M&S Luxury Christmas Turkey Gravy

organic_wanabe

When routing through a cupboard today I came across a pouch of this gravy which I bought a while ago (of course this year I'll try to make my own!). It states "Display until 05.04.06" and "Best before 03.05.06". Now, by co-incidence, earlier today I was in M&S and bought one of their large Oakham chickens (delicious and on offer at half the usual price - so it cost about £3.20). Is it worth trying this gravy with the chicken or would I be best to bin it to avoid poisoning the family and ruining the chicken? Opinions appreciated.

jessicamb

Presumably its the dried powder stuff?

I dont think this will kill you - its a best before date rather than an eat by. I would try it but maybe taste it before you put it over the chicken - and then if it is past its best you could knock up some Oxo gravy

thriftlady_2

'Best Before' means that there will be some loss of quality after that date. 'Use by' means it may be dangerous to eat it after that date Personally I think any gravy you make yourself is bound to be ten times better than anything ready made:)

organic_wanabe

Actually its a pouch of liquid and being M&S it is fairly free from additives, it also has an unfreezable symbol on it. Bin it is then. Thanks for your replies.

emilyt

organic_wanabe wrote:

Actually its a pouch of liquid and being M&S it is fairly free from additives, it also has an unfreezable symbol on it. Bin it is then. Thanks for your replies.

Yes definately. That is the best thing to do. Not worth making yourdelf ill over.

organic_wanabe

Thanks for the input, I binned it of course. Result - I can now make my own gravy! I read a previous thread on OS which had a link to Nigel Slater's Boozy Onion Gravy. Easy to make and delicious. I am now freezing my present batch of chicken stock into 250ml portions so that I am never caught out. With a few substitutions I should even be able to change it and use it as gravy for my roast beef. The other plus, apart from being HM and money-saving, is that it contains at least 1 or 2 portions of daily veg.