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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

... to not eat re-frozen chicken

35 replies

JacquelineChan · 27/02/2017 14:03

Who is right ?
DP bought a tray of raw chicken thighs and declined to portion them up before freezing because he was going to 'cut them with a hot knife' ! when he wanted to take some out for cooking.
Well unsurprisingly he cannot 'cut them with a hot knife' so has taken them out to thaw , batch cook curries, then put back portions in the freezer.
Tell me - is this safe ?
I say no !

OP posts:
PickAChew · 27/02/2017 14:04

Not safe at all.

Gileswithachainsaw · 27/02/2017 14:04

If the chicken has been cooked it's fine to re freeze.

Sirzy · 27/02/2017 14:05

If it has been cooked then frozen then I would eat it. Just make sure it's well heated

NorksAkimbo72 · 27/02/2017 14:05

If they are thawed, then cooked, the cooked portions can be frozen.

Original poster
JacquelineChan · 27/02/2017 14:06

thanks both for your quick replies !

I say No , so Giles do you do this and presumably you have survived ?

OP posts:
Soubriquet · 27/02/2017 14:07

So he's took them out, thawed them, cooked them and then re-froze?

That's perfectly fine

If he has taken them out, thawed and then put them back to freeze without cooking that's not fine

Coulddowithanap · 27/02/2017 14:07

Yes it will be safe if they have been frozen, defrosted, cooked then frozen.

Original poster
JacquelineChan · 27/02/2017 14:07

well i will go with the majority......maybe I will let him sample the first batch then wait 24 hours , then make my decision !

OP posts:
Soubriquet · 27/02/2017 14:07

I've eaten curry done the first way

Cooked meat is fine to freeze even if it's been frozen before

mikado1 · 27/02/2017 14:08

Do this every week! It's fine as it's in a different 'state'. You cannot refreezs it raw of course.

StatisticallyChallenged · 27/02/2017 14:08

It's fine if they have been cooked - you can freeze once when raw and once when cooked

Gileswithachainsaw · 27/02/2017 14:08

Well the way I read it was that he used the chicken to batch cook the curries so I assumed you meant all the chicken was taken out freezer thawed and all used in a curry.

Meat can be frozen raw then cooked and re frozen.

NorksAkimbo72 · 27/02/2017 14:08

I did it last week! Thawed some minced beef, made meatballs, had loads left over, bunged in freezer for another meal. Will do it again today with cottage pie.

MissBattleaxe · 27/02/2017 14:08

Yes. Once defrosted food has been cooked it can be refrozen. I often make shpeherds pie with frozen mince and freeze the cooked leftovers. I've never poisoned anyone. It's fine.

It's not OK to defrost chicken and refreeze it without cooking it.

Original poster
JacquelineChan · 27/02/2017 14:09

thank you everybody I will have to eat my words ( along with the chicken curry ! ) x

OP posts:
LurkingHusband · 27/02/2017 14:09

www.tv.com/shows/bang-goes-the-theory/bang-goes-the-theory-s5-e6-2869185/

Yan explains why refreezing food is not a great idea

One of the few programmes which changed my behaviour ... it's not the bacteria (which are killed by cooking) that are harmful. It's the toxins they leave behind.

FruitBadger · 27/02/2017 14:10

They're fine to freeze again if they're fully cooked in between.

But yes, I would have split the packet before freezing them too, because it's easier to get out the right amount for what you want to cook Wink

Chloe84 · 27/02/2017 14:10

He's not refreezing thawed uncooked chicken so not a problem.

I would make sure frozen cooked chicken is hot and piping before it is served.

superfringe · 27/02/2017 14:12

If you change the state(cooking) then it can be refrozen safely. Never refreeze thawed meat which is still raw though.

www.food.gov.uk/news-updates/campaigns-0/germwatch/science-fsw/freezing

Ewock · 27/02/2017 14:17

As pp say if he has defrosted the chicken, cooked it and then frozen it, that is fine. We do this all the time with chicken, mince anything really and we are still alive 😉. Basically its batch cooking I try to make more than we need so that I can have a few go to meals in the freezer for days when I know I will not have time to cook. If he has defrosted it then re-frozen without cooking the no way.

gamerchick · 27/02/2017 14:22

It's fine, you don't batch cook usually then?

Ah I fancy chicken curry now!

Original poster
JacquelineChan · 27/02/2017 14:33

Hi Gamer
yes i batch cook but always with fresh meat then freeze , then defrost , reheat and eat.

I honestly thought you could not re freeze meat - well i must have been going by some very outdated advice !

i am really glad i checked and DP even gladder because I said ok i'm sorry I am wrong
(only on this occasion haha )

OP posts:
TheOnlyLivingBoyinNewCork · 27/02/2017 14:37

It's perfectly safe. You can freeze once in each state, so uncooked, freeze, defrost, cook, freeze, defrost and eat is absolutely fine.
This has always been the case.

Oysterbabe · 27/02/2017 14:55

I do this all the time.

AnoiseAnnoysanOyster · 27/02/2017 14:56

I freeze cooked food all the time, always with previously frozen meat.

I didn't even realise this was an issue, it's normal in our house. I've never poisoned anyone.