InsaneBoost

Just wanted to update everyone. Everything went well. I did a layer of about 24 frozen water bottles, stacked all the meat in, then topped it off with about 30 ice water bottles. 4 days later (or roughly 3 days and 15 hours) everything was ice cold minus one package of hamburger that was getting a bit soft, and a package of steaks that were getting a bit soft as well. Not sure if I didn't pack the bottles as tight on that side or what, as they both were on the same side, but nothing else around them had that issue. Regardless they were still cold and nothing to worry about, but was interesting. Thanks again to everyone who replied and gave me advice. Obviously if not inside a car dry ice is the way to go, but the frozen water bottles indeed do the trick if you have the space for them in a cooler and are limited to interior storage in your vehicle.

Have a bit of an off topic question here. This was one of the few places online that seems to know their stuff so I thought I'd give it a go and see if you all could help me, If there was a better place to post this I do apologize and hopefully it can be moved to said section. I'm headed to see family this summer (driving across country) and have the opportunity to grab a 1/4 steer from my uncle. It will be butchered, packaged, and froze. It takes me just under 96 hours to drive from PA to CA and am curious if I can make the trip. Sams Club has a 150qt cooler for sale for $90, and it seems like a fair amount of hunters use this type or something similar. My uncle, as well as myself, are just concerned about the trip and the meat spoiling. While we know it can be done, I'm looking for some tips. One being, can the 150qt cooler handle 1/4 a cow. According to my uncle he said I should expect roughly 80-100lbs from this cow if he had to guess, though he said it could yield a little more. Second would be ice. I assume dry ice would be my best option at keeping this cold for cross country travel. My question is, if I had enough, would I need to stop to refresh it? I've read if I have the entire top and bottom layered with dry ice, I should be able to make it without ever refreshing it. Others say a bottom lay is not necessary, just the upper layer. Anyone have insight on what is best? I really appreciate any help. And if there's anyone who hunts white tail deer here, could this cooler handle a whole deer butchered and packaged as well? We don't have white tail here on the West Coast, and I would love to get one at my uncles farm come deer season if possible. Cliff notes: 150qt cooler (5cuft) 1/4 cow (roughly 80-100lbs packaged meat) Can meat fit along with dry ice and stay frozen across country? Appreciate any help

What about trash bags? Or would those let liquid in faster if that were to happen? My plan is to layer the ice bottles, pack the meat tight, and layer of ice bottles on top, and not check it until the morning of Day 2. If bottles are solid, leave it until morning of Day 4.

Good to know. Being you've seen this done before and or done it yourself with your father, what's the best way to do this? Pile all the meat in tight, then cover in the bottles? Or do a layer of bottles on the bottom and top of cooler, and then in any empty spots? I've heard a few people say this method, but didn't say really how to do it.

That makes perfect sense, now I understand. Unfortunately the meat will already be frozen so there's not much I can really do about that. So I guess regardless I really want to make sure it stays frozen 100% now. I am definitely the King of overthinking, as you can probably tell from these questions. I do have a "fridge" for the vehicle I use when we go on long camping trips, but that by no means will hold even 1/8th of a cow, and that vehicle is more for 4x4 so it gets probably 10mpg if I'm lucky. Vehicle we're taking gets a good 33mpg. Just been debating the water bottles frozen vs gel packs vs ice in a trash bag. Thinking the frozen bottles is likely the best option, but then IF I do run into an issue, my next move is the question. I believe I was wrong about the packaging of the meat. It's not in vacuum sealed containers, but rather the freezer wrap paper, so I don't want any ice melting and leaking through that.

Yes. Stopping for the kids. Still a little too young where they can't sleep long enough in the car. Are you all just running extension cords from your room? Or actually bringing the freezer inside to your room? Hotels we stay at aren't always directly in front of room so not sure how I'd be able to power it without removing it entirely, which is obviously quite heavy. What is the difference between freezing and just keeping cold? Ability to form it more in the cooler? Or something else? Feel like it's obvious, but going right over my head.

Absolutely amazing lol.

Good to know. I have a smaller RTIC that is basically useless for this, but I'm going to bring it in case I need extra space.

What kind of coolers were you using?

Okay just wanted to make sure I had that right. I do like that idea being lack of mess.

So water bottles instead of ice blocks/cubes? Or the water bottle essentially works as the ice block?

Good to know. Wasn't sure if that would or wouldn't help. Small town near Bedford.

Okay, same thought I had, if I can fit it I'll do just that. Also yes, agreed on the precooling, will be doing that for sure.

Not sure why I never thought of that, makes a lot of sense. Will be sure to do this.

Valid point. Unfortunately I don't have a truck, and I'd end up spending another $500+ for the trailer rental and adding a hitch to the vehicle. Though this is something to think about with my other vehicle that does have a hitch. Though I've been told because it's modified Uhaul won't allow it to be used with my vehicle.

While we're on this topic, I see some people say bottom and top of cooler for ice, others say just the top is necessary. Any thoughts on that? I always felt bottom and top was better, but if it's better to have it all on top then I'll do that.

As another user said the C02 is an issue in the vehicle so I'm probably going to have to go with ice, but, it's good to know that dry ice should have worked. Will check ice at end of each day. I did something similar a few years back, but it was in winter and I had barely any ice melt which was nice. Have to make the kids happy somehow haha.

Didn't even know that was a thing. I'll look into that on YouTube and see what to do. Smart thinking on the trash bags. These are in vacuum sealed bags though so water isn't a huge issue, more just about the mess/draining.

Valid point on the C02. It is going to be in the back of an SUV, so maybe I should just steer towards ice. The meat is packaged in vacuum sealed bags, so water won't be an issue when ice melts. Was just hoping to now have to go with the draining and refilling of ice, but, I think that's a no brainer now.

That's the plan if I can't get enough dry ice in to keep it cold the entire way. I think I read I need like 50lbs to do that, not sure if I can fit that along with the meat, but hopefully someone with more knowledge of beef can weigh in on that. I see some videos where I can easily see the persons 1/4 fitting, and then others where I'm thinking I need another cooler. Regardless this will be an adventure lol.

That's my plan if there's an issue. Run into town and grab another. Hopefully someone else might have some better insight on what I'm attempting to do haha.

Yeah, family trip to see my family who is back East. Well, I would think at your pace, if I had to replace dry ice midway point I *should* be okay. Main question would be if it all fits in the 150qt cooler.

Haha trust me, I can do it faster, but with two kids it's a bit of a headache. Once they are older it won't be a problem, but after about 12 hours of driving they lose their minds. How did the meat hold up during that time frame? Dry ice or regular ice?

Thought about those, but they are all pretty small sized aren't they? I also don't know if my battery would make it through the night without dying.