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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Useless Father Bought Xmas Meat Today (Tues 19th)

238 replies

Smerk · 19/12/2023 19:50

Just want a sanity check here. We're hosting Xmas for 10 adults and 2 small children (as usual). My dad's one contribution to this is ordering the meat from his local butcher for me or him to collect close to Christmas.

After chasing him up for a week asking if he'd managed to order the beef joint and pigs in blankets, he finally confirms today that be has bought it all and it's currently sitting in his fridge.

When I expressed concern that it's not going to last until next Tuesday, he replied:
"The butcher said it'll be fine. The pigs were frozen and my fridge is cold."

I thought that you had 24 hours to eat something that was defrosted. I also thought that meat was good in the fridge for only 3-4 days. I am very concerned that if we wake up on Xmas Day and it's turned, we're absolutely fucked. I'm also worried that we're going to make my elderly in-laws and breastfeeding SIL sick.

We can't refreeze the pigs if they've already been frozen. I don't particularly want to eat a frozen joint, but maybe I should tell him to stick it in his freezer and I'll buy a replacement of everything. Money is not an issue but the waste makes me sick.

AIBU to rebuy all the Christmas meat?

OP posts:
FunnysInLaJardin · 19/12/2023 22:24

freeze the meat and defrost for Christmas Day

Serene135 · 19/12/2023 22:24

I don’t think calling your dad “useless” because he made a mistake is very kind. It’s just meat and the situation needs to be put into perspective. At least he is willing to contribute to Christmas dinner; some just turn up empty handed and eat.

CandyLeBonBon · 19/12/2023 22:29

I mean bacon is cured meat. It keeps in a fridge for ages. And sausages are preserved to within an inch of their lives so as long as everything is properly refrigerated I really really don't understand the drama!

Imagwine · 19/12/2023 22:35

I’d err on the side of caution too.

Luckily you can afford to eat and replace.

You could cook the beef then cut up and freeze for beef pie. Warmed up for quite a while in gravy, will make it gorgeous and super tender.

miniegg3 · 19/12/2023 22:44

CandyLeBonBon · 19/12/2023 21:59

Perhaps you need a course in food safety op?

Well everyone's telling her to refreeze the pigs in blankets, so at least she's being cautious rather than ignoring food saftey

choixduroi · 19/12/2023 22:49

Not hijacking but I have a fresh turkey coming tomorrow (20th) and fretting about it, apparently they couldn't send it any later. Plan is to turn fridge down low and hope for the best. Or should I freeze it? Not sure it will fit in freezer...

GLC789 · 19/12/2023 22:52

TroysMammy · 19/12/2023 20:01

Cook the pigs and a baked camembert and use them as dippers in the cheese.

This is utterly filthy! And I am so doing it for lunch tomorrow!!! X

miniegg3 · 19/12/2023 22:54

.

Useless Father Bought Xmas Meat Today (Tues 19th)
Circularargument · 19/12/2023 22:55

MammaTo · 19/12/2023 21:02

No I think I’d play it safe and try and buy more and just write off what your dad has already bought.

Disgustingly wasteful and ignorant.

SgtJuneAckland · 19/12/2023 22:56

What is wrong with people? Tesco is full of turkeys do you think people are buying them for Friday supper?!
It'll be absolutely fine. Don't bother freezing just make sure the fridge is cold enough.

Bournetilly · 19/12/2023 23:22

The beef will be fine, ring the butchers yourself to confirm this if needed. Why would you waste it?

I would have the pigs in blankets tomorrow though if they are defrosted and buy some more.

CandyLeBonBon · 19/12/2023 23:36

@miniegg3 you can refreeze the pigs. They'll be fine

MeinKraft · 20/12/2023 07:15

Calypso89 · 19/12/2023 21:55

Calling someone useless is really horrible :(

Mumsnet is absolutely full of useless fathers to young children, it's hardly a surprise when they grow up to be useless fathers to adult offspring.

BIossomtoes · 20/12/2023 07:35

MeinKraft · 20/12/2023 07:15

Mumsnet is absolutely full of useless fathers to young children, it's hardly a surprise when they grow up to be useless fathers to adult offspring.

Show quote history

If he was useless he wouldn’t have bought the meat at all. As it is he’s bought it a perfectly acceptable week in advance. Our gammon for Boxing Day is in the fridge right now, its use by date is 8 January.

bellac11 · 20/12/2023 07:51

Not only that, but he's done nothing wrong yet theres other posters here referring to him having made a 'mistake'.

What mistake. He's bought the xmas food, just like tons of us have here already.

C8H10N4O2 · 20/12/2023 12:22

Smerk · 19/12/2023 20:59

I guess I included "useless" for context. Because he is. And it affects whether I listen to his advice on food safety. Which I don't.

The posts on here have been helpful though.

But he hasn't been useless - he has gone to a local butcher where the meat will typically be better and fresher than any supermarket. He has taken advice on storing the meat from that professional butcher who will be relying on their local reputation for quality.

If you want to ignore a professional butcher's advice in favour of FOAF scare stories based on factory farm meat which spends long periods in the supply chain then that is up to you but your Dad has not been useless, despite your determination to portray him that way (and yourself as unappreciated heroine).

Digestivechocolatebiscuit · 20/12/2023 13:15

Well you're having boxing day not Christmas day.. so just put it in the freezer.. buy some more pigs in blankets.. have you got meat for Christmas day or is that on order too?

Moggi · 20/12/2023 13:19

Tbh whether it’ll last or not - I can remember giving my dad ag about stuff like this in the past (he could be a bit bumbly) and now he’s no longer alive I beat myself up about it all the time. I think if money isn’t an issue just give him the benefit of the doubt and if it won’t last (no idea about meat sorry!) enjoy two Christmas meals with him…

Xmasdaft2023 · 20/12/2023 13:22

Cook it all and reheat on the day??

def cook the pigs in blankets and freeze and then defrost 24th and cook on 25th.
if beef was frozen the same will have to happen, if not I’d not imagine the beef will last Til 25th so I’d prob cook, freeze, defrost and reheat too.

Clarefromwork · 20/12/2023 13:28

I got a beef joint today and it’s ok till 6th January so I'm sure it will be fine !

Does it definitely not have a best before date on the packaging ?

CactusMactus · 20/12/2023 13:29

Could always get a meat thermometer and check everything is cooked. We always use one for chicken / turkey.

Smorgs2014 · 20/12/2023 13:34

I'd trust the butcher, assuming it's all been kept well refrigerated it should be fine. I just bought our turkey and sausages from Sainsbury's and the dates are all good to Boxing day

TheCurlyKnobhead · 20/12/2023 13:35

All those having a go at OP for calling her dad useless, you don't know why she's saying that so stop having a pop.

My dad is also fucking useless OP, always has been, always will be. Whichever way you go with the meat, I hope you have a nice Christmas

kitsuneghost · 20/12/2023 13:36

Cook it now and defrost on Christmas day
Bonus - less work on Christmas day

newusern99 · 20/12/2023 13:41

OP, how many days do you think meat might sit in the fridge at the butchers or supermarket for before it is sold? Of course meat is ok in the fridge for more than 3-4 days, especially if it was fresh from the abattoir at the butchers.
In terms of defrosted food being eaten within 24 hours, those guidelines are as people often defrost at RT. If they have gone from freezer to fridge they can stay in the fridge for as long as pigs in blankets bought from the fridge section at the supermarket.
My MIL is terrified of frozen food. All that has happened to it is that it has gone from -20 degrees to -4 degrees so there is no sudden rush to have to eat it. Also no reason why you can't refreeze if it is going to be cooked properly before eaten.