Pork fat-back freezer life

[Timber II]

Had the butcher tell me ya can’t keep fat-back too long, as it yellows etc. I’ve had these vac packed in freezer for a year. Try don’t look yellowed but I ain’t thawed them.

Still good of get new.
I prolly oughta just get new cause it’s goin in sausage that may not get ate till next summer.

 

[Jim_C]

I have a couple of packs in the freezer from a 1/2 pig we bought 4-5 years ago. The person we split the pig with didn't want the fat or the feet. The butcher vacuum packed them and the fat is nice and white. They're probably five pounds each, so I'd be in for one big batch of sausage if I pull one of them.

 

[texomakid]

It was a common practice at the packing plant I worked at as a young man. Pork & beef fat was frozen and used for many things. Mostly for deer sausage but we used it in a lot of items. I have no idea about self life.

 

[okie sawbones]

Vacuum sealed pork fat lasts for a year easily. Just smell it. Unrendered pork fat should have a faint, clean scent, similar to that of raw meat. A strong, foul, sour, soapy, or chemical smell indicates the fat has gone bad and should be discarded.

 

[chopsaw]

You may not notice it right away after thawing . Once the air hits it , it starts to go downhill .
Happened to me once . Didn't start to smell off until I already had it mixed up . Ruined 20 pounds of deer sausage . I would get new , especially if you're refreezing .
Not bad ,, Old . You'll know it once it happens .

 

[Dustin Dorsey]

I have some vacuum sealed in the freezer for several years and used it and it's fine.

 

[tallbm]

Had the butcher tell me ya can’t keep fat-back too long, as it yellows etc. I’ve had these vac packed in freezer for a year. Try don’t look yellowed but I ain’t thawed them.

Still good of get new.
I prolly oughta just get new cause it’s goin in sausage that may not get ate till next summer. View attachment 726325

I've had vac sealed last for 3 years and use it.

I've also had not vac sealed go bad, where bad means the flavor was not good. It doesn't spoil in a way to make you sick it just degrades in flavor and texture and mine was more like a soap or chemical taste on the bad batch.

The way I test is I defrost and smell and then throw some in a skillet and cook it up and smell and taste. If it cooks up fine then you have no issues and can use it, especially if what you make with it will get eaten up and doesn't also go into the freezer for years lol.

If in doubt just get new.