Horror of horrors...the freezer compressor shut off

[gabagoo]

OMG!!! got home from golf and it is a beautiful day and decide to take some steaks out of the downstairs freezer.... Open the door and the light is on but it no cold.... smells a bit and I feel the packs of meat and everything is basically room temperature. I hit the side of the freezer pretty hard and I hear the compressor kick back on...To little to late!!!

Now here's the thing....I have no idea how long it has been off, but it has been at least 3 days..that I know as my wife loaded up some chicken...

All my meat is cryovacced so I am not sure if it edible or toss it.

Besides chicken I had specially aged steaks (black angus prime 8 week aged) rin steaks and rib eyes.... I am so pissed.

So what you think about the fact that all the stuff is basically vacuum packed...should I take a chance and fire up the bbq?

 

[Zhizara]

Start cooking! You can always freeze the cooked food. Good luck!

 

[gabagoo]

do you think it is safe? they are basically air tight but I am not sure what to do

 

[Harry Cobean]

Start cooking! You can always freeze the cooked food. Good luck!

do you think it is safe? they are basically air tight but I am not sure what to do

if the freezer hasn't been opened for 3 days & was fairly full it'll be fine.a stocked freezer will hold it's temp for 24 hours then gradually warm up so the meat has probably only been at room temp for a few hours & it was vac packed.if you want to be really sure just cook it a few mins longer.sacrilege for beautiful beef like that but better than chucking it!
harry

 

[Andy M.]

Are the packages of meat still hard or have they thawed? We were without power for three days in the fall and everything in my freezer stayed frozen.

 

[taxlady]

Use your nose when you open up those packages

 

[Matts girl]

Hard luck friend. Remember..."When in Doubt,Throw it Out!" Good luck and SAFE eating!

 

[gabagoo]

I'm tossing it all out...I opened a strip loin and it just smelt a little but that may have been because it was sitting in a pool of blood.... I cant take the chance so out they go.
I'm really glad I have a freezer at my office and I left more steaks there so not all is lost.
Still really pisses me off. The weird thing is I slammed the side of the unit and I heard the compressor kick back on. I cant trust it anymore...out she goes!!!

 

[Matts girl]

Real tough Luck. I feel for you on this. Sux to lose so much, but keeping healthy is the better choice! All be it frustrating!

 

[Jazzgirl]

I had the same thing happen this past winter. The light was on but the food had begun to thaw. It broke my heart to have to throw all that food away.

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

Might be a good idea to have a freezer monitor/alarm. I've never had that must frozen food or the expense invested in it, but thanks to this topic if I ever get a deep freeze I'll strongly consider a freezer monitor/alarm.