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Original poster

Can I get food poisoning from a chorizo ring

30 replies

itsbrooke · 18/03/2022 04:41

Hi guys

I'm really stressing out. Last night I cooked a chorizo ring, that was left open in my fridge. It was just one of the cured sorts from sainsburys. On reflection, it was a bit of a strange colour, not as red as usual, more of a brown ish dull colour. I didn't think anything of it as it still had a month on its use by date. So I cooked it. Then ate it. However it tasted weird. Different to how it normally does. But again, I didn't think anything of it until my husband mentioned it.

I'm so angry at myself for not realising that this had probably gone off in the fridge, but due to it being in date... I honestly thought it was fine! The packet had been open for a good few weeks, maybe 3? It was also stored in half due to cooking the other part when we first bought it.

How likely is food poisoning from this scenario. I've got really bad sickness anxiety so I'm terrified of throwing up😭 please help.

OP posts:
SirYawnsAlot · 18/03/2022 05:01

I leave mine festering in the fridge for weeks, sometimes it starts going white, not been ill with it yet. Not had one go brown or taste funny though.
Unfortunately it will be the luck of the draw whether you get ill but cooking it should have killed some germs.
In future, cut the ring into chunks and freeze it taking a bit out at a time when needed or stick the whole thing in until you want to eat it.
On an unhelpful note, I'm wondering what meal you made where you ate a full ring?

Original poster
itsbrooke · 18/03/2022 05:02

@SirYawnsAlot

I leave mine festering in the fridge for weeks, sometimes it starts going white, not been ill with it yet. Not had one go brown or taste funny though. Unfortunately it will be the luck of the draw whether you get ill but cooking it should have killed some germs. In future, cut the ring into chunks and freeze it taking a bit out at a time when needed or stick the whole thing in until you want to eat it. On an unhelpful note, I'm wondering what meal you made where you ate a full ring?
It wasn't a full ring haha. It was half! The other half was eaten weeks prior lol
OP posts:
TibetanTerrah · 18/03/2022 05:11

As it's cured it should be ok. I do it with bacon, buy a packet on impulse, eat half then forget about it completely, leaving the open packet in the fridge for weeks Confused It just goes a bit dry/discoloured at the edges and isn't it's 'best' but I've never been ill.

ChillyAvocado · 18/03/2022 05:12

I have a sickness phobia too and it’s awful when this type of thing happens, it can make you so anxious.

I think it’s totally fine. I really think you’d be showing symptoms by now if you were unwell, but it does seem unlikely for cured meat!

Maybe your mind is playing tricks on you and it wasn’t actually brown etc…just your anxiety acting up?

alexdgr8 · 18/03/2022 05:18

but surely you can't go by the date once you've opened the packet.
that date is for an unopened packet.
i admit i have no idea what a chorizo ring is, but i would think the general principle is the same.
most packet say, use by date on side, and within 3 days after opening.
even allowing for some margin of caution, i wouldn't feel safe leaving bacon or anything open for more than about a week.

DuckyNoMates · 18/03/2022 06:06

The date means nothing when you've opened it

ShesComeUndone · 18/03/2022 06:21

I have bought those rings before and it says use within 3 days of opening.

hellcatspangle · 18/03/2022 06:24

I'm not sure what the technicalities are, but eating cured meat that has been left open isn't the same as eating fresh meat that's been left open - it is preserved in other ways.

I've eaten chorizo that's been open weeks in the fridge numerous times - never suffered any ill effects.

Fedupsotired · 18/03/2022 06:26

I know these rings say eat within 3 days of opening but I thought everyone ignored that!! If you were in Spain they hang around for years 🤷🏼‍♀️

RJnomore1 · 18/03/2022 06:27

It’s cured meat, you will be fine. Going brown is just from exposure to air. I don’t even look at dates on chorizo and similar. Unless it’s slimy it’s fine.

DuckyNoMates · 18/03/2022 08:13

Did you cook it?

Alwayscheerful · 18/03/2022 08:16

I would tend to go on texture as long as it wasn't slimy it will be fine.
They are 6 months best date.

BigSandyBalls2015 · 18/03/2022 08:24

Chorizo lasts for months … it’s cured. The use by dates are to encourage us to bin stuff and buy more 🤷🏼‍♀️

Fuuuuuckit · 18/03/2022 08:25

You know they hang chorizo and all sorts of lovely meaty treats just in the open (warm) air in actual Spain, yes?

I'd have eaten it, though I'd have thought it would have smelt dodgy when cooking if it was really off, maybe it's just your worried brain thinking the worst about how it tasted?

Mmmmm off for a rummage through the back of my fridge to see what wierd and wonderful way-past-best treats I can find for breakfast...

Fairislefandango · 18/03/2022 08:37

Chorizo lasts for months … it’s cured. The use by dates are to encourage us to bin stuff and buy more

This. You will be absolutely fine. I don't take much notice of best before dates, except for ones on raw meat and fish. I've only ever had food poisoning twice. Both times from seafood eaten in restaurants. Cured meat keeps for yonks. It will have been hung up and aged before it even got put in the packaging and refrigerated.

knittingaddict · 18/03/2022 08:49

@Fedupsotired

I know these rings say eat within 3 days of opening but I thought everyone ignored that!! If you were in Spain they hang around for years 🤷🏼‍♀️
Well I ignore it. It's a cured meat and kept in the fridge. It can take me weeks to get through a chorizo ring and never been ill from it yet.
Otherpeoplesteens · 18/03/2022 12:38

We regularly have an open packet of chorizo for a week or two at a time and have never had a problem.

That having been said... I have noticed that some freeze better than others. I can literally buy half a dozen from the same batch, freeze them, and six months later two of them have started to turn grey whilst frozen.

It is possible that you contaminated it (dirty hands/knife?) with bacteria of some sort when you opened it previously. It is also possible that the meat and fat has rehydrated itself in the fridge (condensation in the pack, maybe?) and then started to go rancid.

Either way, you've eaten it now. Let us know if you get the shits.

AgnesNaismith · 18/03/2022 12:42

Do people cook that chorizo? Here it is just eaten bit by bit from the fridge, often over weeks. Hope you’re ok OP.

DuckyNoMates · 18/03/2022 12:57

@AgnesNaismith

Do people cook that chorizo? Here it is just eaten bit by bit from the fridge, often over weeks. Hope you’re ok OP.
It's nice cooked
Comfortableatlast · 18/03/2022 13:07

I cooked a whole ring of chorizo for a chicken and chorizo type paella dish the other night, DS came in from work, checked the fridge ascertained that we had a back up ring and asked if he could scoff all the cooked chorizo, he duly did so and then ate his share of the second cooked one at dinner.

He was very busy in the bathroom for the next two days.Grin

ResurrectionInfinity · 18/03/2022 14:26

@Fedupsotired

I know these rings say eat within 3 days of opening but I thought everyone ignored that!! If you were in Spain they hang around for years 🤷🏼‍♀️
My big mistake as a student in Spain was to put chorizo in the fridge at all. It was meant to be hung from the ceiling in the warm and dry atmosphere. It quickly went mouldy in the fridge. Anyway, I expect you’ll be ok.
thisplaceisweird · 18/03/2022 14:28

RE previous poster and hanging chorizo, you absolutely can, but most Spanish people put them in the fridge. I live in Spain with Spanish people!

ResurrectionInfinity · 18/03/2022 14:33

Interesting @thisplaceisweird

It definitely wasn’t a good idea in 1988.

SirYawnsAlot · 19/03/2022 05:34

How are you today OP? I was wondering if your chorizo was a more expensive type which tend to be darker, tougher and a bit gamey, usually they are red, very oily and chunky. Anyway, hope you and your husband are all right.

DuckyNoMates · 19/03/2022 06:35

@SirYawnsAlot

How are you today OP? I was wondering if your chorizo was a more expensive type which tend to be darker, tougher and a bit gamey, usually they are red, very oily and chunky. Anyway, hope you and your husband are all right.
Ooh I didn't know that thank you