transporting frozen meat...question

[ProudGrandma]

If you saw in my previous post, we are moving 900 miles at the end of July.  The trek will take us 2 days of travel.  Is there any safe way to transport frozen raw meat from our point A to point B?  If we fill coolers full of the meat, will the fact that it's frozen keep it frozen for 2 days?   Or will dry ice be necessary?  Has anybody done something like this before?  Thanks. 

[City Mouse]

I’ve transported frozen raw meat. With a high quality cooler full of hard frozen meat, I would not have a problem with a 2 day drive. We have never added dry ice. I used regular ice one time but that was for not frozen meat factory sealed in plastic (sausage). 

[kbutton]

2 minutes ago, City Mouse said:

I’ve transported frozen raw meat. With a high quality cooler full of hard frozen meat, I would not have a problem with a 2 day drive. We have never added dry ice. I used regular ice one time but that was for not frozen meat factory sealed in plastic (sausage). 

I agree. I’ve done day trips with smaller amounts. More volume = easier to keep cool.

People drive across the country with frozen meat regularly when they take trips from east to west to hunt elk and other animals that aren’t able to be hunted in eastern states.

 

 

[Arcadia]

We don't have much luck keeping frozen meat frozen if we have to park somewhere on the way to the destination. Our car gets very hot now when parked and will be even hotter in July.

https://ask.usda.gov/s/article/Will-meat-remain-safe-in-my-trunk

"Will meat remain safe in my trunk?

Jan 12, 2024

Knowledge Article

Two hours is the limit for keeping food safe outside the refrigerator or freezer; one hour if the outside temperature is 90 °F ( 32.2 °C) or above. Frozen food can thaw if it is exposed to the sun's rays even when the temperature is very cold. Refrigerated food may become too warm in the trunk and foodborne bacteria could grow"

[Chris in VA]

Yeti and Yeti-type coolers are great for this. Packed full is best. 

[Faith-manor]

3 hours ago, ProudGrandma said:

If you saw in my previous post, we are moving 900 miles at the end of July.  The trek will take us 2 days of travel.  Is there any safe way to transport frozen raw meat from our point A to point B?  If we fill coolers full of the meat, will the fact that it's frozen keep it frozen for 2 days?   Or will dry ice be necessary?  Has anybody done something like this before?  Thanks. 

We travel with frozen meat all the time. The key is the quality of your coolers. We have a large Rtic which is comparable to a Yeti. We pack it full of frozen items and then put ice on top. Nothing even begins to thaw until 3 days in and then only what is on top. Everything else is still solid, and the things on top are not even halfway thawed. If you have lower whality coolers, it is going to be a lot tougher. But you could try insulating the coolers by wrapping them in quilts to help them stay a lot colder inside, and definitely run air in the car. Do not open them up until you reach your destination.

[Jaybee]

It was years ago, but we moved with a small chest freezer (about washing machine size) packed tightly full of meat, from Alabama to Texas, and it stayed frozen hard. I can't remember if we took one day or two.

[Pam in CT]

Ditto - good quality cooler, packed solid of fully frozen meat, will be OK for 2 days. Coolers really work astonishingly well, hot or cold.

[gardenmom5]

Get the dry ice - and check it regularly.

[Tap]

High quality cooler and or dry ice.