Is this beyond "the sniff test" ?

Fruball

I am ashamed to admit that I have found a whole leg of lamb at the back of my fridge

The date on it is 2/4/13 and it is now the 8th...

It is shrink wrapped and, whilst a bit bloody, the meat looks ok...

I would hate to waste this piece of meat for so many reasons and am really ashamed that I didn't cook and eat it before now.

Would you still give it the sniff test and eat it or is it best in the bin?

Pink.

Six days past it's use by date.....I would worry about it and that would probably ruin my enjoyment of the lamb.

I'll add this thread to our food safety thread later.

Pink

Steve059

If your fridge is working properly and as it's shrink wrapped, I'd give it the opportunity of passing the sniff test.

kitschkitty

A whole joint (and one that has been shrink wrapped) has less edges that have been exposed to contamination or heat (hence why minced meat has the highest chance of being off/exposed to bacteria), so if the meat smelled normal I would probably cook it (as personally I think lamb on the turn has a very distinctive smell).
That said I would give it a long cook till it was melt in your mouth tender and cooked through thoroughly. I wouldn't be tempted to cook it pink.

Was the joint still a fresh colour or had it greyed a lot? Also when you bought it did you get it home and in the fridge quickly?

fishforsale

deffo dont cook it whole

Fag_ash_lil

I would give it the " sniff test " ...

If it's off ... i'm sure the smell would " hit you " straight away ..

If it smells ok .... then i would also cook it " well done " rather then " pink. "

terri x

Fruball

kitschkitty wrote: »

A whole joint (and one that has been shrink wrapped) has less edges that have been exposed to contamination or heat (hence why minced meat has the highest chance of being off/exposed to bacteria), so if the meat smelled normal I would probably cook it (as personally I think lamb on the turn has a very distinctive smell).
That said I would give it a long cook till it was melt in your mouth tender and cooked through thoroughly. I wouldn't be tempted to cook it pink.

Was the joint still a fresh colour or had it greyed a lot? Also when you bought it did you get it home and in the fridge quickly?

It still has a fresh colour and if I saw it on the shelf I would buy it - it looks no different to when I bought it...

It went straight into a cold fridge... If it wasn't shrink wrapped then I would bin it but as it has had no access to air, perhaps it will be ok?

Thanks for all the replies - I think I will open it and if it smells it ok I will cook it well. We usually have lamb pink, but I would definitely cook this 'well done' and use my digital meat thermometer on this one...

I am so mad I forgot about it

Thank you all for the replies

Popperwell

Just had a similar case with some gammon and diced lamb.

I'll cook it well when I use it...I always do(in the freezer now)and portioned out.

joedenise

Think I would slow cook it rather than roasting it so that it literally falls apart and will be well cooked - assuming of course that it passes the "sniff test".

Denise

peachyprice

You'll know as soon as you open it whether it's off or not, off lambs stinks to high heaven.

Steve059

I would go so far to say that nothing is "beyond the sniff test".

Unless, maybe, if you've already sniffed it and don't want to repeat the experience.