ILiveInFlipFlops Posted July 25, 2016 Share Posted July 25, 2016 So I cleaned out my chest freezer today :blushing: A PSA for anyone considering getting a deep freezer: Buy a standup version! No matter how good your intentions are, you will lose food in the depths of a chest freezer. Sigh. Anyway... Would you eat or toss the following? 1) Pork from a pig share from 3.5 years ago. It was all wrapped in butcher paper and then put into zippered freezer bags. There's no visible ice crystallization outside the butcher paper, and there have been no extended power outages in that time. Some of it is in sausage form, some of it is in loin form, some of it is in hock form. 2) All-natural vacuum-packed pork breakfast sausage that's probably about two years old. It was sold frozen, probably half thawed in the time it was waiting for me to pick up, and then refrozen and kept solid since then. I already threw away any packages with visible freezer burn or broken packaging. What do you think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petrichor Posted July 25, 2016 Share Posted July 25, 2016 I wouldn't eat any of that pork. But I wouldn't eat any pork anyways. Because I'm Muslim. :P 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Marmalade Posted July 25, 2016 Share Posted July 25, 2016 I would do a sample cooking of one or two of the bits of pork to see how it tastes. There isn't a safety issue, since they've been frozen all this time. But, despite the packaging, they may still taste like freezer. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted July 25, 2016 Share Posted July 25, 2016 Huh..I just don't know. My limit is about a year for most things I might push that to a year and a half tops. I don't think I could enjoy it because I'd be worried about it. I'm doing a clean out as well which is why we are having turkey today. I bought that in November. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marbel Posted July 25, 2016 Share Posted July 25, 2016 I happily eat pork, but not 3.5 year old pork. I wouldn't eat sausage that had been half-thawed either, I don't think. I do like the idea of doing a taste-test though. Because it probably is safe, but might not taste very good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cecropia Posted July 25, 2016 Share Posted July 25, 2016 3.5 years old... too long. I'd toss that, sorry! 2 years old, maybe. But I would only serve it to the healthy non-pregnant adults in the family, just in case there is a spoilage issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
December Posted July 25, 2016 Share Posted July 25, 2016 3.5 years old... too long. I'd toss that, sorry! 2 years old, maybe. But I would only serve it to the healthy non-pregnant adults in the family, just in case there is a spoilage issue. How could there be a spoilage issue in a freezer? I'm not aware of any bacteria that can reproduce in freezing temps. I'd eat both, assuming they tasted okay. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 25, 2016 Share Posted July 25, 2016 I'd toss it all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seasider Posted July 25, 2016 Share Posted July 25, 2016 Toss it. After that long, the waste of grocery dollars is long since felt and passed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharpie Posted July 25, 2016 Share Posted July 25, 2016 I'd eat it. In fact, I'm sure growing up I ate beef and pork older than that and lived to tell about it. :laugh: I'd cook thoroughly and taste test. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KatieJ Posted July 25, 2016 Share Posted July 25, 2016 It's about the quality not how safe it is. Thaw some, cook it, if it tastes ok, I/We would eat it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanaqui Posted July 25, 2016 Share Posted July 25, 2016 Unless you've had some power outages it should be safe to eat. However, the quality has probably declined, possibly significantly. I'd taste a small amount before serving to the family. It might be better cooked in a stew type meal instead of just cooked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frogger Posted July 25, 2016 Share Posted July 25, 2016 Well, I'm cheap. If it has nutritional value and won't make us sick I would eat it. That would qualify. Wish I could say my food budget reflected that! I might make a sauce or something to make it taste better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cecropia Posted July 25, 2016 Share Posted July 25, 2016 How could there be a spoilage issue in a freezer? I'm not aware of any bacteria that can reproduce in freezing temps. I'd eat both, assuming they tasted okay. She said it was half thawed when she got it... That would be enough to make me worry a little. I have a deep freeze but I don't trust it to stay steady at 0 F for 2+ years, even without known power outages. Maybe I'm extra paranoid about the subject because I'm pregnant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.