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Housekeeping

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FreezerDisaster

10 replies

FreezerBird · 24/04/2021 15:00

Help me work out what, if anything, I can salvage.

Just gone to get tonight's dinner from the freezer and someone (yet to be identified) who lives with me has switched it off at the wall.

I got something out of it last night and can't remember it being in an unusual state but that was puff pastry which defrosts very quickly so I can't be absolutely sure whether it was on then. I think if it was switched off sometime between past night and now and hadn't been opened it would feel a lot colder than it does now.

We have a little freezer in the kitchen and this second small chest freezer which is full of mostly bread stuff, batch-cooked meals and sometimes some meat.

All the bread loaves are soft and don't feel cold at all (at the top of the freezer). Ditto a bag of oven chips.

There was a joint of beef (much further down) which is defrosted but still felt fridge cold so I have whacked it in the oven.

A pack of mince which again is defrosted but felt fridge cold and had bits of ice on the packet so I'm going to start a bolognese with that.

Several tubs of lovingly slaved over batch cooked stews etc, completely defrosted, not feeling particularly cold.

Tubs of homegrown veg from last summer.

I'm assuming most of it's a write-off but would you risk the meats which still felt v cold (and were in the middle of the freezer so insulated)?

Aaargh. That was stocks of food we've been building up for a while, getting in the habit of batch cooking and buying a bit extra and I fear it has all gone.

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MrsIronfoundersson · 24/04/2021 15:09

Oh no! You could cook as much as possible and then freeze it again? Ie Bolognese with the mince, roast any veg and freeze for pasta sauce. Eat any stews etc over the next couple of days. (Disclaimer, I regularly eat out of date / defrosted food as I have a cast iron stomach)

FreezerBird · 24/04/2021 15:12

That's pretty much the plan but I'm a bit nervous because of not being absolutely sure when it turned off.

I'm pretty sure DH turned it off (although I have not the first idea how, given where the switch is and that he knows what it is) and he's at work so until I can get hold of him (he's seeing patients) I can't be sure about when.

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chesirecat99 · 24/04/2021 15:13

The beef and mince should be fine if it was fridge temperature 5C. You can even freeze the bolognese you make from the mince again once it has been cooked. You can refreeze the bread and vegetables but there might be some loss of quality. The stews and the oven chips will have to go in the bin though.

extension.umn.edu/preserving-and-preparing/refreezing-food#:~:text=Foods%20may%20be%20safely%20refrozen,are%20present%20in%20the%20package.

FreezerBird · 24/04/2021 15:16

Oh that's really helpful, thanks. I was planning to freeze the bolognese and slice and freeze the roast beef.

I thought the bread was a goner though so that's great news (there is a lot of it).

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FreezerBird · 24/04/2021 15:21

Hang on - if the veg is okay, why not the oven chips? Are they part cooked?

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FreezerBird · 24/04/2021 15:26

It does say 'do not refreeze' on the packets though so I will comply!

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chesirecat99 · 24/04/2021 15:27

Oven chips are part cooked. It will probably say on the packet not to refreeze once defrosted.

chesirecat99 · 24/04/2021 15:36

If you have a thermometer that can measure 5C, you could check the stews. In theory, you could thoroughly cook and refreeze them too if they haven't been above 5C but I probably wouldn't risk it.

The bread and veg will be less nice refrozen but they will be fine for toast, in casseroles etc.

Gemma2019 · 24/04/2021 15:44

I'm probably the only one, but I would have switched the freezer back on, walked out of the kitchen and pretended nothing happened.

I would probably label up the plug so it didn't happen again though.

FreezerBird · 24/04/2021 16:12

That would have been my MO if I was sure that the freezer went off yesterday and hadn't been opened since.

However everyone in the house is denying turning it off. DS claims not to even know there is a socket there....

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