# Shipping cooked ribs and pork across the country



## WildFireEric (Nov 15, 2007)

Question: Any of you have experience or advice or thoughts on shipping some ribs and butt to CA? I got a buddy that survived cancer and I told him in the middle of it that I'd cook some up for him when he's back to normal. Well, he pulled through and I can't renege on a bet (that he'd die or survive, can I???. So he did his part. He lived. I think the chemo should be almost worn off by now and his taste buds should be ready for some food. Apparently when on chemo, you don't think much about enjoying food. I coulda fed him cardboard and he'd think it was McDonalds (same difference).

So, I figured I'd cook about 5 racks of ribs and three butts. Buy a supermarket styrofoam ice chest and put some ice and maybe dry ice and overnight it. Overnighting 30 lbs is about $100 so I was wondering if there's a cheaper way to do this...Like wait until the coldest day of the year and maybe the stuff will be ice cold in the airplane cargo, the warehouse and the delivery truck and then I wouldn't need too much ice. I think dry ice you need a bunch, but it makes your stuff super cold, thus it would take longer for it to thaw out???

Any ideas? I'm just planning it now. Probably won't do this until December.


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## LarryWolfe (Nov 15, 2007)

The only way I would do it and feel safe is with dry ice and ship it overnight.  There is a cheaper alternative though and it will give your buddy a hobby while he's recovering...........................Buy him a WSM!!


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## john a (Nov 15, 2007)

Check USPS priority mail packages


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## WildFireEric (Nov 15, 2007)

Thanks Larry. I don't think this guy can follow directions. I gave him a chili recipe and he used some bird instead of beef/pork. No wonder it didn't taste well. I don't know if you can fit an ostrich in a WSM. Does anyone know?

John may be right with the USPS. I only checked FedEx. Think the Postal Service won't open it if I do mark it as perishable-ribs. Maybe perishable - human corpse would be better? 

Are there any do's and don'ts? that you recommend. I think I need 5-10 pounds of dry ice per day due to sublimation. So 20 pounds would be good if only two days. I'd have to call him and make sure he signs for it cause if it sits over the weekend, he's gonna have a new hobby if he eats it.


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## Puff1 (Nov 15, 2007)

WildFireEric said:
			
		

> Thanks Larry. I don't think this guy can follow directions. I gave him a chili recipe and he used some bird instead of beef/pork. No wonder it didn't taste well. I don't know if you can fit an ostrich in a WSM. Does anyone know?


Guess it depends on how you cut it up


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## LarryWolfe (Nov 15, 2007)

WildFireEric said:
			
		

> Thanks Larry. I don't think this guy can follow directions. I gave him a chili recipe and he used some bird instead of beef/pork. No wonder it didn't taste well. I don't know if you can fit an ostrich in a WSM. Does anyone know?
> 
> John may be right with the USPS. I only checked FedEx. Think the Postal Service won't open it if I do mark it as perishable-ribs. Maybe perishable - human corpse would be better?
> 
> Are there any do's and don'ts? that you recommend. I think I need 5-10 pounds of dry ice per day due to sublimation. So 20 pounds would be good if only two days. I'd have to call him and make sure he signs for it cause if it sits over the weekend, he's gonna have a new hobby if he eats it.



Eric, USPS Priority Shipping is 2-3 Business days, keep that in mind when you ship.  Also go to www.usps.com and read the info on shipping perishable items, I don't think you can but I could be wrong.

Another option and it may be cheaper and much easier is to go to one of the BBQ mail order sites and send him food from there.  It won't be yours but it will be better than him receiving a box of spoiled food or you spending an arm and a leg to ship it.


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## Griff (Nov 15, 2007)

I occasionally ship frozen seafood from Alaska to the east coast. I use a styrofoam lined box, those frozen shipping pouches and FedEx overnight. It's spendy but it get there frozen and that's usually in the summer.


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## Smokey_Joe (Nov 15, 2007)

*My $.02 if yer interested.......

 You're talking about pre-cooked food....quality slowwwwww 
smoked meat. That's darn near spoil proof right there being slow
 smoked. I'd worry more about the mailman eating it!  

I'd freeze the cooked food until solid, pack it in a thick styrofoam
 box/cooler with a bunch of regular old freezer pack thingies ,
 then wrap and tape the cooler up real good with some thick 
cardboard and send it Priority Mail through the USPS.

Not sure what it would cost, but I do know they offer 2-3 day 
Priority shipping in thier Priority box to anywhere in the U.S. 
for $9.10 no matter the weight inside. Shouldn't be a horrible 
price difference for a bigger box, I wouldn't think. Or maybe 
even 2 or 3 different $9.10 boxes???

Good luck and people need more friends like you!  *


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## LarryWolfe (Nov 16, 2007)

Smokey_Joe said:
			
		

> *My $.02 if yer interested.......
> 
> You're talking about pre-cooked food....quality slowwwwww
> smoked meat. That's darn near spoil proof right there being slow
> ...



Joe, I have to disagree with you.  BBQ can spoil just as fast as food cooked in your oven.  Many people are under the assumption that since BBQ is "smoked" it will last longer than regular cooked food.  They couldn't be more wrong and this could end up getting someone very ill or even worse.  I think they're confusing smoked BBQ with cured smoked meats, which even the cured meats need to have proper care taken to them.  I'm not trying to start a debate on this, but unless the food was delivered the next day in dry ice, I wouldn't ship any perishable food period.

A cooler packed with food and the ice packs you are referring to will not stay frozen for 1 full day, much less 2 or 3. It's possible it could keep the food cold enough to be safe, but I wouldn't guarantee it. It's all about being safe and eating good BBQ.  

Eric if you're gonna ship it, just spend the extra money and do it right.  That way you can guarantee it will be delivered safe and frozen.


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## Helen_Paradise (Nov 16, 2007)

I think your cheapest overnight is going to be DHL.


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## WildFireEric (Nov 16, 2007)

Thanks Larry, I agree with the smoked vs. cured argument. I know the butts would probably take some time to thaw out only because they're bulky but the ribs might be more suspectible? Anyways, I'll probably go a combo of using the freezer packs AND a little dry ice. Amy had some Hatch, NM green chile peppers and they sent via priority US Mail with only the freezer packs and them things were 'mostly' frozen, but partially thawed. I agree the meat has to get there safe and all that. I'll look into the different carriers. Well, I figured if this guy survived cancer treatment, then at least I don't wanna be the one who kills him over improper food storage.

Thanks for all your help. I'll see if I can get some pics of him eating this stuff and I'll make one post with lots of pics...food porn. eating food porn. no cemetaries. etc.

Thanks...


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## Smokey_Joe (Nov 16, 2007)

*Larry I shall take heed of your food knowledge and consider 
this smoked vs. cured the "new thing" I have learned today!
 Not being a smart-ass...
being serious. 

I guess I never ate "bad" meat before or sent/shipped anything like it. 
that's why I titled the start of my post "my $.02"...figures.... my 
$.02 isn't even worth $.01!  

I only based my reasoning that I have gone grocery shopping and 
put all the frozen food in a cooler in the back of the truck in the 
hot sun without any ice or cooling means and stupidly forgotten 
it there until the next day and everything was still frozen solid. 
I don't know if it would have been in 3 days time, but it hadn't seemed 
to have thawed at all in a little more then 24 hours time.

I heed to your food Guru-ness knowledge* [smilie=bowdown.gif]


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## LarryWolfe (Nov 16, 2007)

Smokey_Joe said:
			
		

> *Larry I shall take heed of your food knowledge and consider
> this smoked vs. cured the "new thing" I have learned today!
> Not being a smart-ass...
> being serious.
> ...



Joe I'm flattered by your comments!     But I learn new stuff everyday from folks here too, but I don't know anything more here than anyone else.  

My father does crazy stuff like leaving eggs in his car during the summer overnight and still eating them, eating leftovers over a week old, cooking a turkey that's been left on the counter to thaw overnight, etc. and he's still alive and as far as I know has never gotten sick from any of his what I call "Dumb Stuff".  But I guess my point is there's an opportunity for something bad to happen when taking chances.  If food is guaranteed frozen then there's practically no risk when shipping.  

As long as we all continue to learn from one another and look out for one another, we're in good hands!!!


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## WildFireEric (Nov 18, 2007)

Well, on a side note, thawing out my two 12 lb turkeys in the fridge. frozen solid as of yesterday. will see if 4 days is enough to get it thawed. I agree that when i've lifted out my frozen chili (several 1 gallon zip lock bags) for people's choice, one day doesn't do much for it, but by the second day they start to get soft.

I'll probably go with Priority Mail shipped on a Monday AND several frozen gel packs And maybe 10lbs of dry ice for giggles. If the meat is 0 degrees to start with, there's some room before it jumps up to an unsafe temp. I'll verify the delivery zipcode first so that I'll know it can be delivered in two days. We live near a major post office, so I know it will be processed quickly. I'm thinking of delaying this until After Xmas so there won't be any issues with delivery. January in CA can be kinda boring, weatherwise. I think BBQ can break them blues.

I'll let y'all know how it goes.


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## Greg Rempe (Nov 18, 2007)

All of the places that ship bbq that I know of use styrofoam and dry ice and ship overnight.  Look at the prices for Carsons...

www.ribs.com

YIKES!


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## WildFireEric (Nov 18, 2007)

I thought I'd wrap it in several layers of newspaper and then use a plastic bucket or something. LOL. I think there's some medical grade containers for about $200 that would be safe. If gas wasn't so expensive, i'd just drive it out there..put it in front of my motel 6 a/c during the day (sleeping) and travel at night with it in the back of my truck. figure if i keep north, it would stay nice and cold.


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