To use Defrosted chicken that has been frozen for over a month?

[Spinaroo]

I usually buy fresh meat and freeze it for use over the next few weeks This particular batch has slipped through the net and has an early September date but has obviously been frozen since I bought it. I think I read that fat in the meat can still go off? Or is that just mince?

[chipsandpeas]

i would use it, in fact i've probably used chicken thats been frozen for longer and never had any issues

[Choufleur]

Meat lasts ages in the freezer - 6 weeks is fine

[VivaLeBeaver]

I freeze chicken for years and eat it.

[hellhasnofurylikeahungrywoman]

I'd use it without a second thought. How long do you think the frozen chicken you can buy have been frozen for before they hit the shops? They then sit in the freezers waiting to be bought and will probably sit in freezers for a bit longer.

[Spinaroo]

Thanks all .

[Pontouf]

I'd use it. As long as it smells ok when you cook it'll be fine - you can really tell if chicken's gone bad! But then I don't hold much stock in sell by dates.....

[freddiefrog]

I'd use it.

I was excited to find a long lost chicken at the bottom of my freezer this morning (it's like a free dinner ). I'm pretty sure it had been in there much longer than a month!

[RubyCreakingGates]

(They've been there since last Christmas)

[squeakytoy]

it will be fine, so long as it was fine when it was frozen..

[Floggingmolly]

Does frozen meat only keep for a month????

[expatinscotland]

It's fine. I only do a big shop every six weeks and put a lot in the chest freezer.

[Lonecatwithkitten]

Earlier this week I ate a portion of casserole I frozen in sept' 11 still alive no adverse effects.

[SilentMammoth]

Huh? I wouldn't think twice about this, isn't that why you freeze them?

Seriously, some meat in my freezer is many months old. Is this bad?

[Yika]

As I understand it the only issue with keeping frozen meat for a long time is that taste and texture degenerate over time. But there's no safety issue. You can keep frozen food basically forever. However I'm not an expert; I just seem to recall this general advice from an article I read recently so you should double check the science. Anyway I keep frozen everything for much longer than a month and then feed it to my toddler with no ill effects.

[WishICouldBeLikeDavidWicks]

On Friday we had a turkey dinner. The turkey's been in the freezer since December 2011. Today we had fajitas with the leftovers. Tomorrow we'll have curry. Nobodys had the sh*ts yet...

[marriedinwhite]

Defrost it thoroughly and cook it thoroughly. No problem.

I often buy a turkey for less than a fiver late on Xmas eve and bung it in the freezer for Easter. Never been brave enough to take a chance .

[Spinaroo]

Thank you all again. That was a helpful link, kim147. I wonder where I that about a month? at Ruby. Marriedinwhite, do you mean you have done this often but yet never actually cooked and eaten it?

[nannyl]

i too wouldnt think twice unless it was over a year old!

[MrsMiniversCharlady]

DH recently made a chilli out of some leftover roast beef that had been in the freezer literally for years. I was very sniffy about it, but had to eat my words along with the GORGEOUS chilli Was seriously the nicest I've ever had.

[Secondsop]

What kim147 said. Safety-wise there should be no issue whatsoever, but quality can deteriorate with time. But a couple of months is well within even the most conservative estimates of how long meat should be frozen for without loss of quality.

[BlackholesAndRevelations]

marriedinwhite what do you mean? You often buy a turkey, freeze it, are not brave enough to eat it, so bin it? Really?

[Fiendishlie]

Another vote for years here. I seriously didn't realise someone would think a month was too long.