Expert: Mary Hughes-Cole - 12/13/2002

Question
Mary,

I'm planning to smoke-cook a large prime rib roast next week and then pack it and drive to Florida for a family renunion at Christmas. What would you recommend? I was planning to use a cooler?

Answer
Hello Craig,

Sounds good to me, are you using a huge one so you do not have to stop many places and do you have a rack to place the roast on so that it does not get wet or are you going to use hot dry ice.  Any way you do this is good just do not freeze it first.  You want to be sure that once the roast is smoked it should be wrapped, first in wax paper the professional kind would be best, then wrapped in foil.  It is most important that once the roast is smoked that it is immediately wrapped and cooled to below 40°, buy a thermometer a good one that will endure.  If you use dry ice ask how long each piece will last and if you have the proper kind of cooler for it and find out where else you can get some more if for some reason it will not last the entire trip.  Once you get their keep, it in the cooler until it is eaten or served and do not look at it or open it before then.  Soon as  food is exposed to air it will become exposed to bacteria that will not go away.  So protect your precious roast until served and do not worry about heating it up.  They have discovered that certain kinds of fats when eaten cold contain chemicals that fight cancer.  If eating it hot is a priority then close the rest up tightly and store away immediately.  Know that corn and corn by products can cause headaches with many people and shy away from gravies and things made with cornstarch and syrup, use flour unbleached instead and everyone will be happier I can assure you of this.  Good Luck Mary

Here is the web site you will want to research, http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/
When you get there, it is the-
Federal Consumer Information Center Pueblo Colorado,
When you get there, click on
Food, When you get there, click on-

Can Your Kitchen pass the Food Safety Test?  
1998 528GG Free
That web site is http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/fdkitchn.html
The phone number for the about Center is 1-888 INFO-FDA (1-888-463-6332)
When you get there, click on Food

U.S Food and Drug Administration
5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville
MD 2085 7-0001
When you get there, click on Food

Food borne Illness, Nutrition, Dietary Supplements…
Program Areas
Food Additives and Pre-market Approval
www.FoodSafety.gov
Gateway to Government Food Safety Information
When you get there, click on
Food
When you get there, click on
Food Additives and Pre-Market Approval
When you get there, it is
EAFUS A FOOD ADDITIVE DATA BASE
US Food and Drug Administration
Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition