How Long Does Raw And Cooked Ground Beef Last In The Fridge?
Though there are definitely times you should throw out old frozen meat, If you're storing raw ground beef in the freezer, then it will have a shelf life of 2 to 3 months before the quality changes, assuming you've repackaged it tightly.
Unfortunately, the timeline is considerably less for storage in the refrigerator. With raw meat, there's always a risk of introducing illness-causing bacteria into the meat. So, once you've purchased it, try to refrigerate ground beef as soon as possible. As always, be on the lookout for signs of spoilage, including an odd smell, slimy texture, or visible mold growth. Even without such signs, you should use refrigerated ground beef within two days. So, be sure to have a plan, like essential tips for how to grill perfect burgers. If your plans don't call for immediate consumption, then it's best to freeze the meat.
The shorter time is due to the introduction of bacteria. A refrigerator's temperature only slows down spoilage, as bacteria can still grow on the refrigerated meat. Thankfully, the cooler temperature causes does mean that the rate of growth happens at a substantially slower pace. Even if you may eventually freeze your ground beef, make sure your fridge is at the right setting to impede nasty microorganisms and prevent illness.
What about cooked meat?
According to the USDA, if your properly cooked beef is promptly refrigerated (within two hours or within an hour on a 90 degree or hotter day), you can keep it for about three or four days. If you won't be eating the ground beef during that time, it's best to place it in the freezer. Use a container with a good seal and be sure to label it with the date it was frozen, as well as the contents.
Regardless of whether you're storing ground beef that has been cooked or is still raw, always check for freshness before using. Ground beef, as well as other cuts, have certain characteristics signaling spoilage. If the raw meat looks gray, green, or any other strange color, then it's safest to toss it out. Ground beef shouldn't be slimy, sticky or wet when it's touched, either. Finally, if it smells off, the meat has quite likely spoiled and should be bound for the garbage.