colonel00
Quintessential Chatty Farker
Okay, I need help to settle a little debate here at home. I understand the basics of food product dating and all that jazz when dealing with the product fresh. My question is more about thawing the meat after freezing. If I have a hunk of meat, let's say beef, that has a "use or freeze by" date and it is frozen on that actual date, when I pull the meat to thaw, realistically how much time during and after the thaw do I have until said meat goes bad?
As an example, if I had something that had a freeze by date of yesterday and it went into the freezer yesterday, no problem so far right? Now, let's say I decide I want to cook it this weekend, depending on the size of the cut I may need a day or more to let it thaw in the fridge. So, say I pull it Friday morning with plans to cook it Saturday, that should still be fine right? What if something comes up and plans change, how long can it now sit in the fridge? I know I can always use the smell test but the GF doesn't like relying on that method and I may not want to open the packaging or vac-bag just to smell it. I also understand that I could refreeze since I thawed in the fridge but still I would have to do so within whatever the safe window is.
As an example, if I had something that had a freeze by date of yesterday and it went into the freezer yesterday, no problem so far right? Now, let's say I decide I want to cook it this weekend, depending on the size of the cut I may need a day or more to let it thaw in the fridge. So, say I pull it Friday morning with plans to cook it Saturday, that should still be fine right? What if something comes up and plans change, how long can it now sit in the fridge? I know I can always use the smell test but the GF doesn't like relying on that method and I may not want to open the packaging or vac-bag just to smell it. I also understand that I could refreeze since I thawed in the fridge but still I would have to do so within whatever the safe window is.