Freezer been switched off / door left open - will food be ok?

rachbc

I'm with the others in that I would cook and refreeze the raw meat. Anything already cooked I'd reheat really well and eat today

Emma79

Thank you all for your advice!

I've just put three packs of beef in the slow cooker (with veg and some tasty herbs) and two packs of pork casseroling in the oven. All will be frozen. Chicken for lunch tomorrow (it was still quite frozen, so hope this is ok?!).

I had pork chops for dinner, DH had pie and pizza!

I'm totally cooked out now, but at least I didn't waste all of that good food.

Thanks again!

mags50_2

well done you!

elf06

Morning all as you can see from the title I have had a disaster. I just went into the kitchen to make DS some toast and myself a cuppa and as I headed to the fridge for milk I noticed that the freezer door was open .

I dont even know when I was last in there but I think it was probably yesterday afternoon when I was taking out stuff for tonights dinner (only taking it out so early to make room for my lovely apple and sultana crumble mix).

I havent gone rumaging right through it all because it is rammed full of stuff (hence the reason why I had to take out to put in) but the portioned up curry base that I in there is starting to go soft round the edges, the cup up bits of stick bread (planned for garlic bread or the like) are soft and the portions of pork mince are also going soft.

The door is now closed again but I'm not sure what to do. My head is saying dont throw it all out it will be ok but I'm just not sure

Oh and to top it off - I sugared my tea twice and had to start again with that aswell

rachbc

I'd get anything raw that has started to soften out - cook and refreeze. Anything already cooked that ha started to soften will need to be eaten asap or passed on to friends and neighbours if you can't eat it all.

Chloris

This happened to me too about a month ago, thankfully mine was not too full. Meat and dairy cannot be refrozen, anything else I didn't worry about. You can cook the meat, make lasagne, meatballs? then freeze it cooked. If its really packed full the stuff in the middle might still be frozen anyway? But you would need to check this quick if you've closed the door. Good luck.

Meadows

If not frozen or cold frozen and items are going soft better to take out cook up, then freeze as a meal for later. That way you are not having to wonder if the food is okay to eat. If it is still cold it won't be a problem cooking it a refreezing.

If it has been open since yesterday wouldn't some one have noticed it before this morning?

elf06

Thank all - I think the chicken and stuff at the back is still frozen, I am pretty sure the bread will be ok to be re-frozen but maybe I should take out the pork mince and make and cook it into burgers (it was all portioned up to make the muffins from the takeaway secret cookbook lol)

What about the curry base - there is tonnes of it and it would take days to use it all up or cook it into curries and I dont have the meat (or the funds) to do this anyway.....................??

Meadows My freezer is behind the kitchen door and you have to close the kitchen door to open the fridge and freezer plus it was only open a few cms and as there is only myself and DS in the house (he goes bed at 7.30) there wasnt really any way of noticing.

seafarers_wife

do you have freezer insurance on your contents insurance?

Pitlanepiglet

What's in the curry base emma? if it's tomatoes, spices etc. I'd just leave it, I can't see that there it is likely to be problematic.