I am moving from Dallas to Denver and my moving company will not move frozen meat. Therefore, I plan to put it in a couple of large (150 qt) Igloo coolers and drive it up. A Krogers near my house sells dry ice so I will likely buy a couple of blocks to mix in but don’t plan to put any regular ice.

How long will a cooler completely full of meat + some dry ice stay frozen in the bed of my truck assuming average weather for this time of year?

Youre good...

Line bottom of coolers with dry ice...then layer of ice...meat....layer of ice on top...

At least a week...

I drove from fort worth to boulder a couple weeks ago with a bunch of frozen venison. I had it in a crappy ice chest about 1/3-1/2 full, threw in 1-10 lb bag of ice and called it a day. it was still 98%+ frozen when I got to boulder 11.5 hours later. another bag of ice or a better ice chest and it would have been 100% good to go.

I drove from Seattle, Wa to College Station. Took about 4 days. Mid summer. Packed my $20 Coleman (75qt?) from Walmart full with frozen meat. It was still completely frozen when I arrived and it was baking inside the canopy of my truck. Pack more meat. Forget about the ice.

You need a yeti!

Four posts to mention a Yeti on a cooler thread? This board must be slacking.

Not sure if it works better or not, but I've always heard that you should pack the dry ice above the meats you want to stay frozen. So put the meat in the bottom of the cooler and layer the dry ice on top.

I've used dry ice in the summer and kept meat frozen for 2-3 days while camping.

Another thing that seems to help is not having the cooler be in direct contact with the ground / bed of truck. Prop it up on some narrow boards to reduce thermal contact with the truck bed.

quote:

---

I am moving from Dallas to Denver

---

This confirms what I've always suspected about ya, Backroad Dan.

[This message has been edited by BurrOak (edited 2/10/2014 2:38p).]

quote:

---

CrossBowAg99
posted 2:28p, 02/10/14



You need a yeti!

---

For real. With a Yeti he doesn't even need ice. They magically generate their own cooling properties.

It's why I wear a Yeti hat in the summer. Automatically drops the air around me to a perfect 72.

The yeti is more expensive than any meat you'll put in it during the life of it.

Dont even need ice in this weather. Wrap the stuff in old newspapers and put it in the ice chest. Put it in the back of the truck will still be frozen when you get there.

quote:

---

The yeti is more expensive than any meat you'll put in it during the life of it.

---

I easily put more meat "value" into the cooler than the cooler is worth over the course of 3 months. However, the cost of a Yeti would always outweigh the cost of spoiled meat from a regular Igloo or Coleman.

A Yeti cooler will actually freeze any unfrozen meat you place in there. Truely a modern marvel.

quote:

---

quote:

---

I am moving from Dallas to Denver

---

This confirms what I've always suspected about ya, Backroad Dan.

---

I always find these replies so creepy.

Stuff newspaper in large ziplock bags put it over everything, under the lid. Should help quite a bit.

quote:

---

I easily put more meat "value" into the cooler than the cooler is worth over the course of 3 months. However, the cost of a Yeti would always outweigh the cost of spoiled meat from a regular Igloo or Coleman.

---

Sounds like you need a fridge or freezer at the house, yo.

Yeti reminds me of those high dollar handbags women buy...status BS!

I put a yeti sticker on my ceiling fan, and left the windows open last night and woke up cold. Dang sticker works.

Personally I like my yeti alot. But I bought it because of 5 day fishing trips. If you cant drink your beer before it gets hot then you bought too much beer.

I own a Yeti 65 and will be using it but it isn’t near big enough to handle all of the meat (it’s a combination of a deer and a half calf).

Next question:
Should I be skeptical of the Igloo Sportsman 152 qt cooler from Academy? It cost $79 which is WAY cheaper than any other coolers of similar size that I can find online (looked at Cabelas, Bass Pro, and Academy)

http://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/igloo-sportsman-152-qt-cooler/pid-25791?color=Green&N=4294763292+4294821257+4294826762+4294826803+4294821268+4294821281+363067182


[This message has been edited by BackRoad Dan (edited 2/11/2014 8:03a).]

I have that same Igloo. Its a great cooler, and will hold ice for quite awhile. They have A LOT of room. My only complaint is the latches. I broke one off this past deer season, and wasn't even being particularly hard on it. The latches are cheaply made, but easily replaceable.

Since cold air sinks, the dry ice should go on top keep the contents frozen. Then stuff with newspaper to fill any air pockets.

Heck, next few days you might be able to just throw it in the bed of the trucks sans cooler and be fine.

Yes, I realize it is supposed to warm up.

I am needing to transport one frozen dry aged ribeye from College Station to Little Rock, AR via my father.

He is leaving tomorrow morning to go to Nashville, and won't be in Little Rock until Saturday night. The steak needs to stay frozen the whole time.

If I pack this small igloo cooler with a layer of dry ice on the bottom, then the steak, then another layer of dry ice on top - will it last 5 days??



Or am I going to see if my dad's hotel in Nashville has a freezer they could store it in until he leaves Saturday and then re-pack it with new dry ice and trust the hotel did what they were supposed to do?

If you can, put the cooler inside a freezer to chill down, and load it inside a frozen room...

Er, realizing that may be something not many people have access to, but really does help.

I'm not the biggest fan of dry ice next to food - can be done, but I'd use those dry, "ice blocks"