Freezer...How old is too old?

[FrozenTundra]

Was cleaning out the freezer and found 2 Sams Club Boston butts in the cryo from July of 2012 they still looked fresh and had no air in the package or freezer burn.
I was going to toss them out but they looked so good yet. I thawed them in the fridge for a few days and opened the package, no unusual smell or much smell at all actually so I rinsed them off rubbed them up.

Threw them on the pellet smoker with some mesquite. I also found some old country style ribs from about a year ago so I threw them on too.

Am I crazy? I just didn't want to see it all go to waste.

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h190/BostonWhaler/20150531_194119.jpg (http://s64.photobucket.com/user/BostonWhaler/media/20150531_194119.jpg.html)

Everything tasted just like I bought them yesterday. My whole purpose of cleaning out the old freezer was to sell it and buy an upright so so much stuff wont find its way to never never land.
The only other known older stuff that was salvaged was 2 butter ball turkeys that would be about a year and a half old. They also look like they are fresh from the store. Thinking of brineing them and smoking them next weekend.

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h190/BostonWhaler/2b7981db-c3be-4035-9db4-77d0374d9c5c.jpg (http://s64.photobucket.com/user/BostonWhaler/media/2b7981db-c3be-4035-9db4-77d0374d9c5c.jpg.html)

[IamMadMan]

Normally regular wrapped food lasts about 6 months or less before it shows freezer burn.

I have had vac-packed stuff get lost in the freezers for over 2 years before it was found, and as you indicated, it was still bright in color, no freezer burn, no off odor, and it was great. Now I keep a handwritten inventory list on the door of each freezer giving the shelf location of the item. Makes planning and finding items much easier with two large freezers.

Looks like you had an great cook and the pork looks great.....

[Schmoke]

My record is *seven* years. Vacuum packed, butchered fresh ground beef. Indistinguishable from brand new stuff.

BOY do we follow myths. From not re-freezing thawed meat, to folks who allegedly die from squirting lighter fluid into a live grill, to only flip your burgers once ... there are more.

How's come we no longer believe we'll 'catch a cold' if we go outside to get the mail with wet hair, but we're still convinced that burgers can be flipped but once?

Back to point: Freezer burn can be nasty. It certainly *looks* nasty. If my meat has no burn, even after a number of years, it's still wonderful.

[happycamper]

The manual for my deep freezer repeatedly stated that meat frozen at the proper temperature can never go bad, but the quality will decline.

[cheez59]

My record is just a little over 5 years. No freezer burn and no foul smell = good to go.

[thirdeye]

My record is *seven* years. Vacuum packed, butchered fresh ground beef. Indistinguishable from brand new stuff.

BOY do we follow myths. From not re-freezing thawed meat, to folks who allegedly die from squirting lighter fluid into a live grill, to only flip your burgers once ... there are more.

How's come we no longer believe we'll 'catch a cold' if we go outside to get the mail with wet hair, but we're still convinced that burgers can be flipped but once?

Back to point: Freezer burn can be nasty. It certainly *looks* nasty. If my meat has no burn, even after a number of years, it's still wonderful.

I have had good luck with pork and chicken that have been in my freezer for 8 months+. My general rule of thumb is 6 months. That said, last year my buddy pulled some elk roasts from his freezer that were 7 years old, just to play it safe he made them all into jerky and it was really good. I started joking that the meat was in the freezer twice as long as it was on the hoof. :mrgreen:

The manual for my deep freezer repeatedly stated that meat frozen at the proper temperature can never go bad, but the quality will decline.

I think "decline" is the key here. I've had things that were not re-wrapped well and got freezer burned, but generally I use freezer wrap or vacuum sealing for things I plan on freezing longer than a month. Bacon is something that looses flavor really fast. HERE (http://www.foodbeast.com/bites/this-cheat-sheet-answers-how-long-will-this-food-last-in-the-freezer/) is a list of recommended freezer times compiled from a variety of sources.

[NickTheGreat]

A year? That's just barely starting to freeze! :razz:

[FrozenTundra]

Thanks guys!

[Bludawg]

As long as it there is no freezer burn it's fair game. The 6 month rule needs up dating, It was brought about in the day of freezer paper long before the advent of Vacuum sealing. As a kid I looked forward to the days when mom would have to cook a family pack of Pork chops that got uncovered because she forgot to repack them before freezing.

[Gore]

Six months? I thought that was the limit for meat in the refrigerator. :becky:

[Gulf]

So, 250,000 years (http://mentalfloss.com/article/57100/time-250000-year-old-mammoth-was-served-dinner) might be a stretch, then :laugh:.

[Stephen Barnes]

6 months in a refrigerator is the limit, for science experiments.

[cholloway]

A few years ago I cleaned out the deep freezer for my elderly neighbor lady. At the very bottom I found several venison roasts wrapped in butcher paper and dated 1982... They got tossed!

[Demosthenes9]

As long as there's no freezer burn, you are good to go. If there is freezer burn, just defrost and trim the freezer burn off. It's not dangerous, it just doesn't taste or feel good.

[Mint]

The problem with meat keeping long is with the "frostless" or "frost free" freezers. Apparently every so often they will "shut off" and warm up enough to melt the frost they have in them which in turn partially defrosts their meat contents. Doing this constantly lessens the quality of the meat frozen. If you freezer isn't one of these the meat will keep much longer.

[unzippy]

Only the evaporator warms, not your food.

[AlwaysSmokey]

Now I keep a handwritten inventory list on the door of each freezer giving the shelf location of the item. Makes planning and finding items much easier with two large freezers.

.
:clap:

My wife and kids would have your system broken in a matter of days. :laugh:

I wish my stuff stayed as organized as when I put it up. But lord knows momma gotta dig through everything looking for stuff and the kids,... ohhhh let's just avoid that conversation.....:wacko:

[NickTheGreat]

The problem with meat keeping long is with the "frostless" or "frost free" freezers. Apparently every so often they will "shut off" and warm up enough to melt the frost they have in them which in turn partially defrosts their meat contents. Doing this constantly lessens the quality of the meat frozen. If you freezer isn't one of these the meat will keep much longer.

This is true. When we bought our house and wanted a basement freezer for meat, we specifically got a non-frost free one. You do have to defrost it from time to time, but your food quality is better. :grin: