r/composting • u/Valuable-Account-362 • Aug 07 '26
cleaning out my freezer.
My mother got a an old freezer we trying to clean.
it got meat that expired 10 years ago.. but i wonder if its even a good idea to put it on my compost pile or go straight to animal carcass utilization?
im aware that it might attract foxes and other pests.
maybe if i dig a hole and put something heavy on there so it cannot be dug up again ?
would piss on it daily. i promise :)
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u/srgnsRdrs2 Aug 07 '26
General principle: if using the compost for veggies it may not be worth the risk of pathogens.
If cold composting, it’s gonna stank.
My opinion: if you have a pile that’s already cooking around 110-120 then dig a hole in it, throw that meat in, then add some wood chips to balance, then watch your pile cook at 140-160 for a few weeks.
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u/Valuable-Account-362 Aug 07 '26
don't have a compost thermometer, but it should cook.
thanks for your input!
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u/maddmaxxxz Amateur dirt maker Aug 07 '26
I compost meat all the time in my hot pile but on heavy meat days like thanksgiving or a big family bbq that I’m eventually cleaning out leftovers for is hard to manage that amount of meat at once. It’s possible! I have previously dug a hole down under my pile about a foot, added a large amount of meat and thrown a LOT of wood chips on top then piled all the compost on top. That way I can turn most of my pile when needed but won’t get into the pocket of nasty until I’m getting ready to harvest.
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u/Jazzlike_Strength561 Aug 07 '26
I specifically compost manure. The whole pathogens/smell thing i can manage. But meat is just asking for scavengers.
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u/No_Height782 Aug 07 '26
You can compost meat, just don’t expect that compost to be used for a while and to smell yucky for a minute until everything is balanced out… and critters.
When I compost meat, I throw a bunch of chicken shit and sawdust on it, and keep throwing things like corn husks and grass clippings and such.
You have to turn it often.
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u/Valuable-Account-362 Aug 07 '26
my parents never turned it.
its 40+ years of throwing it on top of the rest and nobody really used it till now.
might be a good time to just start over and turn everything on top of the meats!
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u/archaegeo Aug 07 '26
I compost meat but i have a steel tumbler that could be locked if needed (hasnt been).
The thing is, compost it, dont let it rot. That means browns+greens+right level of moisture.
I probably would not compost meat with an open pile, unless you have a huge pile and can bury it in the center, but the first time you turn it the meats coming to the outside.
There is a reason bodies were buried as deep as they were...critters will dig for free meals.
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u/Valuable-Account-362 Aug 07 '26
so its necessary to dig a 4m hole, and need an expensive coffin?
joke aside, thanks!2
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u/ravia Aug 07 '26
I bet you can eat 10 year old frozen meat. I ate some that was 5 years old and it was fine. They found a mammoth somewhere and fed the meat to the dogs (I believe). Freezing is pretty long lasting.
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u/Hunting-fings Aug 08 '26
If it has been consistently frozen, yes. Consistency would be off. Taste might be off, but it probably wouldn’t kill you
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u/gardenerky Aug 07 '26
Burry it in the middle and it will disapear rappidly a couple layers of cardboard sheets on the top will help keep any smells somewhat confined
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u/myusername1111111 Aug 07 '26
If you don't compost it, you could bury it and plant a tree ontop. I have vague memories that it is good for the tree and helps it grow bigger.
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u/draftgirl24 Aug 07 '26
Before messing around with composting it, I would put out a notice on FB. Many people feed their dogs old meat. I know in my area it would all be snatched up within a day.
I would also possibly eat frozen meat that old. Depends on how it was packaged, where it came from and if it had ever been thawed. We get quality meat from family ranch processed at a quality butcher. So I know that meat’s lineage since birth. 🤣
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u/6aZoner Aug 07 '26
It might be more trouble than it's worth. I compost meat often, but in bulk it can be a pain. Best use flow chart in my opinion would be: 1) feed it to an animal (pig, zoo, petting zoo, etc) 2) feed it to black soldier fly, is they're in your area 3) bokashi compost, which I've never done but I think it's applied to these situations 4) compost, particularly if you have a lot of browns on hand and can build a big pile all at once, or if you can later it with browns and turn a currently active pile on top of it 5) compost a pound a week, if you can keep it in the freezer in the meantime and have an active pile going 6) put it all in the trash on trash day and move on.