Smoking Beef Monday, not serving it until Saturday question.

[ssandy_561]

Picked up 3 - 3+ lb. CAB chuck roasts today for $3.99 / lb. 😀

The sell by date on them is 11-20 (Monday).

I’m going to smoke them up and shred them and serve them Saturday 11-25 for the Ohio State Michigan game for me and about 10 or so coworkers.

I plan on warming the beef in a crockpot with some French onion soup. 🤤

The only two days I could smoke these chuck roasts are Monday 11-20 or Friday 11-24.

My questions are:

Would it be OK to wait until Friday to smoke this meat if I leave it in my fridge until then? It’s just wrapped in the standard grocery store tray and plastic wrap.

If Not and I smoke it on Monday 11-20 I’ll then vacuum seal the shredded beef.

Would it be safe to keep the cooked, shredded, vacuum sealed beef in the fridge until Saturday or should I put the packages of beef in the freezer until Friday?

Any options and insight would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Steve

[STEbbq]

If it were me, I’d just smoke em on Friday. I don’t see any reason to freeze it so just leave it in the fridge. In fact, why don’t you put the rub on a few days before and really get a good dry brine in? Why worry about it drying out in the fridge and reheating etc. when it can be more or less freshly smoked.

[Mosca]

If you were to wait until Friday, you should vacuum seal it today, to get the extra few days.

If you did cook them Monday, then yeah, just seal them and into the fridge, no need to freeze.

I don’t think the results would be any different, it should come out well either way.

[PNWsmoke]

Should be fine till Friday...

[JeffJ]

I’m cautious with dates on meat packages. I’d dry brine it and freeze it. Throw it into your smoker frozen. It will develop a great smoke ring. Be prepared to wrap after the stall. It will take longer to get to the stall and you will have developed serious bark. Don’t want the bark to get too tough.