Emergency with broken refrigerator/freezer

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legend_018

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Every once in awhile our unit goes through some defrost cycle, don't even have a dial for it. Lately, other problems like snow in the freezer. someone came out and didn't see anything wrong and thought mabye a side door hinge that was loose on the freezer would contribute toward air getting in.

now all of a sudden we notice the temperatures were not right. we didn't act quickly and now it's end of 2nd day and frigerator is 60 and freezer is 44.

I'm reading USDA actually says you can refreeze meat? Just texture might be compromised. Is this true? Can we refreeze the meat that is sitting in the freezer at this point? Thanks in advance
 
I'd give it a try if I had access to an alternate 0*F storage facility. Otherwise you should get cracking making some stews and chili and acquiring some ice and a new freezer / refrigerator.
 
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ok, most everything from refrig and freezer are in coolers with ice.

A lot of condiments and misc things in refrigerator and some stuff like butter, eggs, cream, milk, juice in the freezer which is between 44 and 50.
New unit tomorrow, but maybe not until sometime in the afternoon.

This started sometime yesterday, wishful thinking was by the time we woke up this morning it would be back to normal. Gave it the day and than of course come 4pm ish this afternoon we realized we are **** out of luck.

We did try cleaning and vacumming out vents and even unplugged and replugged as we heard it could be stuck in some mode. No luck.

still worried about the food and there is SOOO much meat (fish, pork, steak, chicken) that was in our freezer.
 
Does the meat still have ice crystals and feel mostly frozen? If so, you should be OK. We refreeze "previously frozen" grocery meat all the time.

Man, that sux.
 
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most of the meat is pretty much defrosted "with freezer consistenly between 44 and 50 eventually it would do that". No ice crystals except maybe a couple things that were way down on the bottom.

I did read some old posts on here discussing it. Various opinions I guess.
Also, read somewhere that USDA states or stated "not sure how true" that you can refreeze meat in general.

It's a tough call, husband thinks we should try to save it, even we try to cook it over the course of the next couple of days. I can't begin to tell you all the things we have or had in the freezer.
 
ok, most everything from refrig and freezer are in coolers with ice.

A lot of condiments and misc things in refrigerator and some stuff like butter, eggs, cream, milk, juice in the freezer which is between 44 and 50.
New unit tomorrow, but maybe not until sometime in the afternoon.

This started sometime yesterday, wishful thinking was by the time we woke up this morning it would be back to normal. Gave it the day and than of course come 4pm ish this afternoon we realized we are **** out of luck.

We did try cleaning and vacumming out vents and even unplugged and replugged as we heard it could be stuck in some mode. No luck.

still worried about the food and there is SOOO much meat (fish, pork, steak, chicken) that was in our freezer.
The new unit is likely to take 12 - 24 hours to thoroughly chill down. Sounds like maybe you should think about at least cooking up some fish chowder.
 
It safe to refreeze meat AS LONG AS IT WAS AT REFRIGERATOR TEMPS THE WHOLE TIME IT WAS DEFROSTED. Your meats were not. I don't think they are safe to refreeze.
 
I would take the conservative stance, and would cook all the meat and then treat the result is leftovers, to be cut up and/or refrozen. This should address all spoilage issues, provided you do it immediately.
 
+1

:( Bring out all the crock pots, dutch ovens, and roasters. Fire up the grill.

So sorry this happened, Legend.
 
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