Should I still cook/eat this chicken?!
Should I still cook/eat this chicken?
There is boneless chicken breast that is in the back of my freezer, I really dont have an idea how old it is, but it isnt older then about 6 months. Can I still defrost the meat, prepare, then cook. Or should I toss it because it has been there too long. How long can chicken be in a freezer before it is "no good to eat"?
Answers:
U can eat it safety BUT it will not have all the taste of frest chicken ~ ur choice
Keep It Cold
Never leave raw or frozen chicken at room temperature. Raw chicken should be stored in the coldest part of your refrigerator and used within two days. Freeze any chicken that won't be used right away.
You can freeze it in its store packaging, but if you plan on storing it for longer than two months in the freezer, you should unwrap the chicken and rewrap it in heavy duty aluminum foil and a plastic freezer bag.
Frozen chicken can be stored in the freezer for up to one year without sacrificing quality.
When thawing frozen chicken, do so slowly and safely. It will take from 24 hours up to two days to thaw a whole chicken in the refrigerator, and about 2 to 9 hours for cut-up chicken parts (less for boneless pieces).
Other approved methods are thawing in a cold water bath or by using the defrost cycle of the microwave.
Keep It Clean
Rinse chicken with cold water, inside and out, and pat dry with paper towels before preparing. To prevent cross-contamination, thoroughly clean all surfaces, utensils, cutting boards, knives and hands with hot soapy water after handling raw poultry.
Get It Done
The only way to tell if a chicken is cooked properly is to use a meat thermometer--seeing if the juices run clear is not a reliable indicator of doneness. To test the internal temperature of a whole chicken, insert the thermometer into the thigh, taking care not to touch the bone. Chicken should reach 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Remember that the meat will continue to cook once it's removed from the heat source, so you may pull it out of the oven or off the grill a few degrees below the target temperature--just keep the thermometer in place and check to be sure the temperature climbs to a safe heat.
More Chicken Safety Tips
Marinating or brining? Always let the chicken marinate in the refrigerator, even for a short soak of 30 minutes.
Do not baste the cooked chicken with the same marinade: either make extra marinade and set aside a portion for basting only, or boil it for two to three minutes to kill any bacteria that might be present.
Cooked chicken should not be left at room temperature for more than two hours.
Properly handled cooked chicken can be stored in the refrigerator for two days.