Freezer thawed by mistake

Blackriver · Post by **Blackriver** » Sun Aug 26, 2012 22:04

Ok I screwed up yesterday. I was making sausage yesterday and when I took my meat out of the freezer for grinding I didn't close the door all the way. I found it today at 3:30. I am just wondering is the meat in the freezer still good and can I refreeze it? I had some venison steaks in the door that were completely thawed but were still cool to touch. I had some venison scrap for sausage in 7 lbs bags and they were pretty solid still I would say they were not even 1/2 thawed. The salmon was thawed but very cold still the other two fillets were solid still. The. Chicken was pretty solid still. Just want to make sure the food is still safe to eat

ssorllih · Post by **ssorllih** » Sun Aug 26, 2012 22:58

Refrigerate the thawed meat, Mark the partially thawed pieces and refreeze but use very soon. The stuff that is still hard frozen just continue the keep. Mark all of it for use before any new purchases are used.

Chuckwagon · Post by **Chuckwagon** » Mon Aug 27, 2012 05:36

Scott, you ol' salty dog! I'm glad I'm not the only one who screws up now and then. We once had a power outage for an extended period of time and I was worried about the meat in my freezer. I called the FSIS at the USDA and they were very helpful. I learned that if meat has any traces of ice crystals still in it, it is completely safe to re-freeze as if nothing had happened. Stan Marianski wrote 4 pages about freezing and thawing in his book "Home Production Of Quality Meats And Sausages". Beginning on page 99, it continues through pag 104.

Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon