Welcome to the EGGhead Forum - a great place to visit and packed with tips and EGGspert advice! You can also join the conversation and get more information and amazing kamado recipes by following Big Green Egg to Experience our World of Flavor™ at:
Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Pinterest  |  Youtube  |  Vimeo
Share your photos by tagging us and using the hashtag #BigGreenEgg.

Want to see how the EGG is made? Click to Watch

Power Outage - Question Re:Re-Freeze

Tony_T
Tony_T Posts: 303
OK, so my power is out and no telling how long it will take to get service back.
I'm putting ice in the Freezer to keep things cold, but looks like my Prime Strips, Salmon and Swordfish will start to de-frost.
Will it be ok if these items re-freeze?

Comments

  • Cold thawing is safer. But if they get all the way thawed I would be skeptical on the fish. 

    My freezer “froze” up last year and I ended up hosting an impromptu block party on a Sunday. 

    Definitely put them in the middle of the cooler and back as cold as you can around them. That sucks. 

    Might be cheaper to go go buy a small generator just for the freezer. 

    "Brought to you by bourbon, bacon, and a series of questionable life decisions."

    South of Nashville, TN

  • Brisket_Fanatic
    Brisket_Fanatic Posts: 2,884
    From a safety standpoint yes they will be fine as long as you keep it under 40 degrees. From a quality standpoint it will suffer a little but I would not worry about it. Just start planning your meals based on what's in the freezer. The issue is the ice crystals that will form when frozen and refrozen will tear the muscle fibers resulting in a greater loss of moisture. 

    NW IA

    2 LBGE, 1 SBGE, 22.5 WSM, 1 Smokey Joe

  • Photo Egg
    Photo Egg Posts: 12,110
    Tony_T said:
    OK, so my power is out and no telling how long it will take to get service back.
    I'm putting ice in the Freezer to keep things cold, but looks like my Prime Strips, Salmon and Swordfish will start to de-frost.
    Will it be ok if these items re-freeze?
    Any chance your neighbor has power?
    A good thick extension cord could be a game changer.
    Thank you,
    Darian

    Galveston Texas
  • Tony_T
    Tony_T Posts: 303
    edited May 2018
    The entire county (and surrounding counties) is without power!
    Some houses with generators, but not near me and not anyone I know.
    (This is a vacation house — I've gone back to the main house and will return in a day or so).

    I can (hopefully) keep the food < 40°, and when power is restored, I'll re-freeze, otherwise I'll be cooking up a Prime Cosco cryo with sides of Salmon and Swordfish ;)
  • Jupiter Jim
    Jupiter Jim Posts: 3,351
    It's ok to refreeze but as stated above quality will be less. I learned this from a Chef in the food safety business that worked for a company teaching the food industry food safety.

    I'm only hungry when I'm awake!

    Okeechobee FL. Winter

    West Jefferson NC Summer

  • gdenby
    gdenby Posts: 6,239
    Safety-wise, it takes pathogens some time, a couple of hours, after the food comes up above frozen for them to become active. Below 40F, the standard is about 7 days before uncooked food is likely to be a hazard.

    I've refrozen meats many times, and as above, the ice crystals tear up the flesh. Edible, but not very good. Never tried w. fish, and have to suppose the flesh is much more likely to turn to mush.

    'Spose you could get all primitive, and rub the meat w. salt, and put it over a smokey fire, and dry it. What folks did for many centuries rather than starve.
  • 20stone
    20stone Posts: 1,961
    Tony_T said:
    The entire county (and surrounding counties) is without power!
    Some houses with generators, but not near me and not anyone I know.
    (This is a vacation house — I've gone back to the main house and will return in a day or so).

    I can (hopefully) keep the food < 40°, and when power is restored, I'll re-freeze, otherwise I'll be cooking up a Prime Cosco cryo with sides of Salmon and Swordfish ;)
    I’d cook ‘em and eat ‘em. 
    (now only 16 stone)

    Joule SV
    GE induction stove
    Gasser by the community pool (currently unavailable)
    Scale (which one of my friends refuses to use)
    Friends with BGEs and myriad other fired devices (currently unavail IRL)
    Occasional access to a KBQ and Webber Kettle
    Charcuterie and sourdough enthusiast
    Prosciuttos in an undisclosed location

    Austin, TX
  • Tony_T
    Tony_T Posts: 303
    edited May 2018
    I just got a text from my utility that my power has been restored.
    About 24 hours w/o power, so i don't think it defrosted. IIRC, freezer will maintain temp for 24hrs and I also added ice to help. (not there to check temp)