Lamb & Pork Chops have arrived defrosted

jan2242, Feb 9, 4:27pm
My mind has gone blank on what ways to cook these so I can put them in the freezer. They are lamb loin chops and pork shoulder chops. Want something easy but nice. Help please?

valentino, Feb 9, 4:35pm
How much do you have.

jan2242, Feb 9, 4:41pm
Thank for replying. 2kg of each. Wasn't planning on cooking today so the poor mind is away on holiday LOL

jan2242, Feb 9, 4:42pm
Oops, would you rather I counted how many?

valentino, Feb 9, 5:11pm
Lamb loin chops are too nice to cook then freeze, virtually the primo cut of lamb. I would have these tonight or tomorrow.

Pork shoulder chops in a casserole or slow cooked would be best and then can be frozen ready to use as in a casserole if not already in one.

Hmmm, generally I like to defrost meats then cook rather than meats being defrosted and having to cook them then back into the freezer. One needs to have the right recipe to be frozen and then defrosted, warmed for any serving. Maybe just slow cook the chops then freeze ready to use properly but using cooked chops. Hmmmm, still thinking.

Cheers anyway.

cgvl, Feb 9, 5:19pm
They will keep for 3 days in the fridge uncooked. I would use them this way. In days before freezers and being able to shop 24/7 all our meat was bought on a friday and kept until it was used in the fridge. I know that meat I buy today will need to be used by thursday if only in fridge.

jan2242, Feb 9, 5:23pm
Thanks. There is more than 3 days meat here for me so have to freeze quite a lot. I have contacted the company to tell them that the items I ordered frozen had defrosted. Very disappointed as meat is such a huge luxury for me.

gilligee, Feb 9, 5:35pm
Golly, i would have just refrozen straight away leaving out what you can use in the next three days.

lythande1, Feb 9, 7:51pm
Just freeze them, You can. Once food is thawed in the refrigerator, it is safe to refreeze it without cooking, although there may be a loss of quality due to the moisture lost through thawing.

http://food.unl.edu/safety/safe-to-refreeze

jan2242, Feb 9, 10:22pm
I have re frozen the lamb but not keen on doing that to the pork chops. Would hate to get ill. I have always been careful with chicken, fish and pork - maybe I was wrong? Busy making some casseroles etc now for the freezer.

ljayl, Feb 9, 11:49pm
Refreeze what you can't eat . won't hurt quality or taste

wendalls, Feb 10, 3:53am
Does anybody know of anyone who has been ill from pork that wasn't allergic to it? I heard that the pathogen that used to make people sick has been virtually eliminated these days so that you can safely eat pork with pink juices. google it. I would have no hesitation in Re freezing it. Costs too much to throw away because of some old rule that never had any logical reasoning behind it. I guess if if was warm in temperature when received I'd think twice! If still icy cold then no worries.

punkinthefirst, Feb 10, 4:30am
The problem with frozen food is that once it gets above a certain temperature the bacteria that are always there start to multiply. If you don't kill them by cooking the food, pathogens can get to an unsafe level fairly quickly.
I'd do a huge casserole in a meat dish in your oven, then divide it into meal-sized portions and freeze it. I cook for one, and do it all the time. Don't bother thickening the gravy - it splits anyway - do that when you are rewarming your casserole(s).

jan2242, Feb 10, 4:56pm
All casseroles done. But on a bright note, the company is replacing the meat - wow, didn't expect that! Thanks for all your replies, much appreciated.

rainrain1, Feb 10, 5:06pm
Good grief, how did they pack and deliver them? They shouldn't have thawed if they were packed and couriered properly, I'd be asking for my money back

jan2242, Feb 10, 6:15pm
They arrived in poly boxes but not enough freezer stuff in with them - no idea what that stuff is called - big ice cube stuff. They are replacing the meat so I am happy with that.

sampa, Feb 10, 7:07pm
I had the exact same issue with a delivery of seafood recently and this is after months of dealing with the company and never hitting a sour note with their packaging (even when one delivery went astray overnight it still arrived in perfect condition). I was nice about it, said 'stuff happens' they have apologised profusely, credited me for the order and have informed me that staff will be under going refreshing training in the importance of packing chilled goods (in this case with adequate frozen gel packs). That's how it should be with delivered goods, you have paid for a service to get them to your door in usable condition, anything less is unacceptable.

Very glad everything worked out for you in the end jan2242 , even better they didn't ask for the meat back after you'd finished cooking up a storm of casserole goodies lol. might have made their day for them - hot lunches for weeks to come. ;-)

farmers, Feb 10, 11:14pm
Why not refreeze pork if you did lamb? Despite it's colour pork is treated as a red meat (unlike fish and chicken)

karlymouse, Feb 11, 12:04am
Well I learned something, I would never dream of cooking defrosted meat and then refreezing .

kay141, Feb 11, 12:44am
Why not? I do it with casseroles and roasts all the time. With only one in the house, it makes sense to cook and freeze. My meat is usually frozen as I buy it on special and in what is bulk for me.

wendalls, Feb 12, 6:56pm
I think the point I would learn from this is to check the date of despatch if you ordered it more than a day ago. If it has been out of the chiller longer than overnight particularly in summer I would be notifying the company and considering the safest way of treating it. Seafood would lose quality, so I'd expect a replacement. meat I'd complain if it was defrosted but still use it appropriately. Ie properly cooking, and if steak or lamb that properly cooked is pink in the middle I'd consider whether it was still fridge temp in which case bacteria shouldn't be multiplying. I wouldn't order chicken on line. At Christmas we camped with no power or nearby shops and chose the appropriate meats to take that wouldn't hurt you if your ice melted before it could be replaced.

karlymouse, Mar 3, 2:02am
I never considered it because of what I thought would be quality problems with the reheated twice frozen product.