Is a year old chub of ground too old to make food from?

[daftcat75]

I have a 5 lbs chub of boneless rabbit meat that's been frozen since I received it about this time last year. Is this too old to thaw and make food with?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Tobermory]

Here's what the USDA says:

Freezer Storage Time​

Because freezing keeps food safe almost indefinitely, recommended storage times are for quality only. Refer to the freezer storage chart at the end of this document, which lists optimum freezing times for best quality.​

​

If a food is not listed on the chart, you may determine its quality after thawing. First check the odor. Some foods will develop a rancid or off odor when frozen too long and should be discarded. Some may not look picture perfect or be of high enough quality to serve alone but may be edible; use them to make soups or stews.​

https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/food-safety-education/get-answers/food-safety-fact-sheets/safe-food-handling/freezing-and-food-safety/CT_Index/!ut/p/a1/jZFRb4IwEIB_DY-1ZTiDeyMki7AJM24TeSGnHJQEWtZ2c_rrV9zLXHSzfWnvvi-9u9KcZjQX8NHUYBopoB3u-aRgCzZxpyGL06l7z6LkdZE-hCHzl7cWWP8BJN6V_oUVsP_8-IoHbtQ8nNc078Fw0ohK0qxGQ0DoHSpNs0rKkmio0OxJBVtDNEc0NjHEyDHLQZRtI2oLK8SDPVm9JD9MmoXPRSRK_KQrmp9WxVy7o8Rbjmdx4rF0_Bs4M7Zv4PJcbON1KzfHP1oHYuP5tkOFFSpUo3dlw9yYXt85zGEcFBIjS9iPtrJzmIJdMZReVPB2TudSG-ufWLTvXrLDYzBjzVO38nXwBUAwYFM!/#

So it sounds like it will be safe, but Krista may have definite ideas about it!

 

[lisahe]

I love that advice from the USDA! That's almost exactly how I approach these problems. If the date isn't past (or too far gone) and there's no weird ("off" or "stale") smell, I'd use it. Chubs are usually wrapped well so there's less chance of freezer burn so I'd say there's a good chance it's usable. And I totally agree with Tobermory that Krista may have her own thoughts: I'd let her sniff the defrosted meat before proceeding with making food.

 

[daftcat75]

I'll toss it. I wouldn't want year old grind myself. I don't have organs anyway. I'd rather get her a dressed rabbit and make a grind from leg meat and giblets. It will be an intermittent feeding food to try to get more protein in her and hopefully stop her weight loss. I don't think turkey is agreeing with her at the moment or I'd offer her normal turkey homemade and call it a day.

 

[BaileyCat]

I would feed it. It may have lost some nutritional value, but it isn't likely icky bad. I wouldn't feed it several days and/or meals in a row though. I would rotate other foods, just to be on the super safe side.

 

[daftcat75]

I would feed it. It may have lost some nutritional value, but it isn't likely icky bad. I wouldn't feed it several days and/or meals in a row though. I would rotate other foods, just to be on the super safe side.

Nah. She has enough issues right now that I don’t want to compound that with year old meat. I’ll buy her a dressed rabbit or two and feed her fresh. She deserves better than year old.

 

[vyger]

I cooked and ate a turkey that was sitting on the bottom of a chest freezer for 4 years and it was just fine. Not even any freezer burn since it was still in the packaging bag. I think the oldest I tried was a packaged Hillshire sausage that was around 12 years old. I didn't have much hope but microwaved it and tried it anyway and it was great. The spices had kept it all fresh tasting. A year in a freezer is not bad at all. The only things that you will usually have a problem with is something like packaged chicken which might get freezer burn. I really need to defrost my big freezer, I don't remember what's in the back since it's been there for so long.

 

[daftcat75]

I cooked and ate a turkey that was sitting on the bottom of a chest freezer for 4 years and it was just fine. Not even any freezer burn since it was still in the packaging bag. I think the oldest I tried was a packaged Hillshire sausage that was around 12 years old. I didn't have much hope but microwaved it and tried it anyway and it was great. The spices had kept it all fresh tasting. A year in a freezer is not bad at all. The only things that you will usually have a problem with is something like packaged chicken which might get freezer burn. I really need to defrost my big freezer, I don't remember what's in the back since it's been there for so long.

I'm neither cooking, nor seasoning the ground. I spoil her. I tossed it and I'm going to buy frozen dressed rabbits to make an Alnutrin batch with the leg meat and the organs. For the other cuts, I believe I can find a few friends to take them from me.

 

[vyger]

I can't say as I have ever tried rabbit. I would have been tempted to just cook it up into burgers and try it in a bun with some Miracle Whip and lettuce.
Ehhhhhh what's up Doc, you rascallery rabbit.

 

[daftcat75]

I bought and butchered two fryer rabbits ($75) and got 1.5 lbs of leg meat ($50/lbs! ). Only the good meat for her. The loin and rack are going to friends. The rest went into the Instant Pot and she has rabbit stock for months.

I ground the leg meat and liver and mixed with Alnutrin. I can tell you that the chub did not look this good a year ago when I broke into its brother, fresh from HT. Krista never liked that mystery rabbit boneless grind. It was not this pretty pink.

Krista had a vet visit—an ultrasound—today. She’ll get first taste of this tomorrow after the sedation drugs are out of her. If she eats even an ounce of this, enjoys it, and it treats her well, that’s better than the 10 lbs of HT chub she never cared for.

If she likes this batch, I can look for a more affordable less wasteful source of rabbit legs rather than whole fryers. The two gave me enough liver for several batches of food.