I committed a horrendous sin. :( I tossed a bunch of Prime beef.

[DogFaced PonySoldier]

So I went to Costco last Friday (an hour each way) to pick up ribs to cook for the local Fire Department guys. So I did 13 racks to feed the firedogs, but while I was there, I picked up some stuff for myself and the family. I got a 15lb Prime brisket with the intention of aging it in the fridge for a month or so, and also a big bunch of Prime short ribs/dino ribs.

So I left them in the ice chest overnight, along with the ribs, on Friday night, with ice on it all, because I really don't have fridge room. Then Saturday I did all the ribs, put three racks wrapped in foil on the bottom shelf of the fridge for Sunday's small group get-together for our church group. I left the short ribs and brisket in the ice chest and dumped more ice on them from the freezer, thinking I'd move 'em into the fridge on the bottom shelf when I pulled out the ribs.

So.. somehow they got forgotten. I remember putting some more ice on them Monday morning before heading to work, thinking I'd get around to putting them in the fridge on Monday evening.

But it's been a crazy week - with being busy at work, The Wife having rehearsals for a theater production all week, I had 2+-hour meetings in the evening 3 nights this week after work, The Boy had karate 2 nights, and Wed youth group at church... I was responsible for all the transporting along with making all my evening meetings.

Bottom line is, I remembered the ice chest on Wednesday night. I frantically opened the ice chest, hoping it would still be cold inside, and put my hand in the water. It was cool, but... I grabbed my Thermopop and got a water temp of 62°F. Dangit.

So... Thursday morning is trash day. I put a 15 lb Prime brisket and about 10 pounds of Prime short ribs in the trash, to be hauled off to the dump.

All in all, I think it was probably over $100 worth of uncooked Prime beef.

So now, I'm working through the 5 stages of grief and I think I'm stuck in Anger. I've told myself I'm done for now. No more grilling, no more BBQing, no more smoking, no more buying nice cuts or large amounts of meat - I just don't have room for it. I can buy a new fridge as a "meat fridge", without a problem, I just don't have any place to put it. <sigh>

Just so pissed at myself, especially because I fought with my wife about buying it, because I wanted it so bad, I told her I would pay for it out of my "personal" play money, since we're saving for a trip to Italy. And she told me we didn't have room to store it. So, I thought I would work it out. And I screwed it up. <sigh> So... I'm done for now. No more smoking. Nothing. I need a break to get my thoughts together, to grieve, to rationalize, and to make some other plans or arrangements before I can get back into this hobby.

.....


Oh, The Wife is headed to the store, I better run and go with her, so I can grab a few racks of babybacks!

[AmosMoses01]

Man, that bites... I know the feeling of running through the circles of regret when I have messed up something, and it often comes when I am pushing myself past where I should be going.

Take it easy on yourself, and I look forward to hearing you back in the saddle again - sounds like maybe about some baby backs!👍

[Steve B]

YOU DID WHAT!!!!!! How could you.
Bad DogFaced PonySoldier Damn that sucks brother. I feel your pain. 🤬😢

[Oak Smoke]

Wow, I doubt that I could have been as eloquent or calm as you are. I know me! I would have had to open it and give it the smell test. Then I would have done the same as you, hopefully. At least you live in a beautiful part of the country where you can step outside and soak up a grand view. That should help a little.

[Mr. Bones]

I would have to imagine that most of us have done this, an beat ourselves up about it...

Try to work through th other Stages, an let us see how dem baby back turn out...

Scat Happens, brother!

[EdF]

Ah, the Ribs of Redemption to the Rescue!

[MBMorgan]

Ouch! I know exactly how you feel ... 'cause I've done it myself ... once ...

[RonB]

Been there - done that. Have fully recovered...

[FireMan]

Oh, oh, that hurts. You will learn & not do THAT again. Smoke on & enjoy the wibs.

[treesmacker]

So sad. I was just drooling over that Prime beef at Costco today. I saw those Prime briskets at over $100 each. I quickly moved to the right, to the choice beef; it really looks so good and marbled as well.

[Santamarina]

They’re gouging you up in OR! My local Costco has Prime brisket for $3.79/lb.

[DogFaced PonySoldier]

Well, I'm about to pull 5 racks of STLs off the smoker and take to the cast party for The Wife's play. So... I guess I fell off the wagon pretty quickly, eh? lol

I'm going back to my trusty MMD+ rub after trying a couple of others, including Henrik's. It's been a while since I've used MMD (and I kick it up some, thus the "+" designation on it), so I'll see now if I smack my lips and feel like I'm returning home, or if I can even tell the difference! lol

Although, we've been babyback lovers for years, I've tried some STLs lately and I think I may be converting... I don't know. Maybe tonight will tell the tale???

Either way, I'm back to the pork I know so well, and we'll have to give the Prime beef another chance some other time, eh?

[EdF]

Good spirit. I happen to prefer spares myself! Best wishes.

[Mr. Bones]

Great Job, amigo!
"endeavour to persevere!"

[CaptainMike]

You probably could have cooked them and served to the FD guys, that's how a lot of our meals end up anyway. In fact, my guys got into this "eat-something-gross" thing for a while and while very funny, I drew the line one day when one of them was going to chug a mug of clam chowder that was left in a fridge for who knows how long. They all were leaning towards "mob-rule" until I invoked "My Authority" It was only one of two times in my career that I issued a direct order. That was 20 years ago and we all still laugh about it when we get together.

[Santamarina]

Dude. I feel your pain. I’ve done that before. More times than I’d like to admit.

Just like I tell my kids when they fall off their bike...get back up and do it again! Nothing erases regret like a delicious plate of brisket!

(Also, our lives sound similar...work, kids sports, busy church life...and barbecue. Praying you work through your grief stages fully and quickly!)

[Locotech]

ouch...just over season it like Frank Costanza would.

[Mosca]

Get a Yeti or an RTIC. I’ve had them keep ice a week, I’ve had a cambro last 8 hours.

[Troutman]

Stuff happens but for me my meat tops all forms of family entertainment and activities. But hey we all got to pull off a boner every once in a while.

Of similar but not the same note, we've had some pretty several storms here lately and the power keeps going out. I've got close to $1000 worth of beef, pork and seafood in my garage freezer, not to mention what's in the house freezer. We had a power outage of about 4 hours the other day. All is well but I'm seriously thinking of buying a generator. I'm not too fond of throwing out prime beef

[EdF]

We lost a chest freezer with about that much meat in it about 10 years ago (equipment failure). Tragic!

[DogFaced PonySoldier]

I do have a generator... I just need another place to put another fridge and/or freezer. I've got a chest freezer in the garage, but I'd like to get rid of that and replace it with a full-size standing unit, AND another refrigerator for slow thawing, brining and dry aging.

Some day...