How Long Frozen Ground Beef in Freezer
How Long Can You Safely Store Ground Beef in the Freezer?
Information technology's longer than you lot recall—but that doesn't mean you should be eating it.
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Say you're making meatloaf for an impromptu get-together and you demand ground beef. Y'all don't have time to run to the grocery store, merely you remember that there are several pounds stashed in your freezer.
Y'all pull out the basis beef, and realize that you forgot to label and date it. Y'all take no idea how erstwhile information technology is. What do you lot do? Presume the ground beef is probably fine, or throw information technology out just to be safe?
Eating salubrious should nevertheless be succulent.
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Foodborne illness is no joke. And with the near recent footing beef recall—which involved two.1 1000000 pounds due to salmonella concerns—fresh on our minds, following condom handling practices is more of import than ever right at present.
Ideally, y'all should e'er label and date any food that yous programme to freeze. Simply if you run across something that doesn't accept a date, you may be surprised to know that this doesn't necessarily mean it'south dangerous to eat.
More than Food Recollect News:
- Recalled Ground Beef Linked to E. coli Outbreak Sold at Target, Aldi, Sam'southward Lodge
- Romaine Due east. coli Update: FDA Pinpoints Source, Says Outbreak Isn't Over Notwithstanding
- 91,000 Pounds of Basis Turkey Recalled Due to Potential Salmonella Contamination
What's far more of import is the temperature of your freezer. In club to effectively impale any leaner, yeast, or mold, your freezer must be set to 0°F or colder. With that said, as long every bit food is continuously stored at 0°F or colder, it volition e'er be safe to swallow.
In fact, the main consequence for properly frozen food is freshness and quality. According to the FDA's freezer storage guidelines, the optimal storage time for frozen ground beef is 3 to four months. The aforementioned goes for any type of ground meat, including hamburger meat and footing turkey, pork, veal, or craven.
So, to answer the original question—yes, yous technically can cook and eat the ground beef that's been sitting in your freezer, but that doesn't mean that you lot should. Instead, learn the signs that your basis beef may be by its prime so you'll be able to tell if the flavor and texture have been compromised. According to the USDA'southward Freezing and Food Safety guide, iii potential signs to wait for are freezer burn down, color changes, and water ice crystals.
With that said, don't risk serving your dinner guests subpar meatloaf. If you're worried, toss information technology out and guild pizza instead. But the next time you purchase fresh footing beef, continue in listen that you tin safely shop it in the fridge for 1 to 2 days. If y'all aren't certain y'all'll use it within that fourth dimension frame, it's best to go ahead and freeze it.
Basis Beef Freezing Tips
- E'er label ground beef with the date and weight before freezing. Freeze large quantities of ground beefiness in half-pound or one-pound portions so you can defrost the exact amount you need.
- Cheque the temperature of your freezer periodically to ensure that information technology's set to 0°F or colder. (If you lot don't own a freezer thermometer, yous can order one from Amazon.)
- To prevent freezer burn, wrap the ground beef in wax paper or freezer paper.
- The safest way to thaw frozen ground beefiness is in the refrigerator. Never leave it on the countertop to thaw as this exposes it to the danger zone (40°F to 140°F), the temperature range where leaner tin grow. Melt or refreeze the beef within 1 to 2 days.
- If you lose power, avert opening the freezer door. Depending on how full your freezer is, frozen food lasts for one to 2 days (equally long as the door stays airtight.)
Lastly, stay up to date on nutrient recalls by subscribing to the Food Safety and Inspection Service's email alerts. For big recalls like the recent ground beef i, become into the habit of double-checking your freezer for the affected nutrient, as this is an easy place to overlook.
For more than data on safe handling practices for raw and frozen basis beef, bank check out the USDA's Basis Beefiness and Food Safety page.
Source: https://www.cookinglight.com/cooking-101/how-long-can-you-freeze-ground-beef
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