[plum crumble]

garage freezer - starting to be able to see the sides. Just discovered rhubarb from 2 seasons ago  - never mind, that'll make another lovely batch of my rhubarb and orange chilli chutney. There are few more bags of blackberries, blackcurrants, plums and raspberries left. Time to make some crumble bases. then just one more bag of courgette - all diced and ready to chuck into stews/soups. Loads of spinach - but as I also have it perpetually growing on the lottie, it's a bit silly of me to freeze it - except I can't compost good veg (there's only so much the neighbours, family and work colleagues will take before they start avoiding me!! ) Lots of saag aloo to come!

house freezer - last couple of lamb and beef joints in there from the Crimble bargains  - otherwise mix of peas, ice-cream and crumbles, burgers etc.

I like this thread - it is making me think of all the new growth - and my early rhubarb is already showing strongly!

[devonbarmygardener]

Ewwww Grannie!
Brawn - really!!

I saw that made on the telly once - I couldn't eat it if I tried!!

If I kept animals for meat - I'd let whoever killed and jointed it for me to have all the offal in payment for the work done - I can't eat any of it!!

[LotuSeed]

What's the longest amount of time you'll keep things in the freezer before you consider them past the "expiration date"? Also, if you have frozen fruit and bottle jam, how do you decide its "best by" date? From the time it was put in the freezer or when it was actually canned (bottled). Just curious what others do and think.

[devonbarmygardener]

I'd eat jam or marmalade about 18 months later - but not much longer

[LotuSeed]

18 months from when it was frozen or 18 months from when you bottled it?

[devonbarmygardener]

18 months from when it was frozen or 18 months from when you bottled it?

18months from the day I put it in the jar

[GrannieAnnie]

Well LotuSeed, now you have started another train of thought! LOL 

I still have a jar of rhubarb and ginger jam bottled in 2008.  there is no sign of mould on it, and I only finished the last jar a couple of months back!  I will still eat stuff as long is it isn't mouldy and it smells okay! LOL

As to other stuff in freezer, We've eaten our own frozen turkeys 2 years after we froze them.  The ones we have left now are 15 months frozen and I cooked a breast on Sunday and it was still beautiful!

I still have some veg in there from 2013 too (Must use them up soon! LOL)

Brian loves brawn Emma!  I can take it or leave it, but he eats liver, kidneys, heart, whatever! Also, a the turkeys were so big in 2013, I cooked the necks for the dog, but there was so much meat on some of them, we had that too!  Very tender meat it was too! 

[Mrs Bee]

What's the longest amount of time you'll keep things in the freezer before you consider them past the "expiration date"? Also, if you have frozen fruit and bottle jam, how do you decide it's "best by" date? From the time it was put in the freezer or when it was actually canned (bottled). Just curious what others do and think.

About 5 years for jam marmalade and chutney so long as the seal is still good and there is no sign of mould.

The old chutneys certainly have had time to mature.

[Auntiemogs]

I have kept things in my freezer for probably much longer than they are meant to be kept.   

The three year old 'mystery meat' turned out to be half of a large turkey crown that wasn't eaten at a family Christmas meal.  I slow cooked it and it was beautifully tender.

Sea food doesn't always fare so well.  Uncooked prawns just aren't the same (a bit mushy) after 6 months.

I still have frozen blackberries from 2 seasons ago, but I'm sure they'll be just fine if I make wine/jelly from them.

 

[New shoot]

This thread is prompting me to make a pud today to clear some of the fruit.  There is loads in there and the rhubarb has emerged on the plot already 

A quick rummage revealed gooseberries and loads of summer rasps, loganberries and tayberries - yum 

[snowdrops]

I have a superfluity of soups . Trouble is they're  the ones my hubby won't eat

[GrannieAnnie]

So make him a different one and you have the others!  or make him go without??   

Cooked one of the half pigs heads on the woodburner the other day and used the meat for pork and veg curry, enough for 2 meals for us with the addition of a bit more veg, or I do have a chickpea curry in the freezer! mmmmm

[snowdrops]

So make him a different one and you have the others!  or make him go without??   

  that's just what I will do, I made some leek & potato today & there is some minestrone I found today, he will eat that. It's mainly squash soup he refuses if presented as that but I have been known to use it as a base

[Madame Cholet]

Had a nice surprise founds some  vic plums thought they were tomatoes

[devonbarmygardener]

I have a superfluity of soups . Trouble is they're  the ones my hubby won't eat

Me too!!