I'm thinking of doing a Rib Roast or a Beef tenderloin for Christmas eve.
If I buy one now will it be good if not cooked or frozen, just refrigerated till Dec. 24th?

I’d freeze it

You're in Chicago.

Its winter.

Put it outside.

Mind, you won't manage to defrost it until May or June, but it will stay sort of good.

depends on how packaged

if cryo-packed, be fine in the fridge
stretch plastic, better to freeze

I think that you will be o.k. I am going tomorrow to pick up a 10-12 lbs Boston Butt roast(unfrozen/fresh) to go into my smoker on Christmas morning. It will be kept in my garage refrigerator until Christmas morning.

You are basically wet aging it. You can do this for up to 30 days before you prepare it. Helps to know if it's been wet aged before purchase. Ask your butcher if it's fresh or frozen from the supplier and the packed date on the case. And if it was previously wet aged.

Its a choice cut from the grocery store meat counter, not a local butcher only shop.
They go on sale before every holiday. I doubt it was in any way aged. Typical grocery store wrap packing.
I could re-pack it in my vacuum sealer.
The temps in Chicago are too high for keeping outside (40-50's). My fridge has plenty of room at 33 degrees.

Check if it has a date on it.

I would keep one, wrapped as you described, up to 5 days in the coldest part of my fridge.

The wet age thing is only good if vacuum sealed. Otherwise freeze it. I did the same thing on Sunday, bought a whole 18 lb rib roast. I didn't have it left in the cryovac because I wanted it boned and tied. I put it in the freezer. Will pull it a few days before cooking.

Right now I have a standing rib roast wrapped in cheesecloth sitting on a rack in a deep cookie sheet. Bought it on Thursday and finally got around to wrapping it last night. I did the same last year and fixed it for Christmas using Alton Brown’s recipe. Turned out great. This year I think I’m gonna try putting it on a rotisserie in my Weber kettle.


Take the meat out of the cling wrapped package and allow air to circulate over it, you should be fine. Plenty of videos on YouTube describing the process. Good luck and Merry Christmas