[425lisamarie]

Somehow I have 3 chicken carcasses that have been frozen for months. Actually I'm not sure they aren't a year old or longer. I found them behind some things in my deep freeze. They aren't wrapped well, just thrown in a bag

 

[octobermoon]

i have one that i've had for months so i would like to know too.

 

[philomom]

I think that's fine. I often save a few carcasses in the freezer until I want to make a big pot of stock.

Break the bones a bit and add a splash of lemon to draw the goodness out of the bones.

 

[kjbrown92]

If they've been in a commercial type freezer, they're probably fine. If they're in a freezer that's part of a fridge, which doesn't do as good as a job, I'd probably chuck them.

 

[tanyalynn]

I thought the problems with long, long freezing times were mostly due to the quality of the food (degrading, I mean) not really safety issues. Given that it's bone and various connective tissues that you're going to be simmering for a day and then throwing away, I think the quality issue isn't very relevant. I'd use them.

 

[BedHead]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TanyaLopez I thought the problems with long, long freezing times were mostly due to the quality of the food (degrading, I mean) not really safety issues. Given that it's bone and various connective tissues that you're going to be simmering for a day and then throwing away, I think the quality issue isn't very relevant. I'd use them.

:

 

[cristeen]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TanyaLopez I thought the problems with long, long freezing times were mostly due to the quality of the food (degrading, I mean) not really safety issues.

Exactly.

They're not going to spoil as long as the freezer hasn't been thawing them and refreezing them repeatedly for the last year.

They may be a bit freezer-burned, but

I made chili a few weeks ago out of a couple pieces of meat that had been in the bottom of my freezer for at least 2 years and it turned out great. Best chili ever, in fact.

 

[JamieCatheryn]

I think I'd use something from the deep freeze for up to a year. In a good regular freezer, 3-6 months.

 

[gardenmom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JamieCatheryn I think I'd use something from the deep freeze for up to a year. In a good regular freezer, 3-6 months.

In general, I'd follow this, but for bones to simmer for stock...I think longer would be fine.