how long can you really keep meat in the freezer??

[movingonwardsorsidewards]

I have got some pork loins that have been the the freezer, oh and some lamb, how long can you really keep it ion there?

It has been in there for ages, I really have no idea how long.

Also whats the best way to defrost, as I nomally put it in boiling water or microwave, but I find with the pork that gives a funny taste.

A scientist may correct me here, but my understanding is that if its been frozen for ages, it won't actually do you any harm to eat it, its just that it doesn't taste as good, I think its because of the ice crystals or something.

I might be totally wrong, but I've eaten frozen things before that I haven't been too sure how long they have been there, and I haven't come to any harm but they have tasted a bit, sort of, watery.

I leave things to defrost in the fridge, or on the kitchen side if it's going to be cooked that night.

I keep things in the freezer indefinitely. We often have a random food night where I've had meat in the freezer so long that it's unidentifiable on sight until it's defrosted.

The main thing prolongued time in a freezer does is to dry out the item. If the meat is well-wrapped e.g. in a vacuum pack, it will retain its moisture better than if it is in a freezer bag that isn't sealed properly. Best way to defrost is either overnight in a cool kitchen or a lot longer in the fridge. Microwaves often do the job unevenly and you can end up with the meat cooking in some places and not in others. Boiling water isn't a good method for anything other than peas.

I let things defrost at room temp at this time of yearbut sometimes leave it in the fridge in hot weather. Chops etc I sometimes do in the microwave but not joints.

I have used meat that had been in MILs freezer for years (5 maybe) and I have cooked a turkey that had been in my freezer for 2 years. We all survived and it tasted fine.

I've found out the hard way that supermarket plastic packaging isn't good enough - the cellophaney stuff on top doesn't protect meat from drying out. (It takes up an unnecessary amount of space too).

As long as it's well wrapped (pref double-wrapped) in proper freezer bags it can keep a very long time. We were going to have some long-lost steak recently that was over 6 months old & hadn't been properly wrapped; that was definitely past it & had to be binned

I date the bags with a permanent marker & I am trying now to keep on top of what's in there

thank you all for the replies, i wanted to cook it in the slow cooker today so thats not going to work, how long do you think it would take lamb pieces to defrost if left out on the worktop?

it defintly has not been in there over a year i believe

I defrost meat in the microwave & it doesn't do it any harm, as long as you do it in short increments & keep checking it. Mine has some auto settings for mince/chops/joints where you set the weight; I use that but still do it in stages

If the lamb pieces are in a lump and the ambient temperature of the kitchen is coolish then it'll take a couple of hours until you can prise the pieces apart and a few hours after that for the pieces to defrost. As it's lamb, once you get to the prising apart stage, you could probably brown them, add to a casserole and they'd be OK. Otherwise, make the casserole tomorrow.

I googled this the other day - I think the flavour/texture deteriorates etc. but would not be harmful. I'll try to find the link that saved the contents of my freezer being binned!!
I noticed that alot of packaging recommends that meat is eaten within one to three months (esp processsed meats). I was a bit [shocked] at this as it all seems very new - alot like the 4weeks best before dates on virtually all jarred foods/condiments (when did that start???)