When in doubt, throw it out! (Also, how I made my wife turn green.)

[Michael_in_TX]

So, I was all set to do ribs this afternoon. They were on sale last week at HEB and I had planned to do them this weekend, but things got away from me so I decided to do them today, after all the sell-by date was today. I wasn't too worried....most literature says you can go a few days from the sell-by date, especially in a cryo-vac, as these were.

I took the first rack out of the cryo-vac and placed it on the cutting board and while reaching for my butter knife to start to take off the membrane, I was hit with an "off" smell. Now, I am not a rib expert, but I have done quite a few racks over the years and I don't ever remember there being a smell, either good or bad.

I lifted the rib up and smelled it directly. Yeah, it's a smell, porky, sorta, but not overly powerful...yet not one I would call good or inviting.

I cut open the other rack's cryovac and did not take the rib rack out, but just smelled it directly in the cyrovac. YUCK. YEAH, NOT GOOD. NOT GOOD.

However, I have been known to fool myself, so I asked my wife to come over and smell this second rack, just as I did. I prefaced it with, "These are some of the freshest ribs ever. You gotta smell this."

She did. She turned green. Second opinion verified.

I'm sure this situation has to happen to all of us sooner-or-later. I'm kinda surprised it has taken six years for me to encounter it. The only thing I can think of is that these things must have been improperly stored at the store. (My refrigerator is set to 35 F.) They were the last few racks available (I actually had to get an HEB person to go to the back to see if they had any left.)

Oh well, no smoking tonight. :/

[Hulagn1971]

It's happened to me more than once. That smell is rough and tough to get out of the house!

[Michael_in_TX]

Yeah, those ribs are in a trash bag.....outside!

[Jim White]

Uhm. If I had done that with the "freshest ribs ever" part, I would have been writing the post from the hospital.

[Murdy]

Yeah. My wife's eyes kind of glaze over when I look at her and say, "Smell this."

[Jfrosty27]

It happens. 🤷♂️

[Jessterr]

Yeah, it does. Had a nice Smithfield spiral cut hickory smoked ham, vacuum packed really well, go bad two weeks prior to the expiration date. Upon opening, slime city all over the place. Michael_in_TX , since you just purchased the racks last week and opened them before expiration, you gonna go back and request a reimbursement from HEB? I recently got a bum chicken from my local Food Lion and they had me just go back and pick out a replacement bird, no questions asked.

[Michael_in_TX]

These were also Smithfield ribs. I thought about going back, but for less than $10, it's not worth the effort.

[realdocBBQ]

Have you been 'served' with papers yet?


If not, I'd keep an eye over my shoulder the next few days...

[texastweeter]

Lol

[HawkerXP]

Take them back to the store.

Full refund is required.

[Oak Smoke]

I’m married to the kindest, most fun woman I’ve ever met. If I had pulled that I wouldn’t close my eyes tonight. She would get even! Guys give each other courtesy smells all the time. I really hadn’t thought about it until Jeff Foxworthy talked about it. Women don’t play that game. There’s a chart online somewhere that will show if flowers will get you out of this mess or if it’s going to take jewelry.

[Murdy]

You gotta smell what your buddy's smelling so you can talk about it too.

[Jerod Broussard]

Ribs give off the funkiest odors. I wonder about their surface that lies exposed to potential sanitary dress issues.

[captainlee]

I had it happen with a whole chicken pia but it happens. Good move just tossing it when in doubt but this one was obvious.

[LA Pork Butt]

I am a fan of “If in doubt…”

[DavidNorcross]

Better safe than sorry for sure.

[Michael_in_TX]

So a postscript to this. Tomorrow is trash day so I went outside to add some trashbags to the big bin that I had put the trash bag containing the ribs.

Upon opening the bin......FOULNESS! I nearly gagged. It's in a tied up trash bag! But I guess the 85F+ temps made whatever was vile very volatile. I almost feel as if I should put a warning sign on it for my trash guys! YUCK.

With as bad as that smelled, I feel like I dodged a bullet. That could have made me very sick.

[jecucolo]

I don’t fool around with pork or chicken. If they smell bad I toss them.
Beef is different.

[bbqLuv]

Vingar helps to clear up the "funky" order

[Michael_in_TX]

If the trash can still smells like that tomorrow, I may have to do that.