Would you eat this and AIBU to feed it to guests?

[yesway]

We are having a big group to Sunday lunch (19th) with 10 mouths to feed. I ordered beef brisket from Ocado and worried that I might not get enough - ordered too much.

3kg of beef has just been delivered with a best before date of 16th.

I have some ideas for dishes to make and freeze with the left overs - but it will be three days over when we roast it.

Would you leave it until Sunday, roast it feed it to people and then make stuff with the left overs and freeze them - or am I dicing with death.

If not what would you do?

[Avocadoes]

I would be furious if I found out that someone had served me meat that was 3 days over its sell by date. Its OK to take that chance on yourself but not on others.

Make something like lasagne or cottage pie today. Freeze it and serve on Sunday.

[ZZZenAgain]

that's a pain.

If it says best before 16th, I wouldn't make a roast with it on the 19th

[Rycie]

What about changing how you prepare it, so that you could cook it all now (a stew, osso buco type meal) and then freeze until sunday. It will also make Sunday a lot easier for you.

But if you're set on the roast, personally I think I would go ahead as long as it smelt okay.

[Iklboo]

Can you cut it into manageable pieces and freeze them - then thaw out the day before/couple of days before you need it?

[louii]

Put it in freezer now then defrost and cook Saturday.

[yesway]

Iklboo- that is such a sensible suggestion - hadn't thought of that at all.

I could prob freeze what we need for the roast and then cook the rest as a stew now and freeze that too.

[mumblechum]

I'd freeze it now and defrost it the day before.

I can't see you having any leftovers out of a 3kg piece between 10!

[ProfessorLaytonIsMyLoveSlave]

I agree -- cook a stew or similar now and then freeze that.

[yesway]

The 10 includes 6 little ones.

[MadreInglese]

freeze it today then defrost to cook for your lunch

or complain to ocado and get them to redeliver one with a later bb date (no idea if they would btw)

[Iklboo]

It's what we do when Sainsbury's have their big pieces of beef on offer - cut it into 3 'family' sized portions & freeze them so we've got 3 sunday dinners sorted out. It's good for the budget

[yesway]

Thank so much everyone.
Problem solved.

[kveta]

freeze it then defrost over night sat, cook on sun - I've done this plenty of time with roasting joints with no ill effects (except loss of freezer space).

[tortoiseonthehalfshell]

What cut of beef is this? You can't roast it, but depending on cut, can recommend other delicious guest-appropriate servings.

[Spinaroo]

I would second louii's suggestion

[yesway]

It is a Brisket of beef. Why can't I roast it tortoise?

[tortoiseonthehalfshell]

Oh, I meant you can't roast it three days past its useby, I agree with the others.

If it's a brisket, that's good news. It's a tougher cut so it can take some slow cooking, which in turn lends itself to cook-and-freeze meals.

I'd make a boeuf bourginon, today, and then freze and reheat. Posh enough for a dinner party, but easy to do in advance.

[Lizcat]

How long was the beef hung for in the first place if it was only 14 days it has another good week. Really good well hung meat should be brown not pink on the outside. We eat our beef way to soon in this country and is often tough because of this.

[Loshad]

you can't roast brisket, it will be as tough as old boots and virtually inedible. You could pot roast it, ie in a covered pot with stock around it to tenderise it, then slice it up and serve as a roast meat with all the normal trimmings.

[bellavita]

What Loshad said, shove some thickly sliced onions in with the stock, it will make lovely gravy.

I think you were on thin ground getting beef delivered a week before you were going to use it anyway.

[StreathamHillary]

Brisket isn't a roasting cut - braise or post roast.