Will these mince pies still be good and/or safe to consume?

I've discovered some home made mince pies (frozen after production, un-cooked) which were made by following Delia's Traditional Mince Pie recipe this time last year (lard & butter based pastry and shop bought mincemeat). They've lived in the freezer at -20°C in an airtight container since production.

Will they have suffered any quality degradation / no longer be safe to eat?

Best Answer

They will certainly be safe assuming your freezer has operated properly throughout the last year.

Some quality degradation is possible, especially freezer burn on the outside if they were not wrapped extremely well. A buildup of visible frost inside the wrapping is a sign this is extremely likely, although it can happen even without the buildup.

Rancidity of the butter in the pie crust is also possible, but not terribly likely.

Still, since you have the pies, there is no harm in baking one and seeing how they turned out.

Pictures about "Will these mince pies still be good and/or safe to consume?"

Will these mince pies still be good and/or safe to consume? - Black woman buying bread in supermarket

Will these mince pies still be good and/or safe to consume? - African American female buyer in protective mask and gloves carrying loafs of bread in grocery store

Will these mince pies still be good and/or safe to consume? - Side view of African American female buyer wearing medical mask and latex gloves choosing bread from shelf in supermarket

Are out of date mince pies OK?

Shop-bought mince pies generally contain preservatives, so if they are past their "best before" date they might still be OK to eat, they just might be a bit soggy or stale.

How long will mince pies keep?

Mince pies are best served gently warmed. They can be eaten with your hands or with a spoon if served with cream or even ice cream if you like. Stored in in the fridge in an airtight container, they will keep for up to 4 days.

Can you get food poisoning from a mince pie?

Meat. The worst culprit for food poisoning is minced beef, which is used in dishes such as cottage pie, chilli, lasagne, pies and especially burgers. The reason minced beef (and other minced meats) is the most likely to give you food poisoning is because it has a larger surface area than, say, a steak.

Do christmas mince pies go off?

As they are home-made they do not keep quite as long as commercial mince pies and we suggest that you keep them in an airtight container for up to one week. The baked mince pies do freeze very well and can be frozen for up to 3 months.

The ISCA Christmas Bake Off: Mince Pies

Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Images: ROMAN ODINTSOV, Laura James, Laura James, Laura James