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Help! Venison thawed #7397023 01/06/19 06:03 PM
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BaronAlm Offline OP
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My harvest this year was processed this year, in vacuum sealed packaging. I placed the meat in a deep freezer, in the garage. All has been frozen for about a month. I just walked out in the garage to find the freezer draining. I found that the GFCI had tripped and obviously, no power to freezer. Opened it and found all meat thawed, but still cool. The meat is NOT FROZEN or COLD but it is NOT WARM either. I do not know how long the freezer has been off... The meat still looks good and haven’t smelled it due to packaging.

Is the meat still good? Would you go ahead and cook/eat it? Can I just refreeze it?

Thank you!

Re: Help! Venison thawed [Re: BaronAlm] #7397025 01/06/19 06:09 PM
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Cast Offline
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Put it in the freezer. It’s still good and won’t freezer burn. Vacuum packing saved you.


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Re: Help! Venison thawed [Re: BaronAlm] #7397027 01/06/19 06:18 PM
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Open a package and smell it. If it passes that test and is is cold to the touch you're probably ok. Try to check it with a thermometer, as long as it's about 45 degrees, it's fine to refreeze it.
If it is just cool to the touch I'd start cooking as much as you can. Anything like stew meat you can can cook and refreeze then make the stew later. Call your family and friends and have them come get some and cook it.

Sorry to hear that happened to you. Been there, done that and it's a terrible feeling.

Re: Help! Venison thawed [Re: BaronAlm] #7397028 01/06/19 06:22 PM
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Like Cast said, vacuum packing is by far the best and may help you.

Re: Help! Venison thawed [Re: Cast] #7397077 01/06/19 07:21 PM
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BaronAlm Offline OP
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Thank you, Cast and Dink! I absolutely appreciate it! I ran to get some things to go ahead and cook some sausage and steaks. It absolutely is a terrible feeling. That was the biggest buck I’ve taken in Arkansas and actually paid to have it processed. Going to go ahead and open and cook some to see.

Thank you guys, again.

Last edited by BaronAlm; 01/06/19 07:24 PM.
Re: Help! Venison thawed [Re: BaronAlm] #7397099 01/06/19 08:00 PM
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I just pulled out 4 thick WT steaks. We have been vacuum packing venison here lately. I have a real nice meat hammer, cuts slots on one side and hammers flat with divots on the other side. Hammered em down flat and slotted and covered in Bolner fajita seasoning and chicken fried rare. Tender and tasty. Oh yeah, lard in cast iron skillet of course.


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Re: Help! Venison thawed [Re: BaronAlm] #7397111 01/06/19 08:18 PM
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Had that happen once with about3/4 of an elk still in the freezer. I was out of town working when it went out and lost it all, warm and stinky when I got home. No more freezers on GFCI outlets for me.

Cook a piece and you will know if it is bad when the heat his it. Being vacuum packed sure helps


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Re: Help! Venison thawed [Re: BaronAlm] #7397886 01/07/19 05:55 PM
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had that happen a year or two back but it was a tripped breaker (didn't realize the freezer and air compressor were on the same circuit). It was similar to what you described, cool but not frozen. We cooked up about 20 lbs of hamburger (all smelled fine) and re-vacuum sealed in 1-2 lbs portions for use later. Fortunately the rest was larger chunks and still partially frozen, so we just re-froze.


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Re: Help! Venison thawed [Re: PMK] #7397998 01/07/19 07:55 PM
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woundedduck Offline
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I would cook a bunch of chili, stew and spaghetti and referees.

Re: Help! Venison thawed [Re: BaronAlm] #7398279 01/08/19 12:44 AM
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ASAP get rid of the gfci. Should never have one on a refrigerator and or freezer.

Re: Help! Venison thawed [Re: BaronAlm] #7398376 01/08/19 01:56 AM
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bill oxner Offline
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A neighbor gave me some that had thawed. Made great chili.

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