Shipping Frozen Meat

[crokett]

I am considering ways to thank someone on another forum who is doing me a considerable favor. To have someone do what he is doing for free would cost me a couple hundred $$$. One idea I have is to get some of the steaks from my folks and ship them to him. I know you can get steaks and other food mail-order, how do they do it? Dry ice?

[williwatt]

Yes, they use dry ice and a thick styrofoam container. I am always amazed at how hard frozen the meat is.

[woodturner]

II know you can get steaks and other food mail-order, how do they do it? Dry ice?

I have purchased meat in the past from the online/mail order places. They ship it priority, overnight, or 2nd day in a styrofoam box packed with dry ice.

If I were going to ship meat, I would freeze it to at least 0 F, which usually requires a deep freeze (refrigerator freezer likely won't be able to achieve that temperature). I'd pack it in a styrofoam cooler with dry ice (be sure to allow for venting of the gas), pack it in a box, and send it at least priority and probably overnight.

I would suggest checking with the shipper as well - there are concerns about the gas generated as the dry ice vaporizes, and I would want to make sure I was in compliance with the shipper's requirements.

[LinuxRandal]

As said, dry ice, styrofoam and OVERNIGHT, SPECIALLY MARKED!

I sent something to a friend (old lawyer) outside of L.V. and it was misdelivered to someone and was picked up and redelivered two days later (dry ice was gone by then). They tried to get out of paying for it, but it had been marked/packed according to their specs. (driver just didn't read the address correctly)

[atgcpaul]

I ship samples on dry ice routinely both domestically and internationally using
Fedex.

Only send the package on Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday and send it
next day if possible. You don't want to do a Thursday shipment and have it
sit over the weekend. If you use enough dry ice, you could probably get away
with the cheaper 2 day.

Pack it inside a styrofoam container with an outer cardboard box. You can
ship styrofoam boxes on their own but you get a lot less flack from the shipper
if you put it inside cardboard. You can seal around the foam box with tape
so the box doesn't open up on its own and let the cold escape. It's not
going to blow up.

Make sure your shipper knows it's dry ice inside. Your package needs a
special sticker on the outside of the box indicating that it's dry ice and the
amount of dry ice in kg on the label. Your shipper should have those labels.

Freeze your steaks in your freezer and then get them frozen solid a day ahead
using dry ice. Then top off your package with some more dry ice and send
them on their way.

Here are some official-like guidelines:

http://www.extension.org/faq/40234

Paul

[crokett]

Ok, next question is where can I get dry ice? The supermarket?

[sscherin]

Wal-Mart usually has it as do most grocery stores.
It's usually supplied by whomever the bags of ice (water ice) come from.

[atgcpaul]

Ok, next question is where can I get dry ice? The supermarket?

My local Safeway has it. It's kept in a little chest up near customer service.

[phi1l]

Or, ... you can check the yellow pages & get it where the store gets it probably for a bit less..