Bear meat question

[Beaverhunter]

Hey guys I shot a bear in mid November I took it to the butcher and asked that they put it in 10lbs bags for sausage. They said they were going to cut it and freeze it for a month. Today I go to pick it up and they can't find it in the freezer. Well it tuns out it was thawing out to make sausage tomorrow.(which I never asked them to do.) So I asked them to refreeze and never paid and said I would come back to pick it up. My question is what are people's opinions on thawing out and refreezing meat?

[tuner]

It is fine, there is no negative effect in the flavour or quality.

[two-feet]

Agree. I do it often.

[one-shot-wonder]

Have thawed and froze meat before. No problem as long as the thawed meat isn't allowed to come up to room temperature for a long period of time. If done in a refrigerated state, no worries.

To avoid confusion next time, ask them to just 'debone' the meat.

[BiG Boar]

Your statement looks confusing. It sounds almost like you wanted 10 pound bags of sausage. That would have been tough to deal with.

Its bear meat, I don't think it can get any worse, refreezing should be fine.

[ElliotMoose]

Shot several animals in -10 weather that froze over night, only to thaw out in +5 the next day and freeze again following night and they have all been fine!

[wideopenthrottle]

freeze/thaw/freeze/thaw/freeze/thaw/ will cause moisture loss and some texture change but you are grinding it for sausage anyway so that doesn't matter

[russm86]

Bigger and more concerning question is why freeze it for a month? It's been proven that this method doesn't kill the trichinosis that is found in northern/colder climates. Cooking properly is the only guarantee... If freezing was there idea of killing the trich so they didn't have to pay attention to properly cooking it when making the sausage I'd be worried...

[Sharpish]

Bigger and more concerning question is why freeze it for a month? It's been proven that this method doesn't kill the trichinosis that is found in northern/colder climates. Cooking properly is the only guarantee... If freezing was there idea of killing the trich so they didn't have to pay attention to properly cooking it when making the sausage I'd be worried...

Unless their freezer is industrial quality (which is probably is) and can freeze down to -40 and below. That's how they freeze sushi fish to kill parasites and bacteria.

[russm86]

Unless their freezer is industrial quality (which is probably is) and can freeze down to -40 and below. That's how they freeze sushi fish to kill parasites and bacteria.

Good to know, I'll have to ask the local butchers what their freezers are like next time I take a bear in.

[Gateholio]

You lose moisture and depending on packaging it can encourage freezer burn.

If it comes up to room temperature or greater during the defrosting period, that can encourage bacteria growth.

For sausage I don't know if I would be concerned, except for the defrosting/temperature

[GotaGun]

Not the best to refreeze.
Have done it before no problems. Don't do it a third time.

Also= freezing doesn't kill trichinosis. Only full cooking does.

[two-feet]

Good to know, I'll have to ask the local butchers what their freezers are like next time I take a bear in.
Dont think the trich is nuetralizd by freezing, even -40. Gotta cook those buggers

[russm86]

Dont think the trich is nuetralizd by freezing, even -40. Gotta cook those buggers

That's what I thought too, however I googled it and found nothing indicating even the cold resistant types could survive below -20°C or -30°C for any extended period of time. I'll still rely on cooking only at this point though.

[fearnodeer]

The meat will be fine, I unthaw meat prepare it and refrezze still turns out good.

[Sharpish]

Unless their freezer is industrial quality (which is probably is) and can freeze down to -40 and below. That's how they freeze sushi fish to kill parasites and bacteria.

That being said, I still wouldn't undercook any ground meat or sausages, bear or no bear. Maybe if someone wanted to eat a medium rare bear steak, super hard freezing might work, but unless it was dipped in liquid nitrogen Terminator style I wouldn't touch it. Trich is pretty unpleasant from what I hear.

[Ltbullken]

Should be fine as long as it was kept cool.

[okas]

that is how the stores make the meat tender . in and out . breaks it down .. air is the bad wrap it tight

[okas]

Tirch 6 weeks in the freezer med size pieces . more pepole get Trich at a pig roast

[ICEWOODY]

Happend to us around June family closed up shop for wedding season and just went into the freezer through the summer. Tate's fine, mind you they tureen the entire bears into sausage and I got no hams, but they know what their doing. Btw it all tasted great