Meat. did I leave it out too long.

[happydays]

Last week I came back from shopping and unpacked all but a few bags, I had forgotten that I had brought some steak and it was left out for about 4 hours. I then froze it as soon as I noticed. I have defrosted it today and wish to eat it tonight, but do not know if it was left out for too long. Can anyone help me please.

happydays - if the meat was fresh when you bought it (i.e. not on its sell-by date), then it will be fine. Leaving meat out of the fridge just means it will not last as long, but it doesn't go off within 4 hours. If it did how would people live a long bus journey away from the supermarket ever eat anything???

If there was a problem you'd be able to smell it anyway, but if you're still worried, just cook the steak well done.

thanks lucy123, thats what I thought, that's what I get for listening to my DH

It should be absolutely fine bearing in mind it is not the height of summer (unless you are in Mauritius or somewhere exotic)
I usually take my meat out the fridge in the morning for evening cooking as I believe it is best cooked from room temperature.

Don't worry. Eat it and don't give dh any.

Hope it was yummy, happydays

yes it was lovely and for being such a pain DH had the smallest piece

I think you're always reasonably safe with beef, Happydays - chicken and pork are more of a worry in my book. Glad it was yummy and you got the best bits.

Hope it was a good Specially Selected Scotch Beef Steak? (ha ha)

those who know me know what I mean, yes the Tigger has returned, just got the computer back, well we've got a new one, the other had a fatal accident with a strike of lightning!!

Actually, we've been really busy this past fortnight, heifers calving, ewes lambing slowly!, and scanning our other ewes on the bigger farm. So DH hasn't been seen much round here recently, as to gather the other farm and our neighbours can take a couple of days, and then the scanning. I seemed to spend most of my time feeding my kids and DH and missing myself out, that was not clever as I became a bit wobbly by 4pm most days!! Eldest child dear daughter is a good help to me, she can help me feed the calves in the shed and she feeds the ewes and lambs we have in the garden at the moment, another batch in this morning and the other were moved up to the field yesterday, so much for having a quiet sunday. Having quite a good run of bull calves which always makes DH happy, (heifer calves don't sell for as much) and the heifers are calving with no probs whatsoever.

I have taken up a cooking class and I am really enjoying it, it is amazing what you can make in a wok!, pate even and it is lush.

Tigger, it is GREAT to see you back!

A relation who worked in a butchers said that is red meat is off then you it won't harm you but it will taste foul. Chicken on the other hand can give you salmonella and you can't always tell.

Julie

Good to see you back Tigger!

I have a freezer full of Scotch fillet that I bought mail order from Stuart Grant in Scotland. I met him at the Good Food show, his meat is superb and is the first time I can say that it doesn't lose anything by being frozen.

I will always buy Scotch if I can, plus English lamb, Welsh if I can get it, but seems to mbe harder to find. Any ideas on suppliers?