I bought a 8 pounder the Friday right before Memorial Day weekend. It's still in my fridge, which is very cold and doesn't have the door open often.
Do you think it will still be good to smoke this weekend? It is in the original butcher case plastic wrap, not cryo.
Currently own:
Weber 22 and 26 Kettle.
Regular gasser with rotisserie.
Custom built horizontal stick burner.
Custom built duel fuel "whole hog" cooker.
​​​Many other tools of the trade.
Open it and let it air out for a few minutes - cryo packed sometimes get a funky odor that dissipates. If it smells bad after a few minutes I'd toss it. If it smells ok then get it onto the pit. My experience with pork is that it doesn't wet age like beef, it can go bad. I have held them in the fridge for 10 days and they were still good though.
That's going to be over 14 days in your fridge by the time you cook it, plus however long it was in the meat case when you picked it up. I wouldn't feel comfortable eating that.
It's pork - smell test will DEFINITELY let you know.
I had a couple in my very cold fridge, not sure when I bought them, they were in the freezer - a few months ago, probably. But I pulled them out like... Friday before Memorial Day and put them in the ice chest with cold water, let them thaw for like 3 days. I was checking temp the whole time, adding ice occ as needed.
Ended up not cooking them on Memorial Day like I thought I would. They've been sitting in the fridge since.
Last night I FINALLY decided to check them - they still smelled perfectly fine. I have had pork go bad and it is VERY obvious.
So last night, I covered them both with bacon cure, around 150g each (I did 3% by weight of my dry cure mix), then wrapped them up in plastic wrap and put them back in the fridge. I think I'm going to make pulled ham/porkstrami out of them in a week or two. Who knows. We'll see. But curing them will preserve them, so it buys my time without putting them BACK in the freezer.
I love porkstrami. With the price of brisket these days, that is the only way I am gonna be doing home cured pastrami, is with Boston butts, these days.
Yup! I've still got a rack of porkstrami ribs in the freezer I oughtta pull out and cook up. Maybe this weekend, I dunno. Or maybe I'll do 'em up to bring to work with me one day... put 'em on the pit around 3AM and go back to bed, they'll be good to go around time to leave for work. Hmmm... I'd be the hit of the day. I brought pork birria and a bunch of hamburglar buns today.
Don't waste it. By the time it's cook to 200*F+ it should be safe.
If it is sealed in Cryovac it is just aged an extra 2 weeks.
But what do I know. Cryovac pork can safely last up to 1–2 weeks in the refrigerator if unopened, and 3–5 days once opened, provided it is stored at 40°F (4°C) or below.
Unopened Cryovac Pork
When stored properly in the fridge at or below 40°F (4°C), unopened cryovac pork can last up to 10–14 days, with some sources noting up to 4 weeks under ideal conditions VeryMeaty+3. The vacuum-sealed packaging creates an anaerobic environment that slows bacterial growth, helping maintain freshness, moisture, and color redtablemeats.com+1. Temperature stability is critical: fluctuations above 40°F accelerate spoilage, while consistent cold storage maximizes shelf life VeryMeaty+2. Opened Cryovac Pork
Once the vacuum seal is broken, the pork should be consumed within 3–5 days. Exposure to air allows bacteria to grow more rapidly, so it’s important to either cook the meat promptly or freeze it for longer storage VeryMeaty+2. Signs of Spoilage
Regardless of storage time, always check for spoilage before consumption:
Odor: Sour, ammonia-like, or strong unpleasant smells indicate spoilage VeryMeaty+1.
Texture: Slimy, sticky, or gummy surfaces are unsafe VeryMeaty+1.
Color: Dull gray, yellow, or greenish discoloration signals the meat is no longer safe VeryMeaty+1.
Packaging: Damaged or bloated cryovac bags may indicate bacterial growth VeryMeaty.
Storage Tips
Keep pork on the coldest part of the fridge, usually the bottom back shelves redtablemeats.com.
Avoid frequent opening of the fridge to maintain a stable temperature redtablemeats.com.
For longer-term storage, freeze cryovac pork within 2 weeks of purchase; frozen vacuum-sealed pork can last 6–12 monthsthekitchentoday.com+1.
Label packages with the purchase or freeze date to track freshness thekitchentoday.com.
By following these guidelines, you can safely enjoy cryovac pork while minimizing the risk of foodborne illness.
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