Roast Lamb ??
Submitted: Tuesday, Jun 07, 2005 at 14:20
ThreadID:
23662
Views:
3205
Replies:
14
FollowUps:
4
This Thread has been Archived
Member - iMusty (VIC)
About a month ago we bought a Leg of Lamb and took it away to the High Country.
It was cryovact by the butcher.
It was in a good esky with ice for three days then we came back and kept it in the fridge since.
Is it still good to eat?
Reply By: Wombat - Tuesday, Jun 07, 2005 at 14:43
Tuesday, Jun 07, 2005 at 14:43
ABSOLUTELY! It will have a funny smell when you first open it but that will dissipate in about five minutes and it will taste as fresh as the day you bought it. ENJOY!
AnswerID:
114755
Reply By: Tonester - Tuesday, Jun 07, 2005 at 14:49
Tuesday, Jun 07, 2005 at 14:49
Not toally sure of cryovac details, but it look like a best effort at totally sealing the goods. I'm sure that helps keeping the nasties out, but still there is bound to be bacteria inside the meat and the act of refrigeration only serves to slow their growth. I believe thats why use by dates are only valid when stored at or below whatever degrees. 7 days is usually the fridge life of meat I think...? Personally, I'd stick with that. I'm not one to shy from days old food, but I'd give this one a miss.
Tonester
AnswerID:
114757
Reply By: Shaker - Tuesday, Jun 07, 2005 at 14:55
Tuesday, Jun 07, 2005 at 14:55
Provided while it was in the Esky it remained below 4 degrees, we were still eating cryovaced red meat after 6 weeks. Trust your nose!
AnswerID:
114758
Reply By: flappa - Tuesday, Jun 07, 2005 at 14:55
Tuesday, Jun 07, 2005 at 14:55
I dont know if Lamb is any different to beef , but, as long as it has been kept cold , then month old beef that has been cryovact is no problem at all.
From what I can remember , its only if you freeze it , then thaw it , then try to freeze it again , that problems can occur. If its kept cold all the time then no problem.
We have had cryovact meat in the fridge for months (not quite the same though, granted)
AnswerID:
114759
Reply By: old-plodder - Tuesday, Jun 07, 2005 at 15:38
Tuesday, Jun 07, 2005 at 15:38
We have had cryovac meat keep for 4 weeks in the engel.
AnswerID:
114767
Reply By: Vince NSW - Tuesday, Jun 07, 2005 at 16:23
Tuesday, Jun 07, 2005 at 16:23
What have you got to loose. Open it wash it to get rid of that cryovaced smell, and
cook.
How far is the emergency room anyway ??
AnswerID:
114774
Follow Up By: Member - Camper (SA) - Wednesday, Jun 08, 2005 at 13:32
Wednesday, Jun 08, 2005 at 13:32
"What have you got to lose?"
How about the entire contents of your gut and unpleasantly at that plus most of the free water in your system for starters.
Camper
FollowupID:
370683
Reply By: Member - Cocka - Tuesday, Jun 07, 2005 at 16:40
Tuesday, Jun 07, 2005 at 16:40
There wont be a prob as long as the Cryovac seal hasn't been broken. Wombat's answer is right, trust your nose. It may be necessary to scrape and trim the outside a bit. I'll come to dinner if invited.
"Bug..., your in Vic - can't make it".
A great way to do lamb in the bush is to have the butcher bone out the leg first & butterfly it. Then 1 hr before cooking remove from fridge, lay it out flat & rub in a pre prepared (at
home) mix of rosemary (herb), ground pepper (lots) & course salt. Better still if the butcher can rub in the herb mix before he Cryovacs it. Leave it to come to ambient temp wrapped in a tea towel. BBQ it laid FLAT (one of the simple common old wire type clamped/hinged bbq thingies is great) over nice hot coals.
Maybe 5 mins either side will leave it a little pink in the middle. Enjoy
AnswerID:
114777
Reply By: Bonz (Vic) - Tuesday, Jun 07, 2005 at 17:06
Tuesday, Jun 07, 2005 at 17:06
Musty, We get cryovac'd meat from King Island from time to time and it sits in the frigde till the slight green tingle forms in the base of the pack, then the meat is exactly right, it takes a while too. So I reckon yours should be easy
well within its withholding period.
AnswerID:
114783
Reply By: Rick (S.A.) - Tuesday, Jun 07, 2005 at 17:43
Tuesday, Jun 07, 2005 at 17:43
As most have said, it will be OK, if still sealed.
Crypovac process effectively ages the meat, tenderises it, preserves it, for about 6 weeks.
Ever had a nice tender steak (e.g. rump, scotch fillet, porterhouse) at a restuarant? Most likely the
cook has sliced it off a cryovac peice of meat.......it's just that you did not know that he did that.
If smelly or slimy, wiping with a cloth dampened with vinegar will get it to an acceptable state very soon.
Enjoy.
AnswerID:
114788
Reply By: Lone Wolf - Tuesday, Jun 07, 2005 at 17:44
Tuesday, Jun 07, 2005 at 17:44
Let's see...... iMusty posted this at 1420 hrs. Say he eats tonight, food poisoning takes...... what....... 6 hours to set in...... so....... we'll see if he's still posting at 0900 hrs. tomorrow.
Okay..... we're taking bets ladies & gentlemen!!
Wolfie
P.S. When in doubt, chuck it out........
AnswerID:
114789
Follow Up By: Steve - Tuesday, Jun 07, 2005 at 17:50
Tuesday, Jun 07, 2005 at 17:50
bet he doesn't have his usual "portion for 4" and lick the plate
hi Musty
FollowupID:
370608
Reply By: Trev88 - Tuesday, Jun 07, 2005 at 18:07
Tuesday, Jun 07, 2005 at 18:07
Hi iMusty
Vacumed meat with bone in (bone may pearce the bag and allow the meat to spoil) next time get it boned.
when you open the bag there will be a smell this will go away with in a short time 5 to 10 min. If the colour of the meat does not return then it is wise to investigate ealier than latter. If the colour returns (oxidises) then it is usaly fine the coulr will not return if too much bad bacteria is present.
The bacteria will be in the juices that vacuming forced out of the meat if the jucie is clear and fluid and not gone to a jelly like consistency then it is fine. It is this slime jelly that will kill you wash the leg in vinigar to remove it (vinigar also kills the bacteria and may help the colour return) Just let it air and smell again. As in most of the above posts trust your nose and if in dout throw it out.
If you want to freeze it then
cook it and slice it and then freeze it in small easy thaw sizes.
25 years of butchering and I only ever eaten meat on the verge of spoiling (decomposed) its the best (most tender) meat you can eat. but if it tastes (acidic or tangy) then dont swallow it just acept you missed it by a day or two of being it's best.
I dont supose Toms (Cruse) is coming over for dinner
Happy cooking
Trevor
AnswerID:
114796
Follow Up By: Member - Davoe (Widgiemooltha) - Tuesday, Jun 07, 2005 at 21:41
Tuesday, Jun 07, 2005 at 21:41
Bones can break the seal but that isnt the biggest problem. The bones contain gas that allow bacteria to breed even in the Cryovac. I am not talking about the small amount of time IM has stored his leg of lamb but whn you are getting out to the end of your shelf lif. EG cryovacced T bones wont last as long as topside steak. The Acidic taste is Lactic acid which is produced from the blood sugars in the absence of o2 (dead animals = no 02 in the muscles) The lactic acid breaks down the cells which in turn release enzymes within that act as a digestive on the meat (more commonly known as "hanging the meat") Beasts that have been slaughterd properly and in a calm state have plenty of blood suger to convert to acid (around ph 5.5) which also acts as a bacteriacide.
The slime jelly in most cases is Pseadamonis bacteria which isnt particulary dangerous but most helpfull as it is unpleasant and is your first sighn the meat is off. The real killer in vaccume packed meat is Clostridium Botulinum. Which produces the most deadly toxin known to man
FollowupID:
370636
Reply By: Member -Dodger - Wednesday, Jun 08, 2005 at 13:43
Wednesday, Jun 08, 2005 at 13:43
Musty,
we use this system all the time for the last ten years and have found that if kept refrigerated will last more than 5 weeks. Watch for bones etc that
puncture the seal, oh and after opening leave for at least 10 min for the meat to regain some air for cooking.
AnswerID:
114886
Reply By: slave - Wednesday, Jun 08, 2005 at 14:05
Wednesday, Jun 08, 2005 at 14:05
When working in the local 'meatworks' 20+ years ago we would be told to keep the unopened meat in the bottom of the fridge for at least 6 weeks before thinking about opening. On the occasions when bones were left in bone guard (fabric) was used to seperate bones and bag.
Presuming that your butcher used the same method of ..removing air, sealing bag and dunking in boiling water as we used there shouldn't be a problem.
Mrs Slave
AnswerID:
114892
Reply By: Bonz (Vic) - Wednesday, Jun 08, 2005 at 18:08
Wednesday, Jun 08, 2005 at 18:08
didya didya didya
cook it and whatd it taste like?
AnswerID:
114925
Follow Up By: Wombat - Thursday, Jun 09, 2005 at 11:55
Thursday, Jun 09, 2005 at 11:55
Please note - any future correspondence from iMusty will be penned after he gets out of the Intensive Care Unit.
By order of Nurse Heidi.
FollowupID:
370810