Will this be safe to eat?

[plain jane]

Dh bought a big chunk of meat a few weeks ago, cut it into smaller roasts and froze them (in the deep freeze) to cook at a later date. On Sunday he took one out, thinking we'd make it for supper but when I told him I had other plans, he put it back in the fridge instead of the freezer.

 

I was so busy that I was unable to get around to putting the roast in the slow cooker until last (Tuesday) night (it was still partially frozen on Monday). It was fully defrosted (and then some :rolleyes:) by last night when I put it in the slow cooker. The roast cooked overnight on high for 3 and then 9 hours on low.

 

I made some pasta this morning and am cutting up the roast to add to the pasta in microwave dishes that I will freeze (again, in deep freeze) for dh to take to work for lunches within the next 2 weeks.

 

Is this meat still safe to eat? I've never defrosted a roast ahead of time (usually cook from frozen) and I'm not sure if 48 hours of defrosting was too long. I thought it may not be great for the kids but should be fine for dh ;) but I really don't want to give him food poisoning.

 

What says the Hive, is this okay? ETA: Meaning, will he survive eating the frozen meals within the next couple weeks?

Edited October 27, 2010 by plain jane

[Perry]

What says the Hive, is this okay?

I say it's fine.

 

And I almost never say that. :D

[Mejane]

I vote yes.

[LizzyBee]

I think it's fine.

[Kipling]

I think it's fine for everyone, not just DH.

 

Check out USDA's freezing and thawing informations here:

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/factsheets/focus_on_freezing/index.asp

 

Here is a summary:

There are three safe ways to thaw food: in the refrigerator, in cold water, or in the microwave. It's best to plan ahead for slow, safe thawing in the refrigerator. Small items may defrost overnight; most foods require a day or two. And large items like turkeys may take longer, approximately one day for each 5 pounds of weight. For faster thawing, place food in a leak proof plastic bag and immerse it in cold water. When microwave-defrosting food, plan to cook it immediately after thawing because some areas of the food may become warm and begin to cook during microwaving.

 

Once food is thawed in the refrigerator, it is safe to refreeze it without cooking. After cooking raw foods which were previously frozen, it is safe to freeze the cooked foods. If previously cooked foods are thawed in the refrigerator, you may refreeze the unused portion. Freeze leftovers within 3-4 days. If you purchase previously frozen meat, poultry or fish at a retail store, you can refreeze if it has been handled properly.