# Need help FAST!



## Magus (Dec 1, 2008)

My idiot brother raided my deep freeze late last night looking for my liquor,
Ordinarily I'd just give him a shot, but the drunk idiot left the lid open! now I've got 100 lbs of thawed meats, what do I have to chuck out and what can I re freeze? thanks to him, the only food I get this month is out of a can!
I have beef, pork and chicken.


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## ZoomZoom (Dec 18, 2009)

Is it completely thawed? Warm to the touch or is it fridge temp or ??? Beef is normally the most valuable of those meats so I'd probably focus on that.

While waiting for our canning experts to get here, I'd start talking to your brother as to whether he wants this damage to come out of his bank account or his hide.


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## PipLogan (Apr 25, 2011)

Magus said:


> My idiot brother raided my deep freeze late last night looking for my liquor,
> Ordinarily I'd just give him a shot, but the drunk idiot left the lid open! now I've got 100 lbs of thawed meats, what do I have to chuck out and what can I re freeze? thanks to him, the only food I get this month is out of a can!
> I have beef, pork and chicken.


Bro! I have no clue. Maybe smack your brother with an extension cord?


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## FatTire (Mar 20, 2012)

I had a fridge go out once, i just cooked the meat that didnt smell bad. once cooked it i know it can be refrozen, not sure if you didnt cook it first.


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## Sentry18 (Aug 5, 2012)

Yikes! That sucks. I have never refrozen food once it has thawed but I have (as FatTire said) cooked the meat and refroze it. If it's beef just make sure you cook it rare to medium rare so it does not dry out when you reheat it. If you have a canner you could cube it, cook it up in a pot and can it. Or you could do that, put it into freezer bags and refreeze it.


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## 8thDayStranger (Jan 30, 2013)

If it didn't get above fridge temps (40 degrees or so) you can refreeze it no worries. If it got warmer than that cook it then freeze it.


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## Caribou (Aug 18, 2012)

If it still has ice crystals in the meat you can refreeze it. If fully thawed then cook and eat/refreeze, or can in the next three days.


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## ZoomZoom (Dec 18, 2009)

What kind of pork do you have? Here's what Mrs. ZZ does.

Cooks loins or whatever in a crock pot overnight. (Hey, it buys you a day while you're tending to the other meats).

Next day, she shreads it up and sticks it in mason jars (to 1" from top).

Takes the juice and pours it over the meat. If you don't think you'll have enough juice, partially fill each mason jar approx. evenly. Use chicken broth if/as you need extra. If she's not in a hurry, she'll take the juice by itself and put it in the fridge for awhile. Once it's cooled, the fat comes to the top. She'll skim that off so she's just using juice.

Put plastic over the jar and freeze. It'll expand. Depending on how fast we're going to use and how much it's expanded (like over the top in a crown), she'll either rubber band the plastic or if she can get a lid on, she does that.


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## UncleJoe (Jan 11, 2009)

This scenario is part of my long term planning. If the grid should go down for an extended period of time, I'm prepared to can everything in the freezer; well meat and veggies anyway. I have 2 pressure canners and 8- 20# bottles of propane. 

Like others have said, if it's still cold, cook it and freeze. If you have a canner, can it and you won't need to worry about an absent minded brother again. That's assuming he's still breathing.


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## CrackbottomLouis (May 20, 2012)

I would not refreeze without cooking as the others have so wisely suggested. If it was me I would maybe make a whole bunch of chili/spaghetti sauce/ready to go taco meat and either can it or freeze it. Glad you caught it the next day.


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## OldCootHillbilly (Jul 9, 2010)

Oh man, I'd kick his butt.

From a caterer's point a view I'll error on the side a safety. Ifin it didn't get bove 40 degree's (state says 38, but I'll give a bit) cook it. Can it, make up meals with it (these can be refrozen) an dehydrate it. That really be bout yer options buddy. Ifin it got warmer then that, Dang gummit, yer best ta through it out. Ya can kinda sorta take a chance with beef, but poultry an pork, just be to big a risk. Beleive me, I've had food poisonin before (after 12 hours I don't remember much bout it) an ya really really don't wan't no part a it. Course, ya could make yer brother eat it!

I hope ya can save it my friend.


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## Outpost (Nov 26, 2012)

Magus said:


> My idiot brother raided my deep freeze late last night looking for my liquor,
> Ordinarily I'd just give him a shot, but the drunk idiot left the lid open! now I've got 100 lbs of thawed meats, what do I have to chuck out and what can I re freeze? thanks to him, the only food I get this month is out of a can!
> I have beef, pork and chicken.


How much does he weigh, and will he fit in the freezer if properly portioned...?


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## Outpost (Nov 26, 2012)

Sorry.......
sort of mind-frelled there for a minute.

Just cook it all and then re-freeze. 

It doesn't matter how many times you freeze something as long as it gets "sterilized" (i.e. cooked) in-between.

If it hasn't actually spoiled yet, you're ok just cooking it.

...then you can fantasize about putting his ass in there...


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## lazydaisy67 (Nov 24, 2011)

I would agree to cook first, then refreeze. 

This is actually an excellent opportunity to practice what you would have to do if the lights went out for any extended period of time. I hope you can save it and I'd have a very serious talk with your bro and lock your doors.


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## lovetogrow (Jan 25, 2011)

OldCootHillbilly said:


> Oh man, I'd kick his butt.
> ... Course, ya could make yer brother eat it!
> 
> I hope ya can save it my friend.


:ditto:

I hope you can save it too - be safe.


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## readytogo (Apr 6, 2013)

To late for advices now but never refreeze completely thawed out meat, meat cold to the touch can be cook ,specially canned or pressure cook but if I was you I will put a lock on that unit.


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## Wellrounded (Sep 25, 2011)

Here's the USDA's take on it http://www.foodsafety.gov/keep/charts/frozen_food.html

If it was meat I'd killed on the farm and larger cuts I'd just refreeze but if it's butcher/supermarket meat I'd definitely cook.


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## jeff47041 (Jan 5, 2013)

Sorry to hear this. It sucks to have money wasted.

I Have no advise to add, but I do have a question for everyone, if you don't mind in your post.

I was always told never refreeze meat unless you cook it first.

Lots of people around here thaw meat, make sausage and such, then refreeze. I have asked some of them about the whole, don't refreeze meat. Some have told me that as long as you change it (grind it) it is fine to refreeze...Any thoughts?

Other people that do this that I've questioned them say When you buy meat at Krogers and take it home and throw it in the freezer, you are refreezing it, because it had been frozen before..Any thoughts?


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## Outpost (Nov 26, 2012)

jeff47041 said:


> Lots of people around here thaw meat, make sausage and such, then refreeze. I have asked some of them about the whole, don't refreeze meat. Some have told me that as long as you change it (grind it) it is fine to refreeze...Any thoughts?
> 
> Other people that do this that I've questioned them say When you buy meat at Krogers and take it home and throw it in the freezer, you are refreezing it, because it had been frozen before..Any thoughts?


I'll be honest with you... this one's had me scratching my head off an on too...

This much (and it ain't much) I do know;

Most harmful bacteria live on the surface of meat. Taking out a steak, for example, if you were to sear it, then refreeze, you'd probably be ok. *Grinding* it creates a *LOT* of new surface-area, and puts more potentially harmful bacteria in contact with a (new) food source (the new surface area).

So, I *think* (and here's where my science gets real dodgy), if you create that new surface area, mix it, and freeze it within a short enough time-frame, combined with the (semi) anti-microbial properties of the mixing spices, you're OK (if you don't dally).

So.... I'm still a tad leery.... but if the meat I start with was frozen soon enough (and I took care of it between the killin' and the freezin'), I have to say I'd chance it....

*BUT!!!!!!!!!!!!*

I think a *MUCH BETTER* solution is to take a chapter out of OldCootHillbilly's book 'o life and *cook them bad-boys up and can 'em!*

Honest folks.... I will defer to darn near *ANYBODY'S* superior knowledge on this one!

Jeff.....
Just don't kill yourself following *my* advice!


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## Magus (Dec 1, 2008)

Gave the landlord the bulk of it.I can't take it out of my bro's hide or
bank account, both are worthless.Re freezing what was still froze, the rest 
is going into the canner or stew.


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## Outpost (Nov 26, 2012)

So...
Did you manage to get all of him in the freezer.......?

How much did you end up losing or salvaging?


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