Out Of Date Pastry: Yay or Nay? ?

I don’t think that I will use it.
Just the idea of it being out of date is putting me off it…
And I’m feeling absolutely terrible about putting poor old DH at risk with my dodgy festive fare!

I’m now more than open to suggestions as to what to do with my luxury M&S mincemeat and Baileys double cream! ?

Use it, no question unless as others say it’s obviously not good.

i mean buy a complete ready- made, ready to eat product.
and eat it. and relax and enjoy it. having checked dates first...

FannyCornforth

^Use by^
But they would say that, wouldn’t they?

so it's use by. bin it. why risk esp a CEV person. why risk anyone's well-being. go and buy some. bargains to be had.

definitely don't use anything past its use by dates.
these are not arbitrarily put on products; there is very precise food laws that have to be followed.
best before relates to quality, texture, taste.
use by relates to food safety, bodily health.

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.

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

Use it, I frequently use out of date stuff pastry and there have been no ill effects over the years.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.

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

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.

^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.

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

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

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

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.

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.

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!

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

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!

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

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

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)

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!.

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

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.

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 )