Quick Questions on food safety / sell by / use by dates

AnnieO1234 · 1 April 2014 at 9:35PM

What rating is your freezer? If it's not the 4 star or whatever the top one is I wouldn't attempt it personally.

I'd defrost it and have a sniff, look at it. Does it look off? Does it smell burned? I'd probably cook it up but not for a meal today, because then if it's got freezer burn it can go straight in bin.

Cx

Money_maker · 1 April 2014 at 9:49PM

Why would there be a problem if it was frozen for 6 months or more? Surely there is little deterioration as the meat is suspended in a frozen state. I ask as I wouldn't batt an eyelid at 6 months and will happily eat meat stored in the freezer for 1-2 years or beyond!

elsien · 1 April 2014 at 9:53PM

As long as your freezer stays colder than -18 then the food will be safe to eat. It's not a safety issue so much as a quality one - I personally don't like eating food that's been in the freezer for more than a few months not because I think I'll get poisoned, but because the texture can go a bit weird. Defrost it then see what it looks and smells like, would be my vote.
Won't kill you though, either way. Just might taste odd if it does have freezer burn.

meritaten · 1 April 2014 at 10:15PM

its frozen isn't it? defrost and employ the sniff test! I bet it will be fine! six months is nothing in the freezer!

MrsAtobe · 1 April 2014 at 10:24PM

I would defrost and employ the sniff test too. My sister froze pork liver patè for a month and when it was defrosted it smelled foul, so it went in the bin. I've been cautious with pork ever since.

Steve059 · 2 April 2014 at 8:00AM

It should be perfectly OK.

See http://www.foodsafety.gov/keep/charts/storagetimes.html

If it does have "freezer burn", then I'd use it in something like boeuf bourguignon or coq au vin. Recipes available on request.

Northern78 · 2 April 2014 at 8:41AM

Thanks for all the replies. I'll defrost it and see what it smells like. It's been well wrapped whilst it's been in the freezer so hopefully will be ok. My mum mentioned the other day she was going to buy a piece and cook it and invited me for dinner. I said oh I've got a piece you can have but it's been in the freezer a while should be ok I think. My dads reaction was of course it will be ok, it's frozen!! I guess now a days you see that many things about don't keep for longer than x months or store for x days that we forget to use our own judegment!

Thanks again everyone!

softpad · 2 April 2014 at 10:52AM

I would just eat it if it smelled OK

agreenmess · 2 April 2014 at 12:10PM

I forever "forgetting" about some meat or other in our freezer and wouldn't give it a second thought to use it.

If your worried I'd what people suggest above defost it and sniff.

HTH

Emm-in-a-pickle · 2 April 2014 at 3:50PM

My rule of thumb is if it wasn`t `off` before being frozen it can`t be when you eventually thaw it. I do think the taste can suffer a bit from too long in the freezer though, especially the fatty bits.
Solution? As it`s the fatty bits that really absorb flavours, I`d use it for a curry - belly pork makes succulent curry!

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Quick Questions on food safety / sell by / use by dates

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