Expert: Keith Patton - 1/5/2008

Question
how long can you keep a bird frozen in a block of ice before it is not good?

Answer
Jose:

I heard that when they sampled that 6,000 year old frozen guy they got out of the Glacier in Austria he was still pretty good.

Seriously, I have heard of freezing ducks this way, but have never tried it.  I understand it prevents freezer burn which is simply fluid loss by the meat due to the cold dry air of the freezer.  Theorectically I would think that it would be good for up to a year or so.  Plastic is not impermiable.  Under a microscope it looks like a chain link fence, only it won't let big molecules through, like goretex but tighter.  Goretex lets water vapor through, but not water drops.  So in a freezer over time water can be lost causing freezer burn. Your block of ice reduces that.  However if you start to see ice loss in the block, then parts of the meat will be even more exposed than in plastic and will freezer burn even quicker.  The frost free freezers do a cooling and heating cycle which melts the frost but also your ice, that is why even ice cubes will vanish if left in the freezer long enough.  The other risk is the fat on the bird, or in the skin turning rancid.  This is probably the greatest cause of "off" flavors in meat that has been frozen.  So don't keep him around for ever, try using them within 6 months.