Ottakee Posted September 6, 2011 Share Posted September 6, 2011 In our move, I found some meat in our freezer from 2008. This was from a 1/2 cow we bought. It was processed, vacuum sealed, and flash frozen at the butcher and then in our deep freeze since--no thawing, no signs of freezer burn, etc. Would you consider eating this or not? I have about 20 pounds of it and hate to waste it but any stomach upset is NOT worth it:glare: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DB in NJ Posted September 6, 2011 Share Posted September 6, 2011 no, I wouldn't. sorry! :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristusG Posted September 6, 2011 Share Posted September 6, 2011 No....not worth the risk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luvnlattes Posted September 6, 2011 Share Posted September 6, 2011 I wouldn't. I don't know if it would upset your stomach but it's been my experience that when meat is frozen too long it turns out dry and tough plus the flavor is "off." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiredmommyof8 Posted September 6, 2011 Share Posted September 6, 2011 I personally wouldn't eat it but I might feed it to the dog. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Impish Posted September 6, 2011 Share Posted September 6, 2011 Def feed it to my dog, or if I didn't have one, I'd post it on freecycle as dog food. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KS_ Posted September 6, 2011 Share Posted September 6, 2011 Def feed it to my dog, or if I didn't have one, I'd post it on freecycle as dog food. Agree (or feed it to the cat - I feed my cat raw). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katilac Posted September 6, 2011 Share Posted September 6, 2011 Yes, I would eat it, if it has been frozen the entire time. I'd put it in a stew or add bbq sauce. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
celticmom Posted September 6, 2011 Share Posted September 6, 2011 I would eat it. The fact that it is vacuum sealed would be the deciding factor for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissel Posted September 6, 2011 Share Posted September 6, 2011 I wouldn't. I don't know if it would upset your stomach but it's been my experience that when meat is frozen too long it turns out dry and tough plus the flavor is "off." :iagree: Def feed it to my dog, or if I didn't have one, I'd post it on freecycle as dog food. If you do this, be aware that there are people out there who will rip you apart via email for it (ask me how I know :glare:). So if you don't care to deal with that today, maybe skip this! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DianeW88 Posted September 6, 2011 Share Posted September 6, 2011 Yep, it's fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denisemomof4 Posted September 6, 2011 Share Posted September 6, 2011 I would cook it with no seasoning, then see what it tastes like. If it tasted fine, I would eat it. I'm thinking FROZEN for two years, and vacuum sealed on top, why not? If it doesn't taste right, toss it. If it tastes fine, season as you wish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacey in NY Posted September 6, 2011 Share Posted September 6, 2011 :ack2: Sorry, big NO. I have had food poisoning so I am super careful!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SailorMom Posted September 6, 2011 Share Posted September 6, 2011 no - 1 year tops for meat no matter how well it was frozen. Spoilage still happens in freezers - it just happens more slowly. You're taking a big risk if you decide to eat it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KatieJ Posted September 6, 2011 Share Posted September 6, 2011 Yes, I would cook it and eat it. there is no reason to think it wouldn't be safe to eat since it was vacumned sealed and never thawed, but the texture and flavor might be off. I would probably cook it in a crockpot or bake in oven for several hours to be sure it was tender. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted September 6, 2011 Share Posted September 6, 2011 I don't think I'd eat that. Anything over about the 2 year mark would be iffy for me. Anything over the 3 year mark would go in the trash. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisN in NY Posted September 6, 2011 Share Posted September 6, 2011 If it has been frozen solid all this time, there is nothing wrong with it, IMO, except for some possible freezer burn. I'd cut the freezer burn off and use it. But that's just me I guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perry Posted September 6, 2011 Share Posted September 6, 2011 I'd eat it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted September 6, 2011 Share Posted September 6, 2011 I would eat it. The fact that it is vacuum sealed would be the deciding factor for me. Yes. Vacuum sealed meat lasts about 3 years. By "lasts" that means still tastes good. It wouldn't have gone bad if it was frozen the entire time, but it just might not taste as good as fresh. I'm not one to take chances on food that even *might* be spoiled, but there's no reason to think that meat, frozen and stored the way it was, is bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiana Posted September 6, 2011 Share Posted September 6, 2011 I would eat it without a second thought. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perry Posted September 6, 2011 Share Posted September 6, 2011 USDA Is Frozen Food Safe? Food stored constantly at 0 °F will always be safe. Only the quality suffers with lengthy freezer storage. Freezing keeps food safe by slowing the movement of molecules, causing microbes to enter a dormant stage. Freezing preserves food for extended periods because it prevents the growth of microorganisms that cause both food spoilage and foodborne illness. [Top of Page] Does Freezing Destroy Bacteria & Parasites? Freezing to 0 °F inactivates any microbes — bacteria, yeasts and molds — present in food. Once thawed, however, these microbes can again become active, multiplying under the right conditions to levels that can lead to foodborne illness. Since they will then grow at about the same rate as microorganisms on fresh food, you must handle thawed items as you would any perishable food. Trichina and other parasites can be destroyed by sub-zero freezing temperatures. However, very strict government-supervised conditions must be met. Home freezing cannot be relied upon to destroy trichina. Thorough cooking, however, will destroy all parasites. [Top of Page] Freshness & Quality Freshness and quality at the time of freezing affect the condition of frozen foods. If frozen at peak quality, thawed foods emerge tasting better than foods frozen near the end of their useful life. So freeze items you won't use quickly sooner rather than later. Store all foods at 0° F or lower to retain vitamin content, color, flavor and texture. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimson Wife Posted September 6, 2011 Share Posted September 6, 2011 Vacuum sealed and kept frozen the whole time? I'd probably Crock-pot it and then try a small amount myself. If it tasted okay, I'd serve it to anyone in the family who is over the age of 3 and who has a normal immune system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AuntieM Posted September 6, 2011 Share Posted September 6, 2011 (edited) I'd wait for the next time the meat truck guy rolls around. And turn his sales pitch right around on him. Maybe he'll take it off your hands and you can make a few bucks in the process. :lol: Seriously, I'd personally be wary because I've had food poisoning twice and really wish to avoid another go-round with that. But 20#... that's a lot of beef to toss. Hmmm... Perry, do you think the typical American freezer gets all the way down to 0 degrees? Or just somewhere below 32 degrees? Does that make a difference? Edited September 6, 2011 by AuntieM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KS_ Posted September 6, 2011 Share Posted September 6, 2011 Perry, do you think the typical American freezer gets all the way down to 0 degrees? Or just somewhere below 32 degrees? Does that make a difference? I'm not Perry, obviously, but I make sure my chest freezers are down to at least 0F (they are usually below) and notice a vast difference between stuff stored there and in my freezer on my refrigerator. If you have a frost-free freezer, things will keep a lot longer (and better) than one that goes through a defrost cycle. I don't have any issues eating properly wrapped meat from my freezer that's a couple years old, but just for quality issues, I'd probably just feed 3 year old meat to my cat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NanceXToo Posted September 6, 2011 Share Posted September 6, 2011 No way, but I'm a little squeamish about stuff like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer3141 Posted September 6, 2011 Share Posted September 6, 2011 No, that is not something I would feed to humans. My dog on the other hand? Possibly. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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