Tagged as: Domestic, fish, freeze, freezer, long, Meat, White
how long can you freeze red and white meat and fish in a domestic freezer?
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Meat Thermometers
by admin on May 18, 2010
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{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
Depends on the star rating of the freezer. 3 months is usually fairly safe but 6 is quite normal. You should date products as you put them in and use in strict rotation so that nothing is left in for too long. I found some meat and fish in the bottom of my freezer that had been there for 2 years. It was hard frozen so I used it and had no ill effects. Apparently it is the flavour etc that deteriorates rather than the product going off.
Here is a good guide.
FREEZER STORAGE CHART (0 °F)
Note: Frozen foods remain safe indefinitely; storage recommendations are for quality only.
FOOD FREEZER
MEATS, FRESH
Beef or venison, roasts, steaks 6-12 months
Chicken or turkey, pieces 9-12 months
Chicken or turkey, whole 1 year
Ducks, geese, game birds 6 months
Ground meat or stew, giblets 3-4 months
Lamb, roast or chops 6-9 months
Pork, roasts or chops 4-6 months
Pre-stuffed chops or chicken breast *
Sausage 1-2 months
Variety meats: heart, liver, etc. 3-4 months
Meats, Cooked
Smoked breakfast sausage 1-2 months
Ham, hotdogs, luncheon meats 1-2 months
Cooked, leftover meat, gravy 2-3 months
Cooked, leftover poultry 4-6 months
Leftover chicken nuggets 1-3 months
SEAFOOD, FRESH
Fresh lean fish: cod, flounder, trout,
haddock, halibut, pollack, perch 4-6 months
Fresh fatty fish: Mullet, salmon,
swordfish, mackerel, bluefish, tuna smelt 2-3 months
Shellfish 3 months
COOKED FISH
Fish sticks, commercial 18 months
Breaded shrimp, commercial 1 year
Breaded scallops, commercial 16 months
Cooked pieces 3 months
*Not recommended due to safety issues.
Until there is a long blackout and everything starts to thaw!
Then cook up a batch of curries and invite your friends around to help you eat it and drink the wine.
Generally, 6 months max.
As long as it was put in fresh, it has not been defrosted, and if you wrap it up nice – a year!
However, if you are talking about leftovers, or something that has been cooked before, I would only go 6 months…
Hope this helps
A tricky question this one
it really makes no difference whether the freezer is domestic or industrial, what matters is the temperature control, which should B at least minus 18c – or slightly below that.
A general (repeat general) guide for food:
Veg, fruit,most meats
= up to 12 months.
Pork,sausages,offal.fish,butterr and soft cheeses
= up to 6 months.
With so many variations, e.g. TV Dinners, Ready Meals
Left Over Indian or Chinese Takeways etc etc there are no rules for each and every scenario that may arise
Whatever advice is given, whether from the Food Standards
Agency,The Royal Environmental Health Institute or UR local
councils Environmental Health Officer, I myself in a professional capacity, knock 2 months off both the above guidelines
I take the view, especially with meat products, 2 err on the safe side and where possible cook the meat,, portion or slice it,date it, and then freeze it.
I am specifically relating 2 the general advice, guidelines
& regulations for Scotland.
There may B very slight differences in N Ireland. Wales & England.
However, I suspect if there are differences, they will be insignificant
If in doubt at all, check with the above sources
yes, it’s best if you freeze it on the day you buy it, I seperate mine into meal sized portions or cook it into a dish and then freeze it cos I live on my own.
look at the hand book that came with your freezer, or three months
red meat – 3/4 months,chicken 2months and fish i would only recommend 1month,and always make sure you defrost thoroughly at room temperature!