Eating Re-Frozen Pork Chops?

[julesapple]

My son, The Genius, has re-frozen some defrosted pork loin chops.

They defrosted inside the microwave, but weren't nuked at all - it's a handy feline-safe place - for 24 hours in a chilly kitchen. It was up to 12c here yesterday, but the kitchen is in shade for most of the day. The box remains sealed.

Should I bin them or not? They are organic and it would be a dreadful waste, but I don't need for any of us to be ill. I have heard tell that food poisoning is a great way to lose weight, but I really don't fancy a bout

Opinions on food safety please?

[rustylady]

They should be absolutely fine Jules. How long have they been back in the freezer?

[julesapple]

About 24 hours, RL.

I'm doing sausages for tea just now, cos I wasn't sure if the chops were safe, and it was too late to defrost them again in time for tea.

[Aberdeenplotter]

Food safety? As long as they are properly cooked, any organisms present will be killed. Too much scaremongering about frozen food

[Hazel at the Hill]

Yes, I'd be inclined to eat them - after all, freezing stops further deterioation in food, so assuming that they were well within their sell by when you they were frozen first time round, all that is happened is that they have been aging normally once defrosted (for one day); and now you have stopped the aging process again at that point by freezing them again.

I mean, I wouldn't do the hokey cokey ad hoc with food in and out of the freezer on a regular basis, but in this case as you know exactly the unfurling of events, I would say you are safe enough.

[Glutton4...]

Yup, I agree. I'd defrost naturally again, and make sure they're properly cooked, which I'm sure you'll do, anyway. I'd eat 'em!

[out in the cold]

I would eat them.

[julesapple]

Thanks chaps.

I always defrost pork slowly. I'm sure nuking it makes it tough. Casserole for these I think - high heat browning once defrosted and then a longish slowish casserole.

Pork can give me gip at the best of times, so I will indeed be extra careful with these ones.

[Linzy]

bung them back in the freezer, you should see some of the things i cook up and im always fine. I watched a Bruce Parry thing where he was in Alaska and they chiseled a cave out of ice and store all there food for the year in it they also fermented seal flesh and ate so my theory is that it cant be that bad if whole communities do it!

[shepp726]

the main concern is with processed meat products, burgers, sausages etc.
the majority of bacteria on meat cuts, chops, steaks, joints, is on the outside and easily killed off during cooking, as opposed to processed meats when it is ground and minced and the bacteria is mixed in.

[Farmer_Gyles]

it may be safe, but personally i wouldn't risk it - i had food poisoning a few years ago which triggered reactive arthritis, which crippled me for a while .... i'm very very cautious with food now!

if we get something out of the freezer and don't really need it, we cook it and freeze it - pork curry etc - we've got loads of home made ready meals in the freezer now

[The Large One]

i'm with Farmer Gyles
had exactly the same thing happen to me with reactive arthritis it was horrendous and it was pork loin steaks
if i defrost and not cooked then either binned or cooked and then frozen

[Chef_uk]

If it is safe to eat it is safe to refreeze By that I mean you know 100% that the meat never rose above 5c for more than a day. Once food enters the dangerzone then it can become more of a risk. Freezing doesn't kill any bacteria so any growth during its defrosted time will be ready and waiting when you come to defrost it again and begin its multiplying.

[ohbeary]

Jules, I'm with Chef on this one but the texture of the meat might suffer from refreezing, be sure to cook thoroughly when you use the chops, a thick sauce will help to diguise any dryness.
PS, I don't know how long Chef_uk has been cooking but 50 years in and counting he has it right

[julesapple]

We still haven't eaten these chops; the thought of it is freaking me out. Just huge alarm bells with refrozen pork and chicken.

I have feeling they will languish in the freezer until I chuck them out.....