How Long Can Grass Fed Beef Stay in the Freezer

How Long Tin can Yous Safely Store Ground Beefiness in the Freezer?

It's longer than you lot call back—but that doesn't mean yous should be eating it.

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Say yous're making meatloaf for an impromptu go-together and you demand ground beef. You lot don't have time to run to the grocery store, but y'all remember that there are several pounds stashed in your freezer.

Yous pull out the ground beef, and realize that you forgot to label and date it. You lot have no idea how old it is. What do you do? Presume the ground beef is probably fine, or throw it out only to be rubber?

Eating good for you should however be delicious.

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Foodborne illness is no joke. And with the virtually recent ground beef recall—which involved ii.1 million pounds due to salmonella concerns—fresh on our minds, following safe treatment practices is more important than e'er right at present.

Ideally, y'all should always label and date whatsoever food that you program to freeze. Merely if you meet something that doesn't have a engagement, you lot may be surprised to know that this doesn't necessarily mean it'due south unsafe to eat.

More Food Recall News:

• Recalled Footing Beef Linked to E. coli Outbreak Sold at Target, Aldi, Sam's Gild
• Romaine East. coli Update: FDA Pinpoints Source, Says Outbreak Isn't Over Yet
• 91,000 Pounds of Footing Turkey Recalled Due to Potential Salmonella Contamination

What's far more than important is the temperature of your freezer. In order to effectively kill whatsoever leaner, yeast, or mold, your freezer must be set to 0°F or colder. With that said, as long as nutrient is continuously stored at 0°F or colder, information technology will always be safe to eat.

In fact, the main upshot for properly frozen nutrient is freshness and quality. Co-ordinate to the FDA'southward freezer storage guidelines, the optimal storage time for frozen ground beef is 3 to four months. The aforementioned goes for whatever type of ground meat, including hamburger meat and ground turkey, pork, veal, or chicken.

So, to respond the original question—yes, you technically can melt and eat the ground beefiness that's been sitting in your freezer, but that doesn't mean that y'all should. Instead, learn the signs that your footing beefiness may exist by its prime number then you'll exist able to tell if the flavor and texture accept been compromised. According to the USDA's Freezing and Food Safety guide, 3 potential signs to await for are freezer burn, color changes, and ice crystals.

With that said, don't risk serving your dinner guests subpar meatloaf. If you're worried, toss information technology out and order pizza instead. But the side by side time you purchase fresh ground beef, keep in listen that you can safely store it in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days. If y'all aren't certain you'll apply it within that time frame, it'south best to go ahead and freeze information technology.

Ground Beef Freezing Tips

• Ever label footing beef with the date and weight earlier freezing. Freeze large quantities of ground beef in half-pound or one-pound portions so yous tin can defrost the exact amount you lot need.
• Check the temperature of your freezer periodically to ensure that it's ready to 0°F or colder. (If you don't own a freezer thermometer, y'all tin order ane from Amazon.)
• To foreclose freezer burn, wrap the ground beef in wax newspaper or freezer paper.
• The safest way to thaw frozen ground beef is in the refrigerator. Never leave information technology on the countertop to thaw as this exposes it to the danger zone (40°F to 140°F), the temperature range where leaner can abound. Melt or refreeze the beef within 1 to two days.
• If you lose power, avert opening the freezer door. Depending on how full your freezer is, frozen food lasts for 1 to 2 days (as long every bit the door stays airtight.)

Lastly, stay upward to date on food recalls by subscribing to the Food Rubber and Inspection Service's electronic mail alerts. For large recalls like the recent basis beef i, become into the habit of double-checking your freezer for the afflicted food, as this is an easy place to overlook.

For more data on safety treatment practices for raw and frozen ground beef, check out the USDA's Ground Beef and Food Safety page.

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Source: https://www.cookinglight.com/cooking-101/how-long-can-you-freeze-ground-beef