We’ve all been there, you get that extra meat or that big discount brisket and freeze the meat for a future cook.
However, the weekend rolls around and you forgot to let the frozen meat thaw out in the fridge ahead of time.
So now you’re left with the dilemma – can you smoke completely frozen meat?
Meat that is still frozen should not be smoked. Usually, the frozen meat will end up drier and the meat will cook unevenly. Additionally, the meat may stay in the “Danger Zone” of 40°F to 140°F for too long which will make the meat unsafe to eat. However, previously frozen meat that is thawed can be smoked normally.
So there are good reasons to not smoke completely frozen meat.
In fact, I ran an experiment where I smoked frozen vs thawed meat. Here are the test results:
Smoking Frozen vs Thawed Experiment
I ran an experiment to test if you can smoke frozen meat and if frozen meat would taste as good as thawed meat.
So I cut a chuck roast in half and froze half while I kept half in the fridge.
Here is a quick 3 minute video that walks you through experiment:
The main takeaway was that the frozen meat was a lot drier and tougher compared to the thawed meat.
So I would not recommend smoking frozen meat if you can thaw your meat ahead of time!
Now let’s cover some of the main topics when it comes to smoking frozen meat.
Can You Smoke Meat Directly From Frozen?
Although it is technically possible to smoke meat directly from frozen, the finished meat will be drier and tougher.
Not to mention if the frozen meat is a thick-cut, such as a brisket, then there may be parts of the meat that stays in the Danger Zone for too long.
The Danger Zone is from 40°F to 140°F, which is where bacteria can rapidly multiply, and meat that is smoking needs to reach an internal temperature of 140+°F within 4 hours.
Meat that stays in the Danger Zone for too long will be unsafe to eat.
So avoid smoking completely frozen meat.
Instead, make sure to thaw out the meat before smoking even if you have to quickly thaw out the meat at the last minute.
Can You Smoke Semi-Frozen Meat?
Similar to smoking completely frozen meat, it is not recommended to smoke semi-frozen meat.
Imagine cooking or smoking a piece of meat that has some parts that are thawed out while other parts of still frozen. The meat will cook unevenly which means parts of your meat will be overcooked while other parts will be undercooked.
Not to mention, the frozen parts of the meat may end up being tougher and drier than the thawed parts of the meat.
So if the meat is still semi-frozen, make sure to thaw it out completely before placing the meat on the smoker.
See below for some tips on how to thaw frozen meat at the last minute.
Can You Smoke Frozen Meat That Has Been Thawed?
Frozen meat that has been completely thawed out can be smoked normally just like a regular piece of meat that has never been frozen.
There is no difference in the cooking time or process for smoking frozen meat that has been thawed.
Feel free to take advantage of sales to purchase meat in bulk and freeze the excess meat. Just make sure to allow the meat to completely thaw out before placing the meat on the smoker.
If you did not allow the frozen meat to thaw out in the fridge overnight, or if the meat is thick like a brisket, in a few days in the fridge, then there are some ways to quickly thaw the frozen meat out.
How To Thaw Frozen Meat
The goal of thawing frozen meat is to allow the meat to thaw while keeping the internal temperature of the meat below 40°F. This is why it’s never recommended to thaw meat out with warm or hot water since the outside of the meat will get warmer than 40°F which is in the Danger Zone.
As a reminder, the Danger Zone is between 40°F and 140°F and is where bacteria can rapidly multiply on meat. So do not leave cooked meat out at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
When cooking or smoking meat, make sure the meat reaches an internal temperature of at least 140°F within 4 hours otherwise the meat may be unsafe to eat.
Food safety is a good reason why we always want to thaw meat out before smoking, not to mention frozen meat that is smoked will usually be tougher and drier.
1. Thawing Frozen Meat in Cold Water
The quickest way to thaw frozen meat is by using cold water.
Use the following steps for quickly thawing frozen meat out:
- Place sealed frozen meat in a bowl
- Fill up bowl with cool or cold water
- Change the water every 30 minutes to speed up thawing process
- Gently poke the meat to see if the meat is still partially frozen
Continue changing the water every 30 minutes until the meat is completely thawed out. This method works great if the meat is thinner or smaller such as a steak or ground beef.
Make sure the meat is in a leak-proof package or plastic bag so that water does not leak into the meat.
However, even if water does get into the meat while thawing, the meat is still completely safe to cook and use. See this article for more information and tips on how to cook meat that has gotten water in it while thawing.
Thawing Large Frozen Meat in Cold Water
If the frozen meat is a large cut that will not fit in a bowl such as a brisket or rack of ribs, then you may need to use your kitchen sink as a container to hold cold water.
So follow the same process for thawing out frozen meat in cold water with a bowl but use the kitchen sink as a bowl:
- Place sealed frozen meat in kitchen sink
- Plug sink drain and fill with cool or cold water
- Change the water every 30 minutes to speed up thawing process
- Gently poke the meat to see if the meat is still partially frozen
Continue changing the water every 30 minutes until the meat is completely thawed out.
Thawing frozen meat out in cold water is the fastest way to safely thaw frozen meat out. This method works great if the meat is still partially frozen or if you need to thaw the meat out at the last minute before smoking it.
2. Thawing Frozen Meat in Refrigerator
The safest way to thaw frozen meat is by allowing the frozen meat to thaw out in the fridge. However, thawing frozen meat in the fridge can take anywhere from 12 hours to 2 days depending on the thickness of the meat.
Thicker cuts of meat, such as a brisket or pork shoulder, will take more time to completely thaw out compared to a thin cut of meat such as ground beef or flank steak.
Frozen meat that has been thawed out in the fridge should be cooked or smoked within 2 to 5 days depending on the cut.
Here are the timelines of how long frozen meat that has thawed out in the fridge can be safely stored:
| Frozen Meat Type | Fridge Timeline After Thawing |
|---|---|
| Ground Meat | 1 to 2 days |
| Bone-in and Whole Roasts | 3 to 5 days |
So generally frozen meat that has been thawed in the fridge can last in the fridge for an additional 1 to 2 days for ground meat and an additional 3 to 5 days for whole roasts and bone-in meat.
Meat that has been thawed out in the fridge can be placed back in the freezer and refrozen if your plans change and you no longer want to cook the food.
What Frozen Foods Can You Smoke?
Now that we know how to quickly thaw out frozen meat, you should never need to smoke completely frozen meat.
Although it is possible to cook or smoke completely frozen meat if the meat is very thin such as flank steak or ground beef, the frozen meat should still be thawed out first since it will smoke better.
However, I still get asked which frozen foods we can smoke so let me cover the most common ones:
Can You Smoke Frozen Brisket?
Briskets are thicker cuts of meat that will be difficult to smoke completely frozen. By the time the internal temperature reaches 190°F, the outside of the brisket will be overcooked.
Keep in mind, a thicker cut of meat that is frozen will cook faster on the outside whereas the inside will still remain frozen or undercooked.
Thicker cuts of meat need to be thawed out before smoking so the meat can cook evenly. Thaw out a frozen brisket in the fridge for 1-2 days so it completely thaws out.
If you are trying to smoke a frozen brisket at the last minute, then plug up your sink’s drain, place the brisket in the sink and allow the brisket to thaw in cool water. Change the water every 30 minutes to speed up the thawing process.
Make sure to use cool water and not hot water so you avoid the Danger Zone of 40°F to 140°F as this is where bacteria rapidly multiply which can make the brisket unsafe to cook and eat.
Can You Smoke Frozen Pork Shoulder?
Pork shoulder is a thicker cut of meat that is very difficult to smoke completely frozen. By the time the inside of the pork shoulder reaches 195°F, the outside of the pork shoulder will be overcooked.
So with any thick cut of meat, you must thaw the meat out before smoking otherwise the outside will be overcooked while the inside will be undercooked.
Generally, a frozen pork shoulder will take 1-2 days to thaw out in the fridge.
However, if you are trying to smoke a completely frozen pork shoulder at the last minute then take the following steps to quickly thaw the frozen pork shoulder:
- Place the sealed frozen pork shoulder in kitchen sink
- Plug sink drain and fill with cool or cold water
- Change the water every 30 minutes to speed up thawing process
- Gently poke the meat to see if the meat is still partially frozen
Continue changing the water every 30 minutes until the pork shoulder is completely thawed out.
Make sure to use cool water and not hot water so you avoid the Danger Zone of 40°F to 140°F as this is where bacteria rapidly multiply which can make the brisket unsafe to cook and eat.
Can You Smoke Frozen Ribs?
Pork and beef ribs are a thinner cut of meat which makes cooking or smoking these from frozen less problematic.
However, keep in mind that ribs should be completely thawed out before smoking them. Smoking frozen ribs will lead to an overcooked outside while the inside will be undercooked.
Not to mention, meat closer to the bone will take longer to cook so that meat will take the longest to reach an internal temperature of 180°F to 195°F.
Since ribs are relatively thinner cuts of meat, compared to brisket or pork shoulder, we can thaw frozen ribs fairly quickly using the following method:
Thawing Ribs In Bowl or Tray of Cool Water
The quickest way to thaw frozen ribs is by using cold water.
Use the following steps for quickly thawing frozen ribs:
- Place sealed frozen ribs in a bowl or tray that fits all of the ribs
- Fill up bowl or tray with cool or cold water
- Change the water every 30 minutes to speed up thawing process
- Gently poke the ribs to see if the meat is still partially frozen
Continue changing the water every 30 minutes until the meat on the ribs is completely thawed out.
Make sure the meat is in a leak-proof package or plastic bag so that water does not leak into the meat.
However, even if water does get into the meat while thawing, the meat is still completely safe to cook and use. See this article for more information and tips on how to cook meat that has gotten water in it while thawing.
Can You Smoke Frozen Chicken?
Chicken should never be smoked from frozen or partially frozen.
Chicken needs to reach an internal temperature of 165°F to be considered safe to eat. Reaching an internal temperature of 165°F from frozen on a smoker within 4 hours can be difficult depending on the cooking temperature.
Moreover, chicken is a cut of meat that can get very dry when overcooked. By the time the internal temperature reaches 165°F, the outside of the chicken will be overcooked and very dry.
Thankfully, chicken can be quickly thawed out at the last minute by using the following method:
Thawing Chicken In Bowl of Cool Water
The quickest way to thaw frozen chicken is by using cold water.
Use the following steps for quickly thawing frozen chicken:
- Place sealed frozen chicken in a bowl
- Fill up bowl with cool or cold water
- Change the water every 30 minutes to speed up thawing process
- Gently poke the chicken to see if the meat is still partially frozen
Continue changing the water every 30 minutes until the chicken is completely thawed out.
Make sure the chicken is in a leak-proof package or plastic bag so that water does not leak into the meat.
However, even if water does get into the meat while thawing, the meat is still completely safe to cook and use. See this article for more information and tips on how to cook meat that has gotten water in it while thawing.
Can You Smoke Frozen Chicken Wings?
Chicken wings are so thin that they can be smoked from completely frozen or partially frozen.
However, since chicken wings are so thin, they can also be quickly thawed out. Smoking thawed chicken wings is better since the meat will cook more evenly and the chicken wings will be able to absorb smoke flavor instead of thawing out in the smoker.
Use the following method to quickly thaw chicken wings at the last minute:
Thawing Chicken Wings In Bowl of Cool Water
The quickest way to thaw frozen chicken wings is by using cold water.
Use the following steps for quickly thawing frozen chicken wings:
- Place sealed frozen chicken wings in a bowl
- Fill up bowl with cool or cold water
- Change the water every 30 minutes to speed up thawing process
- Gently poke the chicken wings to see if the meat is still partially frozen
Continue changing the water every 30 minutes until the chicken wings are completely thawed out.
You may need to take out the thawed chicken wings and place the remaining frozen chicken wings in a resealable bag to thaw all of the chicken wings.
Make sure the chicken wings are in a leak-proof package or plastic bag so that water does not leak into the meat.
However, even if water does get into the meat while thawing, the meat is still completely safe to cook and use. See this article for more information and tips on how to cook meat that has gotten water in it while thawing.
Can You Smoke Frozen Turkey?
Turkey is a thick piece of meat that will be difficult to smoke completely frozen. By the time the internal temperature reaches 165°F, the outside of the turkey will be overcooked and dry.
Keep in mind, any thicker cut of meat that is frozen will cook faster on the outside whereas the inside will still remain frozen or undercooked.
Thicker cuts of meat need to be thawed out before smoking so the meat can cook evenly. Thaw out a frozen turkey in the fridge for 1-2 days so it completely thaws out.
If you are trying to smoke a frozen turkey at the last minute, then plug up your sink’s drain, place the turkey in the sink and allow the turkey to thaw in cool water. Change the water every 30 minutes to speed up the thawing process.
Make sure to use cool water and not hot water so you avoid the Danger Zone of 40°F to 140°F as this is where bacteria rapidly multiply which can make the turkey unsafe to cook and eat.
Can You Smoke Frozen Pork Loin?
Pork loin is a thick cut of meat that should not be smoked when completely frozen. By the time the internal temperature of the pork loin reaches 145°F, the outside of the pork loin will be overcooked.
So make sure to thaw out a pork loin before smoking it.
If you’re trying to smoke a frozen pork loin, then use the following method to thaw out the pork loin quickly:
Thawing Pork Loin in Bowl or Tray of Cool Water
The quickest way to thaw frozen pork loin is by using cold water.
Use the following steps for quickly thawing frozen pork loin:
- Place sealed frozen pork loin in a bowl or tray that fits all of the ribs
- Fill up bowl or tray with cool or cold water
- Change the water every 30 minutes to speed up thawing process
- Gently poke the meat to see if the meat is still partially frozen
Continue changing the water every 30 minutes until the pork loin is completely thawed out.
Make sure the meat is in a leak-proof package or plastic bag so that water does not leak into the meat.
However, even if water does get into the meat while thawing, the meat is still completely safe to cook and use. See this article for more information and tips on how to cook meat that has gotten water in it while thawing.
Can You Can You Smoke Frozen Sausage?
Generally, sausages are precooked meaning smoking a frozen sausage is fine since you’re just heating up the meat.
However, if the frozen sausage is made of raw meat then you need to make sure the internal temperature reaches 160°F.
Most of the time sausages are relatively small so smoking a frozen sausage is possible. However, thawing a frozen sausage at the last minute does not take that much time and will help ensure that the sausage cooks evenly.
Use the following method to quickly thaw out frozen sausages at the last minute:
Thawing Frozen Sausage in Bowl of Cool Water
The quickest way to thaw frozen sausages is by using cold water.
Use the following steps for quickly thawing frozen sausages:
- Place sealed frozen sausages in a bowl
- Fill up bowl with cool or cold water
- Change the water every 30 minutes to speed up thawing process
- Gently poke the meat to see if the meat is still partially frozen
Continue changing the water every 30 minutes until the sausages are completely thawed out.
Make sure the sausages are in a leak-proof package or plastic bag so that water does not leak into the meat.
However, even if water does get into the meat while thawing, the meat is still completely safe to cook and use. See this article for more information and tips on how to cook meat that has gotten water in it while thawing.
Can You Freeze Smoked Meat?
Smoked meat can be frozen for 2 to 6 months in order to preserve the lifespan and enjoy the meat later. Keep in mind, that frozen meat should be thawed out and eaten sooner rather than later as the quality and flavor of the meat will degrade over time.
Whether you use a resealable bag or a vacuum-sealed bag, try to remove all of the air before freezing the meat in order to prevent freezer burn.
See this chart from the US Food Safety to learn more about safe refrigerating and freeing times for raw and cooked food.
One Last Word
When weighing the pros and cons of smoking completely frozen meat, keep the following in mind:
Meat that is still frozen should not be smoked. Usually, the frozen meat will end up drier and the meat will cook unevenly. Additionally, the meat may stay in the “Danger Zone” of 40°F to 140°F for too long which will make the meat unsafe to eat. However, previously frozen meat that is thawed can be smoked normally.
So there are good reasons to not smoke completely frozen meat and thaw out the frozen meat before placing it on the smoker.
Now go out there and smoke some delicious meat! Your friends and family will thank you.
