Learn why people trust wikiHow. Download Article Explore this Article methods. Signs That Ground Beef is Bad. Tips and Warnings. Related Articles. Article Summary. Support wikiHow and unlock all samples. Method 1. Check to see if it has turned a dull brown or grey.
Fresh beef will be bright red in color, but it may have a few brown spots in the middle since ground beef is taken from different parts of the cow. Your ground beef will turn more grey the longer you keep it. Smell the beef to see if you notice a sour smell. Fresh beef will have a slight smell, but beef starting to go bad will smell rotten or sour. The smell is produced from gases made by some of the bacteria on your beef. If there is a strong smell, avoid eating it. Always cook the beef thoroughly to kill bacteria.
Touch the meat to see if it feels slimy. Squeeze the meat in your fingers to feel its consistency. Fresh meat should break apart in your hands easily and separate into chunks. If the meat is sticky or has a slimy texture, it has most likely gone bad. Check the sell-by date on the packaging. Raw ground beef is safe to use only 1 or 2 days after the recommended sell-by date.
Did you make this recipe? Leave a review. Method 2. If you plan to cook the beef soon, store it in your refrigerator. Beef left out at room temperature will start to harbor harmful bacteria colonies within 2 hours. Cook the beef within 2 days of the sell-by date. If the beef has been in a refrigerator the whole time, it will stay fresh and safe to use up to 2 days after the date listed on the packaging.
Keep raw beef in the freezer for up to 4 months. Keep the beef in freezer-safe plastic bags and label them with the sell-by date listed on the packaging. Squeeze all the air out of the bag before sealing it to conserve freezer space. These areas can be cut off if there are only a few. Otherwise, throw the meat away. Thaw the beef in the fridge or in a sink filled with cold water. Transfer the frozen beef to the fridge 1 to 2 days before you plan to use it so it has time to completely thaw.
If you want to thaw the meat in the sink, fill your sink with cold water and submerge the beef. Never leave the meat to thaw at room temperature. The only way to kill the natural bacteria in your beef is to cook it entirely. Store cooked ground beef in the refrigerator or freezer. Cooked ground beef can be safely stored in the fridge for 7 days before it starts to spoil.
It can also be stored for up to 8 months in the freezer. Be sure to store it in an air-tight container! Froze 2lbs of ground beef on 3rd day of refrigeration. It turned dark brown when thawed in fridge. Is it bad? Check the smell and texture of your ground beef. It does change color as it gets older, but if it doesn't smell or feel slimy, it should still be okay.
Not Helpful 6 Helpful Throw it away if you aren't sure when the sell-by date was. Ground beef is great to have on hand for so many meals like burgers, spaghetti, meatloaf and so much more. It is really simple. Using your senses will give you the answer between telling if ground beef is bad or not.
Touching and smelling ground beef are good indicators of it being good or bad. Brownish or grey ground beef is a no-go. First and foremost, always start by checking the sell-by or use-by date on the package. Ground beef is more susceptible to bacteria than steak because when it goes through the grinding process it gets exposed to so much.
This is why it is important to make sure that it is good before cooking or serving it. However, if it has gone bad it will have a rancid smell. A sour or tangy scent is a good indicator that it has spoiled and should be thrown out. A rancid smell is a good enough sign on its own that bacteria has started growing in the beef and you could get sick. This also applies to checking to see if cooked ground beef is still safe to eat or not. It should not have a tangy smell even after it has been cooked.
When you touch ground beef it will be a little wet but should not be slimy in the least. And how can we make it last longer?
Here's what you need to know. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but raw ground beef only lasts one to two days in the fridge, according to FoodSafety. Although, there are a few extra measures you can take to try and extend the shelf life of your ground beef. First, the quality of the ground beef you buy will inevitably affect its shelf life or the period of time for which the food can be stored before the quality deteriorates. Your best bet is to purchase high-quality ground beef for the longest shelf life.
You'll also want to pay attention to how you store it. Keep unopened, store-bought ground beef in its original packaging, and store it in the bottom shelf of the refrigerator towards the back. Say you've cooked up a pound of ground beef for taco night , how long will that last you in the fridge? Like all leftovers , cooked meats will last in the refrigerator for three to four days , according to the United States Department of Agriculture.
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