can I refreeze raw chicken if its cooked now?

[flirtygerty]

does that make sense? took it out - cooked it - kids wouldn't eat it so can it be refrozen? ta

Absolutely.

yes do it all the time

Yes, not a problem.

btw, did the kids go hungry?

I thought that once meat has been defrosted it should never be re frozen. Iwould leave in the fridge to eat the next day or the day after but never re freeze it, am I wrong?

I think the rule is that you can freeze it once raw, and once cooked, but not refreeze after that.

Yep - once raw and once cooked

You learn something new every day on MN !

Thnaks for the info, I'd alwasy assumed that it couldn't be refrozen even if it had been cooked.

slight change of subject - I chucked out some chicken that I didnt know my fella had bought (the extra pack in a BOGOF) last night because it was on its useby date when I found it and we'd already eaten. Can I freeze safely on the use by date?

Personally, I wouldn't with chicken, because I worry that in the time it takes to defrost it might go off, but then I'm a bit of a worrier about poultry...

thsanks - chicken safely in freezer for another day! I always freeze things if it gets to the sell by date & I've not used them.

Padboz, I would as long as it had been properly stored up to then. But then I'm tight and can't bear wasting food. Haven't poisoned the dh/dcs yet....

right - Amum and pol - both of you have mentioned possible death issues... think I'll just pay more attention to whats in the fridge :D

does anyone know if this 'you can freeze it once raw and then once again, defrosted and cooked' rule applies to all meat or is it just chicken?? very useful info by the way - been wondering about that for years

it applies to all meat but most other cooked meat doesnt tend to freeze very well. It cmes otu a bit dry for some reason.

meat like mince sauces and veal or lamb stews will freeze very well - not sure I would cook a steak and then freeze it, tbh, it would probably be quite dry.

I had also assumed that you shouldn't re freeze. Which leads me to my question: I am in the process of making chicken stock, I have used two frozen carcasses from previous roasts and one fresh. I don't think I can freeze it again because of the frozen carcasses being cooked. Would people agree with this?

I wouldn't freeze it, though I don't think it would really be harmful. What I do with stock though, is leave some of the fat on top rather than skimming it all off, and that is supposed to seal it so that it keeps a while anyway.

Oh thanks Chopster, I will do that. I think it will amount to more than I need for my planned rissotto tonight, so am thinking of recipes to on friday night. It should keep til then shouldn't it? Esp with the fat on top.

yeah it will be fine.

This is where I learned to make stock from here I just went to check and it actualyl says on there that it will last a few month with the seal on.

Thanks Chopster, have added that site to my favourites to look at later. I am using a new stock recipe today, from a woman who has been converted by some Italian friends of her to not using as many stock veg. She says that the meat juices just tend to get soaked up in all the veg, so we will see how this one turns out.
Very useful to know how long you can keep it for.

If you freeze leftover roast, thaw it, slice it then reheat it in a shallow dish with some gravy poured over the top. Solves the problem of it being too dry. (I say again, I am tight and I hate throwing away food )

i have a similar question about breadcrumbs!i recently made veg nuggets to freeze but realised as i was making them i was using frozen bread for the breadcrumbs. should i have frozen them? waws told yes, but i don't understand why?

I think its only stuff like meat and dairy that the rule applies to - other types of food are at much less risk of going off, at least in a dangerous way . So refreezing bread might not make it very nice (likely to dry out) but won't be a risk of food poisoning, whereas defrosting and refreezing meat is much more risky.

that's a relief, thanks. if it was for me i'd have just thought "risk it" but they're for a 10mo!