Meat out of fridge ok???

[Guest pixie7]

Ok this is a bit random but need advice, woke up at 7am and found fridge freezer had broken, steak in freezer had defrosted, had meatballs in fridge. Took all food out and put in plastic bages in cold water in sinks. Didn't get new fridge freezer until 12.

Do u think meat will be ok to cook and eat?? Or shall I bin it? This is when i need my mum

[Guest Squareman]

It should be fine if it smells ok. The cooking process should kill off any harmful bacteria that has developed. It's been really hot lately, as you know, so bacteria will develop more quickly than in the colder months, obviously. Your nose knows....

[Guest Damien]

Err, you're a teacher and can't tell if meat is off....looks like the hygiene inspectors won't come from your class lol!

[Guest pixie7]

Thanks squareman, haha Damien just coz I'm a teacher I don't pretend to know anything about meat bacteria lol leave that to wiser people

[Diane]

You could cook anything raw and then refreeze as well. But you can't just refreeze something in the same state it has defrosted. It won't have gone off in one day - I quite often take something out of the freezer and leave it to defrost at room temp before eating on the same day.

 

On a similar note, watch out for bread products (and fish) at the supermarket - often in very small print they will say "defrosted for your convenience" which means you can't refreeze it yourself!

[suzer]

You can only leave things out for 2 hours before it can acquire bacteria and no amount of cooking will fix that - bin it

[Guest Squareman]

That would be the ultra-conservative approach. Most people will take their chances and be 100% fine eating it.