Conference turris::cooks

    The shrink-wrapped foam packaging is *not* the best for long-term
    storage. The stores sacrifice some protection for visibility, and most
    of the protection that is there comes from the air-tight shrink-wrap;
    it's nearly impossible to re-wrap the store package to the same degree
    of snugness.
    
    You could wrap the spare chicken in a new sheet of plastic wrap and see
    if it keeps well enough for your purposes.
    
    You could buy one of the large family size packages of drumsticks,
    divide it into groups of three, wrap each group in freezer paper (the
    heavy white stuff) - you may want to wrap the chicken in plastic wrap
    first, but freezer paper will do by itself - and then freeze all the
    spare three-leg packages.
    
    Or, if you really don't want to bother with frozen chicken, you could
    buy your usual 6-leg package and cook all the chicken at once; cooked,
    the legs should last a bit longer. (This is my usual technique.)
    
    -b

    The foam package appears to act as an insulator against the cold.
    Stacking them seems to result in quicker spoilage.  I remember
    directions from long ago about not washing the chicken until ready to
    use, perhaps some natural protection exists.
    
    The best packaging I have found is tightly packed in a very conductive
    container (glass or steel) and covered.
    
    Another alternative is to marinade the raw chicken (acid assumed).  It
    keeps much longer in this manner.
    
    -kevin
    

    Experiment.  Buy chicken at another store and see if it is the store
    or the chicken.  I used to work for an international food research
    company and I know that believe it or not chicken should keep 12 days
    in your fridge.  It is the evisceration (cleaning) process that
    determines the longevity of your chicken.  The people who deliver it
    also can be the culperts.  If they turn off the refrigeration unit due
    to noise the quality can go down.  Take back any chicken that is bad
    for a refund.  If enough people do this they will fix the problem.
    Kris
    

    re: .3: I remember one Saturday morning back in '68, I backed the truck
    into Star Market in Porter Square and they had [were throwing out] 2
    tons of chickens.  "The refrigeration was off for a few hours and the
    mgmt didn't want to take any chances."
    
    Not everyone will "shut of the fridg for a few hours"
    
    ed

    Some comments on your problem:
    
    First of all, when you buy the chicken I would suggest you make sure 
    		  of the date on the package.  I am familiar with Donelans 
    		  and they do try to do a good job.
    
    		  But, even though it may
    		  be scientifically possible to keep chicken 12 days,
    		  there are the time commitments between when the chicken
    		  was killed, when it was prepared, when it was packaged,
    		  when the store received it, and then when it actually
    		  hit the counter.  So you see it very well could be
    		  several days between when the chicken was slaughtered to
    		  when it gets to the public.  And don't forget, there
    		  has been quite a bit on TV lately about how different
    		  businesses prepare and ship chicken to the stores.  It 
    		  seems most of them are not as clean or as careful as they 
    		  once were.  It could be that - to protect the customer
    		  while retaining a store's reputation -  a store would
    		  insert such notices regarding how soon the chicken 
    		  should be used.  I am sure they are not told when the
    		  chicken was killed.  They rely on government inspectors to
    		  assure quality and cleanliness but the government 
    		  inspectors are the first to admit they can't get around
    		  to all the factories as often as they should.
    
    		  And it is just such imperfect conditions that have
    		  created a rise in salmonella, etc.  From some of the
    		  reports I have seen on programs such as 20/20 or the
    		  like, the chicken is fine, it is the less than spotless
    		  conditions that create the problems.
    
    		  My father owned a restaurant.  Even way back when I was
    		  growing up, my father's way was to wash the chicken
    		  immediately and wrap before putting it in the fridge.
    		  And that was before styrofoam, which, along with that
    	 	  little packet which absorbs the drippings, I am sure 
    		  isn't the healthiest way to package chicken.
    
    Second:  If the above hasn't scared you (it didn't me) I would agree
    		  to previous writers who suggest using the freezer,
    		  marinating, and/or cooking the batch to use 2 or 3 days
    		  later.
    
    		  I usually use that premise with most of my cooking,
    		  particularlly since my sons have all gone off on
    		  their own now.  I will make a meal big enough to feed
    		  my husband and me twice, serve the first portion one day, 
    		  and the second (sometimes with a variation) a couple of days
    		  later.  Tonight it is a repeat of Saturday's meatloaf
    		  but with noodles instead of potatoe (not a good example,
    		  but you get what I mean).
    
    
    Good luck.
    
    

    Hi,
    
      I have a different question regarding thawed frozen chicken breasts
    (boneless).    Sunday,   I took the chicken out of the freezer and put
    it into the refrigerator to thaw overnight so that I could have it
    Monday.  But,  I was unable to use it Monday or Tuesday night.   I
    wanted to do a chicken stir-fry tonight, but am unsure if the chicken
    will be any good, since most of the information mentions that it should
    be used as soon as thawed.   So whats the consensus on whether the
    chicken is any good or not....  I do not want to take a chance on
    giving my family food poisening.   Please send me mail as well as
    entering a reply in here.   I've been pretty busy today, so I may not
    be able to check back in here today, but I think that this is something
    others may be interested in.  Or perhaps this has been discussed
    elsewhere in the notes file in one of the many chicken topics, but this
    one seem to be closest to my concerns.  
    
    Please send mail to Scoman::Stooker
    
    Thanks,
    Sarah

    open the package if it smells bad, chuck it.  I'd probably use it.
    
    Does your frig keep things cold?  and you put the package into a lower
    part of the frig?  ought to be okay.
    
    ed

 I agree with Ed. If it smells ok then it's probably ok. I've done that
many times with no problem.

    Thank,
    
      It smelled OK and none of us got sick....
    
    Sarah