Refreezing meat

[Tissy]

Does anyone know if it is safe to refreeze uncooked meat?

Dh got some chicken out of the freezer for dd to have for her tea yesterday, but by the time we got home there wasn't time to cook it, and I just did her some pasta instead. Dh put the chicken back in the freezer again.

This was raw chicken, BTW, not cooked. I thought that it was unsafe to refreeze meat that has been thawed, but don't want to start an argument if I've got the wrong end of the stick!

I certainly remember having bought packets of meat from supermarkets that have been labelled "previously frozen, do not re-freeze".

I'm confused, can anybody help ?

I know you shouldn't refreeze meat. I definitely wouldn't - especially poultry. Think you should chuck it out.

I agree, I definitely wouldn't refreeze it, especially chicken.

The reason is that the cycle of freezing and thawing breaks down the cell structure and makes the meat more susceptible to bacterial invasion.

I reckon if you get it out and cook it today it will be fine. You can tell by the smell if there is something wrong with it.

I have this sort of thing with DH, I let him do what he wants but me and DD don't touch it

In the future if this happens again, just cook the meat thoroughly and then re freeze it. That way you will kill off any germs and you can then make another meal with the frozen cooked meat when it's defrosted.

Agree with Sam, meat can be refrozen only if frozen raw originally and then cooked.