Building a Meat Locker

[brody]

Hi folks, I'm been following many of the threads on eGullet for two years now, and I'm happy to finally start participating in the dialogue here.

I'm in the process of planning a last minute pig roast (to be held 8 days from now). This is also my first pig roast, so I'm diving in and feeling a little crazy right now. I've picked up tons of good advice from eGullet thus far, especially the eGCI pit-roasting course. However, there are two areas that I I have unaswered questions in, and I'll address the first in this thread..

A meat locker.

On Monday, I'm working with a local farmer to slaughter a Berkshire piggy, which will then be brought back to my basement to age until Friday (4 days). Because of the seasonal warmth and humidity (I'm in Washington, DC), I'll need to build a simple, inexpensive meat locker this weekend. Has anyone else built one?

I plan on using spare 2x3" studs, and paneling the interior with 1/2" drywall. The outside will be wrapped with 2-3 layers of fiberglass batt insulation (r26-r39), and then covered in plastic sheeting. It will be cooled by a window air-conditioning unit, and I'll bypass the thermostat with a refrigerator temperature controller (which I'm been using on a mini-refrigerator for cheese aging). I'll use the basement's concrete floor. Basic measurements on the inside will be 4 ft wide, 4 ft deep, and 6 ft tall.

Will this suffice for keeping a 140lb pig for a few days?

How does one actually hang the carcass?

Is there anything I'm overlooking?

I'll probably use the meat locker off and on post pig-roast, mainly for charcuterie.

Thank you in advance for your help!

Brody.

[deltadoc]

A meat locker.

It will be cooled by a window air-conditioning unit...

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While I would never consider myself any kind of meat locker consultant, I do know that controlling the temperature and the humidity is important for aging meat.

I'd try contacting your state college agricultural department. I would think they would have the type of information that you require to do this right.

Or you might try locating the National Pork Association or such and ask for advice.

doc

[Smithy]

Welcome to the world of active posting on eGullet, Brody!

I've never built a meat locker. I have a couple of questions about the air conditioner arrangement.

First, to where will the A/C exhaust? Into the basement? If so, will there be much buildup of heat in the rest of the basement? Or do you have a window nearby that can be left open? Or are you building that meat locker on a basement wall with a window to the outside, where the air conditioner will go?

Second: to where will the A/C water drain? Do you have a floor drain in the basement so you won't end up with a flood?

Finally: to what temperature are you planning to control the locker temperature? I'm guessing something around 35F, give or take. I'd guess the A/C could do that in the small space you're doing, but I've never tried it. Maybe somebody else knows.

[dougal]

I haven't been quite there, so these are just observations!

What temperature do you plan to set?

And will your aircon go cold enough? (Fridges, freezers, aircon, and heatpumps generally use a refrigerant "gas" that is chosen to nicely straddle the operating temperature range. "Forcing" it colder with an extended range thermostat might not be successful (or maybe good for the equipment?)

I'd suggest

- securing the structure to a wall to ensure it cannot tip over or buckle when it gets its payload

- how about making provision for boxes of ice inside the locker (a cheapish and easyish source of extra coolth)

- and a (low voltage) miniature fan (computer scrap?) plus a bit of plastic pipe to circulate air from bottom to top to help keep the whole beast at a similar temperature

- and include a thoughtfully positioned internal thermometer probe - with an +external+ display - so you don't need to open the door (and spill cold air) just to check.

And don't forget drip tray arrangements inside the locker and good draughtstripping on the door... plus you need to ensure that you are protected against insects and vermin being attracted to your treasure!

Good luck!

[Dave the Cook]

Not to derail an admirably obsessive project, but why not just brine the guy in an ice-filled bathtub for the four days?

[Chris Hennes]

Not to derail an admirably obsessive project, but why not just brine the guy in an ice-filled bathtub for the four days?

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I gotta agree with Dave here: the requirements for a refrigerator that can keep a pig cold for four days are quite a bit different than the requirements for a curing chamber. The fridge needs to stay around 35 F, whereas the curing chamber should be between 50 and 60 F. The curing chamber should be at about 75% humidity, but your AC is going to drop it way, way below that. We have a discussion about ideal curing chambers over here for information on that aspect of the project. To create your own refrigerator is a bit different. I also doubt you can keep an air conditioner working reliably at those low temperatures: I suspect that the coils will get ice buildup on them and end up freezing solid, preventing airflow. If I was you, I'd just build a curing chamber, but not try to use it as a temporary refrigerator. Keeping the pig in an ice bath for a few days seems like the way to go. Add some salt and sugar and you you will have a heckuva tasty pig when all is said and done.

[Dave the Cook]

. . . .

Keeping the pig in an ice bath for a few days seems like the way to go. Add some salt and sugar and you you will have a heckuva tasty pig when all is said and done.

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If you need encouragement, check this out.

[brody]

Wow! Thanks for the quick replies!

Deltadoc, I'll delve into the Maryland and Virginia Ag Exenstion programs. A quick search of the UMD site seems like it might be tricky to find the right info. Maybe I'll try Vermont's program, as I know they've come up in some of my previous, unrelated research and have been very informative.

Smithy, I'll probably use one basement wall for the meat locker. A corner is not feasible, unfortunately. And while I do have windows that could act as vents, I won't be able to mount the A/C in it. Draining the condensate into my sump will be easy, and thanks for point that out! You're also right in that I'm aiming for ~35F. I'd come across very brief discussions of using window A/C's to achieve this on some BBQ forums, as well as getting fancy and using the guts of an old refrigerator.

If the A/C doesn't cool the space down enough, Dougal hit upon a really great idea - I'll put blocks of ice in there as needed. In order to maintain a dry environment, I imagine I should keep the ice covered in some manner. Luckily, I've salvaged two A/C's that I am not attached to, so I won't shed too many tears if I ruin one. I'll indeed use some old computer fans to circulate the air. Dougal, what to you mean by combining the fans with the pipe? Create a sort of convection cycle?

To help keep the cool air in, I'll be hanging a plastic tarp on the inside of the doorway. Putting a thermometer in there is a good idea too. I don't have on, but might be able to borrow one. I do have a thermometer function on my watch - maybe I'll just clasp it around one of the pig's ankles..

Drip tray...check. Any idea as to how much moisture the pig will drip out? I've read that I could see up to 20% reduction from the initial hang weight..

Dave the Cook: I actually have been considering brining, but in addition to the hanging. Only problem is that I doubt a 24 hour brine period would penetrate the meat thoroughly. But you bring up a very valid and important question. Can I achieve results (more tender, less moist) by brining a freshly killed animal as I would by hanging?

Any thoughts on what the humidity of the meat locker should be? I think Paul Bertolli address that issue in "Cooking By Hand", but I don't have it in front of me at the moment.

Thanks everyone!!

Brody.

[Chris Hennes]

Dave the Cook: I actually have been considering brining, but in addition to the hanging. Only problem is that I doubt a 24 hour brine period would penetrate the meat thoroughly. But you bring up a very valid and important question. Can I achieve results (more tender, less moist) by brining a freshly killed animal as I would by hanging?

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Well, I'm not Dave, and I have been known to be wrong on occasion but I don't think that aging fresh pork is beneficial to either flavor or texture in the way it is to beef. I have been told by several butchers that there is no point in aging fresh cuts of pork, and that you can basically eat it right away. Assuming that is true, your four day window would best be spent in a brine to up the salt content and moistness of the meat.

[Joe Blowe]

One other avenue to explore is to track down a game processor and ask how much to butcher and hang the pig. Google around (meat and game) for additional names and leads...

[dougal]

...  I'll indeed use some old computer fans to circulate the air. Dougal, what to you mean by combining the fans with the pipe? Create a sort of convection cycle?

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My thinking was that, unlike a curing chamber (where you want to ensure there are no damp spots to go mouldy), with a tall storage chamber you'd need to make sure that the top wasn't warmer than the bottom. If you have a big old a/c fan, it'll mix everything up pretty well, but with ice it could be a significant temperature difference. I'd think you should aim to mount the ice high, so the cold air can fall naturally. To stop the cold air collecting at the bottom, I was suggesting a fan and duct to take cold air back to the top... so it can fall once more!

Particularly with ice, humidity is going to be rather high. Hence I'd suggest bagging or boxing ice blocks so they and their meltwater don't add to the humidity. Condensation on the outside is moisture from the air, not the ice, but you need to drain it away (or sponge it up) to get the humidity down. You have to extract that excess moisture somehow! However, I doubt humidity is going to do much harm to the pig in a few days at decently cool (<6C?) temperatures. My guess would be that 10C would be too high for comfort.

The colder the pig is to start with, the better.

And a fresh killed pig is somewhat warm, and is usually said to need to be chilled down as quickly as possible. Can you arrange for it to be chilled before you collect it?

[Raw/Cooked]

Brody, my neighbor and I slaughter a couple of pigs every fall. It is really critical that you cool the carcass down as quickly as possible. Pork spoils incredibly quickly, especially if it isn't handled properly. I agree with Chris and think that there is no advantage to aging pork. Any chance you could do the slaughtering closer to the day of your pig roast?

[brody]

I gotta agree with Dave here: the requirements for a refrigerator that can keep a pig cold for four days are quite a bit different than the requirements for a curing chamber

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Sorry about misquoting you before, but I do agree with you in that I couldn't properly cure and refrigerate at the same time. The idea I'm thinking of is more along the lines of when I need to refrigerate and use it as a meat locker, I can adjust the temp and humidity in a way to achieve that. Any products in there would only be in there fro that purpose. For curing, I'd adjust it, and only have items in there needing to be cured. I definitely don't think I could multitask it simultaneously.

If you need encouragement, check this out.

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Man, thanks for that! I've been looking for the thread for ages!! Its the one that first got me interested in doing a pig back in '05!

...but I don't think that aging fresh pork is beneficial to either flavor or texture in the way it is to beef. I have been told by several butchers that there is no point in aging fresh cuts of pork, and that you can basically eat it right away. Assuming that is true, your four day window would best be spent in a brine to up the salt content and moistness of the meat.

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That's interesting, and contrary to what I've been thinking. Even called up one of the few decent butchers in DC and asked, and they said to definitely hang. My personal rational for wanting to hang is based on Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's brief discussion in "The River Cottage Meat Book" and Howard McGee (which I unfortunately loaned out about a year ago..). I can't say I have a strong grasp of the changes that are occurring in the meat when being hung or brined, and how they differ beyond brine's movement of salt and flavor via osmosis. I'm going to have to dig into this a bit more.

One other avenue to explore is to track down a game processor and ask how much to butcher and hang the pig.  Google around (meat and game) for additional names and leads...

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Ah heck, but that would be too easy and sensible! I definitely could have the farm send it to their local Mennonite/USDA processing facility, which would be just fine and only cost $40 plus $10-15 or so per day of hanging. But I'm really interested in seeing this through all the way.

I'd think you should aim to mount the ice high, so the cold air can fall naturally. To stop the cold air collecting at the bottom, I was suggesting a fan and duct to take cold air back to the top... so it can fall once more!

Particularly with ice, humidity is going to be rather high. Hence I'd suggest bagging or boxing ice blocks so they and their meltwater don't add to the humidity. Condensation on the outside is moisture from the air, not the ice, but you need to drain it away (or sponge it up) to get the humidity down. You have to extract that excess moisture somehow! However, I doubt humidity is going to do much harm to the pig in a few days at decently cool (<6C?) temperatures. My guess would be that 10C would be too high for comfort.

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I see what you mean Dougal. I reckon I can rig up something like that using a spare drying vent. If humidity does become an issue, I have a dehumidifer I can put to use.

Brody, my neighbor and I slaughter a couple of pigs every fall. It is really critical that you cool the carcass down as quickly as possible. Pork spoils incredibly quickly, especially if it isn't handled properly. I agree with Chris and think that there is no advantage to aging pork. Any chance you could do the slaughtering closer to the day of your pig roast?

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Raw/Cooked, you and Dougal both mentioned an aspect I'm trying to deal with as well. I'm anticipating a solution with a tarp and lots of ice. I've also contemplated grabbing an old, cheap fridge off Craigslist, strapping it upright into the back of my truck, and powering it with a DC-AC inverter while transporting. Although I can imagine the pig not looking so pretty once rigor sets in, even after it gets tied up.

[Raw/Cooked]

Brody, we usually slaughter when the weather is quite cold, which helps a lot. On the occasions when it has been warmer than we like, we've used a large galvanized tub filled with bags of ice, placed a clean tarp over it, put the pig on the tarp, and then placed heavy duty plastic bags filled with ice on top of the pig and in the body cavity. This has generally worked well for us. Good luck!

[Smithy]

Not to derail an admirably obsessive project, but why not just brine the guy in an ice-filled bathtub for the four days?

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"An admirably obsessive project..." I like that turn of phrase, enough to keep it for later use.

If the A/C doesn't cool the space down enough, Dougal hit upon a really great idea - I'll put blocks of ice in there as needed. In order to maintain a dry environment, I imagine I should keep the ice covered in some manner. ...

Drip tray...check. Any idea as to how much moisture the pig will drip out? I've read that I could see up to 20% reduction from the initial hang weight..

←

Can you lay your hands on a lot of large containers like milk jugs, and freeze water in them? Or buy a bunch of gallon jugs of distilled water and freeze them? Then you'll have your ice covered, so to speak.

I don't know how much drippage from a drip tray. I'll bet a largish Rubbermaid ™ tub would hold what you need.

As for cooling the pig quickly: I wonder whether you should pack it in ice for transport. That would cool it quickly. Then, if you still wanted to pursue this admirably obsessive project, you could unpack it from the ice when you arrived and hang it.

The comments above aren't intended to derail the very good commentary on how well this arrangement will work, by the way. There are a number of good points about the optimum temperature range for a particular refrigeration system, what exactly you should be doing with the meat, and so on. I'll be interested in reading along to see what you do and how it works.

Great topic!

[brody]

Brody, we usually slaughter when the weather is quite cold, which helps a lot. On the occasions when it has been warmer than we like, we've used a large galvanized tub filled with bags of ice, placed a clean tarp over it, put the pig on the tarp, and then placed heavy duty plastic bags filled with ice on top of the pig and in the body cavity. This has generally worked well for us. Good luck!

←

That's about what I was thinking. Could you estimate how much ice you used?

Not to derail an admirably obsessive project, but why not just brine the guy in an ice-filled bathtub for the four days?

←

"An admirably obsessive project..." I like that turn of phrase, enough to keep it for later use.

If the A/C doesn't cool the space down enough, Dougal hit upon a really great idea - I'll put blocks of ice in there as needed. In order to maintain a dry environment, I imagine I should keep the ice covered in some manner. ...

Drip tray...check. Any idea as to how much moisture the pig will drip out? I've read that I could see up to 20% reduction from the initial hang weight..

←

Can you lay your hands on a lot of large containers like milk jugs, and freeze water in them? Or buy a bunch of gallon jugs of distilled water and freeze them? Then you'll have your ice covered, so to speak.

I don't know how much drippage from a drip tray. I'll bet a largish Rubbermaid tub would hold what you need.

As for cooling the pig quickly: I wonder whether you should pack it in ice for transport. That would cool it quickly. Then, if you still wanted to pursue this admirably obsessive project, you could unpack it from the ice when you arrived and hang it.

The comments above aren't intended to derail the very good commentary on how well this arrangement will work, by the way. There are a number of good points about the optimum temperature range for a particular refrigeration system, what exactly you should be doing with the meat, and so on. I'll be interested in reading along to see what you do and how it works.

Great topic!

←

Derail? Luckily I haven't taken it that way at all! I hope I haven't conveyed otherwise! Honestly, there's still a very good chance that I might brine the pig, simply because of time. I am a bit obsessed with the idea of the meat locker, and I don't want to ruin the pig because of it! I've got to thank all the input so far for making sure I've got my goal correct and all my ducks lining up correctly.

Great suggestion with the frozen containers of water. I could easily hang those from hooks along the ceiling to go along with Dougal suggestions. No clean up, no waste, no humidity!

Here's another question to pose, which I regret not knowing the answer of yet (haven't gotten an email back from the farmer on it yet). How big is a 150lb pig? Roughly how wide and how tall will it be when suspended?

[Raw/Cooked]

That's about what I was thinking. Could you estimate how much ice you used?

- we used a lot: @ 100lbs that we ordered from a local ice company.

Here's another question to pose, which I regret not knowing the answer of yet (haven't gotten an email back from the farmer on it yet). How big is a 150lb pig? Roughly how wide and how tall will it be when suspended?

- a 150lb pig won't be too huge: probably 4-5 feet long, and about 28-30" wide, though like people animals have a huge range of variation.

[robyn]

I am kind of a food safety nut. In the south in the summer - I think any makeshift solution runs the risk of poisoning your guests. I'd find out how big the pig will be - and buy a cheap refrigerator that will hold it. Keep it on ice until you can get it into the refrigerator. Or just buy the pig later.

I don't know how you plan to cook the pig - but - if you don't have a large commercial grill/smoker (suspect you don't) - buy a La Caja China. Cubans in Miami roast pigs more than most people in the United States - and even the old guys who always said the only way to do it was in the ground are using La Caja China now because it produces consistent superior results. Robyn

[dougal]

... I've also contemplated grabbing an old, cheap fridge off Craigslist, strapping it upright into the back of my truck, and powering it with a DC-AC inverter while transporting. Although I can imagine the pig not looking so pretty once rigor sets in, even after it gets tied up.

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Inventive, but maybe not a good idea!

Ever seen the stickers on new fridges about letting them stand for a while after delivery before connecting/running them?

Its so the refrigerant fluid can settle after the jostling of transport - if you get liquid (rather than gas) into the compressor, it just stops working, likely permanently.

AND when a fridge starts, it can briefly draw quite a large surge current, so for a full-size fridge, you'd probably need quite a sturdy inverter...

Better to pack the beast in ice in an old bathtub (or disfunctional chest freezer) for transport I'd suggest. To get fancy, you could rig up a facility to drain off the meltwater at occasional stops...

[rooftop1000]

Who said a piggy aint pretty??

http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=67661

page 19 post #556

[brody]

... I've also contemplated grabbing an old, cheap fridge off Craigslist, strapping it upright into the back of my truck, and powering it with a DC-AC inverter while transporting. Although I can imagine the pig not looking so pretty once rigor sets in, even after it gets tied up.

←

Inventive, but maybe not a good idea!

Ever seen the stickers on new fridges about letting them stand for a while after delivery before connecting/running them?

Its so the refrigerant fluid can settle after the jostling of transport - if you get liquid (rather than gas) into the compressor, it just stops working, likely permanently.

AND when a fridge starts, it can briefly draw quite a large surge current, so for a full-size fridge, you'd probably need quite a sturdy inverter...

Better to pack the beast in ice in an old bathtub (or disfunctional chest freezer) for transport I'd suggest. To get fancy, you could rig up a facility to drain off the meltwater at occasional stops...

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It was definitely a bit of a crazy idea! I'll be going with the ice though. Going to see if Home Depot has any pig size storage bins today.

Who said a piggy aint pretty??

http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=67661

page 19 post #556

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Got to love that picture! Luckily The Wife's into the whole thing and doesn't see any problem with a pig in the bathtub either!

[brody]

Anyone have thoughts as to an appropriate R-value for meat locker? I'm sure the higher the better, but at what point might I see dimenishing returns?

[Chris Hennes]

Anyone have thoughts as to an appropriate R-value for meat locker? I'm sure the higher the better, but at what point might I see dimenishing returns?

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What is your highest expected ambient temperature? The difference between that and the desired locker temperature is the critical factor here. The amount of time spent at that temp is important, too, but I think we can do a back-of-the-envelope estimate based just on temperature.

[brody]

Anyone have thoughts as to an appropriate R-value for meat locker? I'm sure the higher the better, but at what point might I see dimenishing returns?

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What is your highest expected ambient temperature? The difference between that and the desired locker temperature is the critical factor here. The amount of time spent at that temp is important, too, but I think we can do a back-of-the-envelope estimate based just on temperature.

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Chris, based on the 10-day forecast, and my basement averaging about 5 degrees cooler, I'd expect my ambient temperature to be 80 F. It will probably hover near this temp for 6 hours. This will be on Friday, and the subsequent days will be 3-5 degrees cooler.

What's the formula?

Been running a bit behind schedule this weekend with a number of other chores, but I have the salvaged lumber and drywall ready to be cut downstairs. Made some adjustments to the dimensions, and am instead going for a 2.5 ft x 2.5 ft x 6 ft space. Just enough space, I hope, to contain the pig carcass and still allow airflow. This should also make it easier to cool. Small will also make it movable to other areas of the basement should I try repurposing it down the line.

[Chris Hennes]

Chris, based on the 10-day forecast, and my basement averaging about 5 degrees cooler, I'd expect my ambient temperature to be 80 F. It will probably hover near this temp for 6 hours. This will be on Friday, and the subsequent days will be 3-5 degrees cooler.

What's the formula?

Been running a bit behind schedule this weekend with a number of other chores, but I have the salvaged lumber and drywall ready to be cut downstairs. Made some adjustments to the dimensions, and am instead going for a 2.5 ft x 2.5 ft x 6 ft space. Just enough space, I hope, to contain the pig carcass and still allow airflow. This should also make it easier to cool. Small will also make it movable to other areas of the basement should I try repurposing it down the line.

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f = A * D / R

where f is going to be the heat flow through the insulation in Btu/hr, A is the surface area of the insulation in square ft, D is the temperature difference in degrees F, and R is the R value in English units (U.S. standard, ft^2 F hr / Btu). To maintain steady-state (i.e. assuming your chamber and everything in it is already at 35 deg F, your "cooling unit" will need to be capable of removing at least this much heat from the chamber. Of course, if your cooling unit is just a tray of ice, it can't remove any heat from the chamber, and then calculation needs to take into account the thermal mass of the ice, and calculate how long it will take to melt. I will think on that for a while... I'm not sure quite how to proceed.