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What to do with 400+ lbs of rancid assorted meat?

Grendel

Iron Sharpens Iron
Joined
May 19, 2020
Member Number
297
Messages
3,485
So, figured out what the stench in the basement is... had a boiler installed two weeks ago. During install, they unplugged the freezer to plug in something.

Steaks, chops, whole free range turkeys... all done.

Anyone local need bait for fish, Coyotes or the like?

I am also told that my home owner's insurance would cover this?
 
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Sounds like that contractor owes you a full freezer of meat.

Yeah, there are other issues with that contractor, meaning not likely. :mad3:

But also a freezer. The thing will never smell right again... and some sort of basement stench reduction.
 
bury it in the garden? My dad buries everything in the garden for fertilizer
 
Yeah, there are other issues with that contractor, meaning not likely. :mad3:

But also a freezer. The thing will never smell right again... and some sort of basement stench reduction.

Small claims court?
 
I would be talking to the contractor first.

I had this happen on a much smaller scale like maybe 150 lbs. I ended up taking it to the dump. The freezer was saved with a good bleaching and then baking soda spread around inside and sealed up for a month. I suppose it was not fun to do but I made my ex do it as she was the one who unplugged it.:barf:
 
Call contractor first.

Second, call insurance. They will pay out. My ins paid me simply by asking the value of the food that went bad during a big storm. Couple days later I had a check.
 
You can recycle it I think. I just took this picture of a 2 yard dumpster full of scrap food at a restaurant I did some work at this morning. Made me gag with the smell

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Call contractor first.

Second, call insurance. They will pay out. My ins paid me simply by asking the value of the food that went bad during a big storm. Couple days later I had a check.

^ That. Insurance is usually pretty good about it. I'd be all over that contractor about this too. If one of my guys did that I would make them go to your house and apologize, and help clean up.
 
Contractor, as mentioned, isn't an option. Already bad blood there, even have it in text that they did it.

Have an email into my State Farm agent. They can go after him.
 
I'd be a lot more upset than you appear to be. Props for keeping your cool... i've got nothing to add that hasn't already been said. I had no idea you could do an INS claim.
 
I would be talking to the contractor first.

I had this happen on a much smaller scale like maybe 150 lbs. I ended up taking it to the dump. The freezer was saved with a good bleaching and then baking soda spread around inside and sealed up for a month. I suppose it was not fun to do but I made my ex do it as she was the one who unplugged it.:barf:

That freezer is now a cold smoker. Not even worth trying to get the rotten meat stench out of plastic. It may have happened once but don't count on it again.

The only way you're getting out of 400lbs of rotten meat is giving it to an industrial fertilizer company, or bury it. There are industrial Fish Emulsion companies for example, I'd throw that meat right in that vat maybe they would.
 
Pro tip #1 from a guy that's been there. Plug the freezer back in before attempting to unload it. Frozen rotten meat doesn't stink.

Pro tip #2 the freezer will be fine once it's completely mil spec cleaned out. Bleach is your friend.


There was a freezer on the back patio when I moved in here and I ignored it figuring it friends ex probably left it full of food and just pushed it out back. I was 100% correct, it sat there for a month last spring. :mad3: I plugged it in and left it for a week and once everything was frozen it was no biggy to clean out. I hosed it down with clorox foaming spray a few times and scrubbed the hell out of it. I left it open for a couple days to air out and it's been fine the last year.
 
Other than taking to the dump, you could find someone with a sunroof you don't like.
 
Pro tip #1 from a guy that's been there. Plug the freezer back in before attempting to unload it. Frozen rotten meat doesn't stink.

Pro tip #2 the freezer will be fine once it's completely mil spec cleaned out. Bleach is your friend.


There was a freezer on the back patio when I moved in here and I ignored it figuring it friends ex probably left it full of food and just pushed it out back. I was 100% correct, it sat there for a month last spring. :mad3: I plugged it in and left it for a week and once everything was frozen it was no biggy to clean out. I hosed it down with clorox foaming spray a few times and scrubbed the hell out of it. I left it open for a couple days to air out and it's been fine the last year.

Now that is a good tip. Will do that now.

I wonder if they will have to send someone out to look at it
 
Now that is a good tip. Will do that now.

I wonder if they will have to send someone out to look at it

Call your agent and tell them the deal and inform them you're plugging it in before unloading. They might send someone out immediately to take a whif to verify it's garbage.
 
When you do your scrub, rinse, repeat routine throw in a scrub with some lemon juice. Something about the acid reacts with something and makes it smell less. I learned this trick working with fish so YMMV may vary with beef but it's worth a try.
 
Pro tip #1 from a guy that's been there. Plug the freezer back in before attempting to unload it. Frozen rotten meat doesn't stink.

Pro tip #2 the freezer will be fine once it's completely mil spec cleaned out. Bleach is your friend.


There was a freezer on the back patio when I moved in here and I ignored it figuring it friends ex probably left it full of food and just pushed it out back. I was 100% correct, it sat there for a month last spring. :mad3: I plugged it in and left it for a week and once everything was frozen it was no biggy to clean out. I hosed it down with clorox foaming spray a few times and scrubbed the hell out of it. I left it open for a couple days to air out and it's been fine the last year.

100% this. Had crab bait, salmon chicken razor clams etc, in a brand new samsung fridge freezer combo at our family property. Power goes out for a week in the winter but I dint make it back out till its been warm for about a month or so. And for what ever reason it was plugged into a gfci that tripped. I reset it and let it freeze, drove to wally world bought bleach and garbage bags. Next morning I emptied it all out and took it to the dump, very very little smell frozen. Took out anything that was removable Parts wise and bleached the entire thing they used a small brush to make sure I got the corners snd shit. Let it sit for about 15 minutes and then sprayed it down with a chlorine remover mix for aquariums so I didn’t destroy any seals and shit like that. 3 years later it’s still GTG.
 
Dump the meat and clean the freezer, I'd use bleach. Then I would move it outside and expose the interior to the sun for a few days. Smell will be gone. I fish for sharks and my coolers don't smell, hundreds of pounds of dead smelly stuff go through them each year. I have a freezer right now full of fish that lost power for a week, sharks don't care, freezer will be fine.
 
Contractor, as mentioned, isn't an option. Already bad blood there, even have it in text that they did it.

Have an email into my State Farm agent. They can go after him.

Was it a legit contractor? They generally have insurance. It'd at least be worth exploring before taking the hit on your homeowner's policy.


Edit: Derp, didn't read the second sentence right the first time. Good to know they'll chase it down and go after him.
 
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