Meat People - Is this Brisket Safe to Eat?

[Caveman]

Costco Prime Brisket. Removed from freezer 5pm Mon night and put in a sink to thaw (in sealed package). Room temp was about 69 average. Forgot about it until this morning (Wed, 36-40 hrs) and brisket is cool, but not refrigerator cool (guessing 50-60). It's now in the fridge keeping cool. Planning to prep tonight, then put it back in the fridge and throw it on the smoker Thurs morning.

Would you eat this or be afraid of food poisoning?

 

[IronWing]

User name checks out.

I'd give it a shot. If it smells okay while cooking, I'd eat it. Note that I cook meat dead. If you enjoy raw rare meat, then maybe not.

 

[sandorski]

Costco Prime Brisket. Removed from freezer 5pm Mon night and put in a sink to thaw (in sealed package). Room temp was about 69 average. Forgot about it until this morning (Wed, 36-40 hrs) and brisket is cool, but not refrigerator cool (guessing 50-60). It's now in the fridge keeping cool. Planning to prep tonight, then put it back in the fridge and throw it on the smoker Thurs morning.

Would you eat this or be afraid of food poisoning?

Nice.

 

[pete6032]

Costco Prime Brisket. Removed from freezer 5pm Mon night and put in a sink to thaw (in sealed package). Room temp was about 69 average. Forgot about it until this morning (Wed, 36-40 hrs) and brisket is cool, but not refrigerator cool (guessing 50-60). It's now in the fridge keeping cool. Planning to prep tonight, then put it back in the fridge and throw it on the smoker Thurs morning.

Would you eat this or be afraid of food poisoning?

How many pounds was the brisket?

 

[AnitaPeterson]

As long as it was sealed, despite the long thaw, it should be OK. No oxygen, no bacteria.
Basically, you did a safer, more antiseptic version of the French technique known as "faisandage".
And will probably have a tender meat on your plate, as a result.


If you don't speak French, you can run this through Google Translate. Some might find it repulsive, but remember French "cuisine" is considered among the best in the world:

Faisandage des gibiers | Diététique et principes du faisandage des gibiers

Le faisandage des gibiers est une opération délicate à effectuer selon l'état du gibier tué. La diététique du faisandage est précise sur le sujet.

montagne-hautlanguedoc.com

 

[BurnItDwn]

There is some risk that it might make you sick or might not taste very good if the meat has gone 'off'.

My guess is that it might be OK depending on how you prepare it.
Smoked Brisket is usually brought up to internal temperatures around 190-210 deg f.
My understanding is that most bacteria is destroyed around 145-165 deg f.

Also, If the outer surface of the meat looks 'off' or smells disgusting, then you certainly would want to trim it before you do anything else!

 

[dullard]

I personally wouldn't risk it. If it wasn't perfectly sealed, then 40 hours at a low room temperature is sufficient for ~27 doubling times for common food-borne illnesses (E. coli, salmonella, etc). 2^27 means you now have up to 100 million times what level of bacteria you had at the start.

You might be fine if it were well sealed, you trim off the outer portion (without dragging the bacteria into the inner portion), and cook it well. But, why risk it?

 

[Captante]

"When in doubt... throw it out" especially with meat! These are words of wisdom!

In other words if you even have to ask you ALREADY have your answer!

 

[sdifox]

should be fine, smoking kills most bacteria anyway. It was why meats were smoked in the first place, preservation.

 

[Captante]

Tuesday AM I would still 100% eat it but this is pushing your luck. If it was sitting thawed above 50f or so for more than a few hours you might get sick. (or just have a bad case of the Hershey-squirts!)

Personally I wouldn't chance it unless I was short on food and broke.

 

[AnitaPeterson]

Food waste is a horrible thing. That poor animal died for nothing.

 

[Mermaidman]

As long as it was sealed, despite the long thaw, it should be OK. No oxygen, no bacteria . . .

Botulism - WHO
Spores produced by the bacteria Clostridium botulinum are heat-resistant and exist widely in the environment, and in the absence of oxygen they germinate, grow and then excrete toxins.

 

[lxskllr]

What /I/ would do assuming it passes the raw sight/sniff test, is cut off a piece and fry it in a pan. Note the smell. If it smells sweet, it's going bad. If it passes, I'd consider it good. This stuff isn't really science. There's best practices, but it's only a guideline and estimation. Any food you get from the store has been handled a number of times, and generally imperfectly. Fresh food is always a risk.

 

[Torn Mind]

I have eaten ground beef I've thawed and melted, forgot for one day, refroze.

I'm not dead or ill.

Smell test goes a long way.

 

[ElFenix]

how do you not notice an oil pan sized chunk of beef sitting in your sink for a day and a half?

 

[MtnMan]

It's fine... enjoy

Now, how are you planning on cooking it?

 

[dullard]

how do you not notice an oil pan sized chunk of beef sitting in your sink for a day and a half?

An oil pan is clearly not an alternator size of beef.

 

[Captante]

 

[snoopy7548]

Food waste is a horrible thing. That poor animal died for nothing.

Not really for nothing... you could technically say the animal died for this thread.

 

[Torn Mind]

how do you not notice an oil pan sized chunk of beef sitting in your sink for a day and a half?

It was on top of the freezer and I never looked up at it.

It was still in the package. Exposed to open air on the other hand, probably going to trash that.

 

[skyking]

wow, 19 posts I am dissapoint.

Can I have your stuff?

 

[pete6032]

I have eaten ground beef I've thawed and melted, forgot for one day, refroze.

I'm not dead or ill.

Smell test goes a long way.

Not physically ill, I suppose.

 

[Caveman]

I think it will be eaten. It is an 11 lb brisket (~$46). I've seen/smelled bad meat before and this had none of that. No slimy feel, no weird smell. I'm guessing the vacuum seal had a lot to do with it.

I took the meat out of the fridge, prepped it with the dry rub and put it back in the fridge. It's going into the smoker in about 5 hrs and will be smoked for about 6-8 hrs, then finished in the oven for another few hrs until 203 deg F.

I'll try to remember to report back (if still alive

 

[nOOky]

I'd bring it into work and serve it to my co-irkers for the holidays. You'll find out soon enough if it was still good. I accidently left a $65 ham outside the freezer for 4 days. I did not chance eating it because of the bacteria, but I did put 15 147 grain hollow points into it just to see what would happen. The remains I left up above the house for the coyotes to finish off.

 

[Captante]

It was on top of the freezer and I never looked up at it.

Wth was thawing ground beef doing on top of your freezer?

Note that ground meat is far more of a contamination-concern then an intact cut and thus is more likely to go bad quickly/make you sick.