Would you eat meat that been in freezer for almost

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chrisbarton, Apr 15, 6:11pm
...3 years?? Just found a topside roast in there. Husb wants it for dinner. What you think shall I biff it?
mottly, Apr 15, 6:13pm
is it freezer burnt? If not, it'll be ok....just put lots of gravy with it, as the freezer can dry them out quite a bit.
andrew499, Apr 15, 6:18pm
I wouldn't be a bit surprised if that roast is still nearly as good as the day you bought it as long as it hasn't got freezer burn.i'd thaw it and see how it looks.if not freezer burnt then i'd eat it with no qualms.
Cheers
chrisbarton, Apr 15, 6:23pm
Thanks. Sorry to be dumb but what does freezer burn look like?
pickles7, Apr 15, 6:25pm
No !!!
andrew499, Apr 15, 6:26pm
Sorry, no idea as i'm totally blind.however, to the touch it feels like a drying out on the surface of the meat.However, someone on here will give you a much better answer than i can.
Cheers
lilyfield, Apr 15, 6:52pm
depends how frugal you want to be- Its not off. So make a stew in the crockpot- even with freezer burn. won't harm you.
yjeva, Apr 15, 6:58pm
Yes - well cooked it will do you no harm at all. It will probably not be as nice as fresh but it is better than wasting it. Crock pot wouldbe perfect and freezer burn is harmless.
elliehen, Apr 15, 6:59pm
Don't know about meat, but on bread it appears as hard, dry, inedible, rock-like white-ish edges.
jessie981, Apr 15, 8:03pm
Yes, I'd cook it then decide about eating. As elliehen says freezer burn on meat is white-ish around the edges I have eaten steak with freezer burn & ok. Think it's caused by being incorrectly wrapped & air getting in.
vintagekitty, Apr 15, 8:13pm
give it to your husband first, if he's ok the next day, it will be ok for you.
gilligee, Apr 15, 8:15pm
No problem. Good as fresh.
mercury14, Apr 15, 8:29pm
Trim off any freezer burn, it will then be good as new.
illusion_, Apr 15, 10:00pm
Exactly :)
chrisbarton, Apr 15, 10:50pm
even worse I've decided in the end to feed it to the children! (And roast up a fresh one for us) Yes I am a bad mother!
chrisbarton, Apr 15, 10:52pm
Oh and I think the top surface is a bit freezer burnt as the bottom looked better when thawed so I've just turned it upside down in the roasting pan. I'll probably burn it anyway!
mottly, Apr 15, 11:36pm
freezer burn is yellow/whitish dots on meat - trim it off and the meat is fine underneath. Or just put on heaps of gravy...mmmmm
korbo, Apr 16, 12:35am
wow... spent this morning with hubby sorting out and cleaning the freezer. we found venison from oct 05...gave it to the neighbour for his dog.
then I found 4 packets of xmas fruit pies, best before Oct 2005..Birds really like them.
Yep, i am often haggling over how old meat is and if we should eat it.
guess you just use instinct and if it still looks ok eat it.
Did they not eat food from Scott base that was real old.....
nfh1, Apr 16, 12:37am
LOL - enjoy!
tjc30, Apr 16, 1:08am
freezer burn isn't posionous. It just looks yuk
pickles7, Apr 16, 1:47am
If you can spin, your meat, you should be cookin.
rainrain1, Apr 16, 2:00am
Third year?Chuck it
uli, Apr 16, 3:02am
If the freezer is below minus 18 degrees - and has been at all times! - then you can eat the meat even if it is 20 years old. How it will taste is another matter.

If it is packed in thick packaging and has no freezer burn it will be fine. The only items I would chuck after 2 or 3 years are fatty meats like pork and duck - simply because the fat deteriorates even in a very cold freezer (mine is minus 25 degrees) after a year or so.

Let us know how it tasted :)
rainrain1, Apr 16, 3:20am
wise old owl eh?
chrisbarton, Apr 16, 4:29am
Report: I cooked it for the kids along with the same cut for us ( 3x prices - sure have gone up since 2008!) big differnce. Both cooked rare-ish. Kids one was ok though the edges were tough but even though very pink in middle was quite tough. Ours was soft and delicious and squishy, In other words absolutely fine for kids!!!!