Out Of Date Pastry: Yay or Nay? ?

Best before dates are just a guide. Pastry doesn't suddenly 'go off'. How many times have we seen perfectly good fruit and vegetables (even flowers ffs) sold off because they are close to best before / use by dates?? It's become a nonsense and is eroding people's ability to make a common sense judgement. If it looks and smells okay I would definitely use it.

Buy some shortening fat, hard block of Stork or similar & make your own fresh pastry to replace it!
Bin the ready made because I think the fat can make it taste a bit “off” maybe?

Unless it smells rancid or looks slimy when you open it then I’d use it. But that’s me, you’ll have to make your own decision!

Fat can go rancid. I would bin it.

Definitely use it. I used some that was a year old once and it was fine.

I would eat it unless it is grey and/or obviously off. The sniff test has served this household well for many years.

Use by dates are an estimate, and manufacturers are obliged to put one on all edible products. Sooner or later the date will come round, but that doesn't mean the food will be dangerous to eat. (Mr Dog used to work in the food industry, and will tell you all about this sort of thing if you're not careful )

Definitely use. As others said, main danger is fat would be rancid but you would smell that (unless you've lost sense of smell due to Covid). No health risk as will be cooked. I'm retired microbiologist and if it were mine would definitely use.

Make your own, it’ll be nicer than bought.

I would use it, if as others have said, your fridge is operating normally, the pastry looks OK, smells OK, is firm to the touch and isn't weeping or slimy. Pastry is also cooked at high temperatures.

I have to own up to doing that today to make mince pies, although my pastry wasn't quite as out of date as yours, Fanny.
In fact the pies were delicious.

PS, I'm CEV, just like Mr Cornforth!.

MaizieD

'Best before' or 'use by' ?

I'd open one and investigate. If it's slimy and disgusting, bin. If it looks OK, use...

I agree.

If it smells odd then the fat has gone off, is rancid, but I've had Trex in the fridge for ages waiting for me to make mince pies but I bought some.

Best thing would have been to freeze it (sorry!)

Buy some shortening fat, hard block of Stork or similar & make your own fresh pastry to replace it!
Nonogran even St Mary Berry doesn't make her own puff pastry

Short crust is much nicer, FannyCornforth, especially with orange rind grated in it.
Josceline Dimbleby recipe)

Cheat's puff pastry - just grate the fat, mix with flour and add water, roll out - done!

Ooh, might try that. Do you freeze the fat first?

FannyCornforth just buy some, if you can get a grocery slot or however, and when your DH is having a snooze pop them in the oven, then produce them triumphantly!

FannyCornforth, bet you don't know what to do now!

Out of the dozen mince pies made this morning, there are only six left.
If you don't see me posting tomorrow, Fanny, you will know that I made a bad decision!

If it looks and smells OK, I would use it. Is it a use by or best by date?

The pastry is going to be cooked in a very hot oven for 15-20 minutes. That should kill off any pathogens that might be in the pastry.

I would use it but if you’re really not sure just cut a small square off and bake it before you make the mince pies. If it tastes OK it’s fine.

The question to ask is:
Would you serve it to guests?

If no, then don't eat it yourself, however tempting.

You've got me worried on here now because I eat left over pastry raw. A bit like licking the bowl with cake mixture!

^leftover pastry'

The birds get mine. And the dreadful gluten-free stuff.

I am a bird lover and haven't seen any little carcasses so far.

A bit of a tangent, but I came across a great tip a couple of weeks ago, and don't know what I didn't think of it sooner.

When you use pastry save the trimmings, cut into diamond shapes about an inch across, and freeze them in a single layer then decant into bags (separating sweet, savoury and puff into different bags). If you want an instant pie, you put the filling in the dish (eg frozen fruit with a bit of lemon juice and flour to thicken) and scatter the party bits on top. Bake it and Voila! A fancy-looking pie or pudding. You don't even need to defrost anything first, and can choose to line the base if you have fresh pastry, or use a deeper dish and leave it out to make more of a pudding.

I saw it in the Hairy Bikers Pie book, which I was flicking through the other day. They showed a fruit pie, but I think the same principle would work on a savoury one that didn't need to be too 'contained' by the pastry.

Gah! That post is full of Autocorrect typos, but I hope you get the gist.

Use it, I frequently use out of date stuff pastry and there have been no ill effects over the years. The dates are a guide and indicate when the food is at it's best not necessarily when it is inedible.

EllanVannin

Pastry goes sour and the freezing of it masks this. For the small amount it costs, is it worth it ?

Nothing to do with cost, just can’t get any more puff pastry now, and I can’t make my own as I’ve burnt my hand

can't you just buy the pies or whatever it is.
i don't understand this mania for making baking things that can be easily bought.