork 3 to 5 days after the "Sell BY Date" with your refer operating at 40 degrees.

[jim D]

This all sounds like I may be okay with this little pork roast. It was only five pounds, so not a massive chunk of meat nor a large investment.
I
think I will just thaw it and smell it soon.
Then assuming its ok, slow cook it!

It will be my first ever pork butt, so I look forward to beginning the learning curve for preparing one of these - now that I have my Christmas present ceramic egg on which to do something of this type.

Thanks for thinking about it with me.

[sthibodeaux38]

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[Swamp Donkeyz BBQ]

And now a random picture of chicken halves....

[TwoGuysBBQ]

[OldUsedParts]

And now a random picture of chicken halves....

first post is for adult viewing only

[BDSkelly]

They are dang pretty chickens though.... b