How Long Should Meat Be Stored in the Refrigerator?
If you do not want to be processed immediately after purchase, fresh meat and processed meat products such as sausages and corned beef must be stored in the refrigerator to be durable. However, is there a time limit for storing meat in the refrigerator?
First, check the condition of your refrigerator before storing meat for a long time
In order to keep the meat fresh until it's time to process, you should store it in the refrigerator or freeze it all in the freezer. However, you need to check the feasibility of your refrigerator first.
How to know if your refrigerator is still functioning well is also simple. Try to pay attention to foods that you store in the freezer, such as ice cream. If the ice cream still tends to runny soft and doesn't harden after being frozen for a long time, your freezer temperature is not cool enough to store food for a long time.
This is important because fresh food should last longer than it should when it is frozen. If the condition of your refrigerator is not appropriate, food breaks down faster because the temperature of the refrigerator is less cold allowing bacteria and fungus to contaminate the food.
How long can meat be stored in the refrigerator and freezer?
Depending on the type of meat, the length of time stored in the refrigerator or freezer may vary. Here are the general rules:
1. Red meat
Raw red meat (beef, lamb, lamb, pork, etc.) can be stored in the refrigerator for three to four days. If stored in the freezer, raw red meat can last up to 4-12 months depending on the type of meat.
After being removed from the refrigerator, don't forget to check the condition of the raw meat again. If after that the meat turns brown and looks no longer fresh, discard it, and don't continue processing.
Meanwhile, overcooked red meat can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-4 days whereas if it is put in the freezer it can last up to 2-6 months.
2. Poultry meat
Unlike red meat, raw poultry meat can only last for one or two days in the refrigerator. However, if stored in the freezer, cut poultry meat can last up to nine months. Whole poultry meat can last for about a year if it is frozen.
Now, for poultry that has been cooked, the storage time rules are not much different from red meat. Refrigerators can store processed poultry meat for three to four days, and two to six months if stored in a freezer.
Raw fish and seafood products can be stored in the refrigerator for 1-2 days before being processed. If you want to keep it longer, move it to the freezer. Freezing fresh seafood makes it durable for the next six months.
Even so, the FDA, the drug and food regulatory agency in the United States which is equivalent to the Indonesian BPOM, recommends that you keep the fish following the fat content in the fish.
Fish with little fat, such as cod, flounder, tuna, and tilapia, can be stored in the freezer for up to six months. While anchovy, mackerel, salmon, and sardines, which are classified as fatty fish, only allowed for two to three months to maintain its quality.
4. Ground beef
Ground beef - whether it comes from beef, lamb, or chicken - can only stay in the refrigerator for one to two days. If stored in a freezer, ground beef can last for up to 3-4 months.
5. Processed meat
Processed meat products such as sausages, corned beef, bacon, ham, smoked meat, salami, etc. can stay in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks with a perfectly sealed wrapper. If it has been opened before, processed meat can only be stored in the refrigerator for about 5-7 days. If put in the freezer, the shelf life of processed meat is one to two months.
Saving processed meat is much easier than fresh meat because the packaging has an expiration date. To make it easier for you, stick the date label when you open the package so you know when to take it out of the refrigerator and quickly process it before it rots.
The following things must also be considered so that the condition of the meat remains fresh during storage
Besides considering the length of time to store meat, some other things that are no less important for you to consider before processing meat are:
Do not freeze again the melted meat
After removing the meat that is stored or frozen in the refrigerator, immediately process everything so that there is no leftovers that must be frozen again. Re-freezing thawed raw meat can reduce the quality of meat and make it rotten quickly.
So before putting it in the refrigerator, divide the portions first so that when going to cook, you only need to remove and thaw only as needed.
First, check the condition of your refrigerator before storing meat for a long time
In order to keep the meat fresh until it's time to process, you should store it in the refrigerator or freeze it all in the freezer. However, you need to check the feasibility of your refrigerator first.
How to know if your refrigerator is still functioning well is also simple. Try to pay attention to foods that you store in the freezer, such as ice cream. If the ice cream still tends to runny soft and doesn't harden after being frozen for a long time, your freezer temperature is not cool enough to store food for a long time.
This is important because fresh food should last longer than it should when it is frozen. If the condition of your refrigerator is not appropriate, food breaks down faster because the temperature of the refrigerator is less cold allowing bacteria and fungus to contaminate the food.
How long can meat be stored in the refrigerator and freezer?
Depending on the type of meat, the length of time stored in the refrigerator or freezer may vary. Here are the general rules:
1. Red meat
Raw red meat (beef, lamb, lamb, pork, etc.) can be stored in the refrigerator for three to four days. If stored in the freezer, raw red meat can last up to 4-12 months depending on the type of meat.
After being removed from the refrigerator, don't forget to check the condition of the raw meat again. If after that the meat turns brown and looks no longer fresh, discard it, and don't continue processing.
Meanwhile, overcooked red meat can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-4 days whereas if it is put in the freezer it can last up to 2-6 months.
2. Poultry meat
Unlike red meat, raw poultry meat can only last for one or two days in the refrigerator. However, if stored in the freezer, cut poultry meat can last up to nine months. Whole poultry meat can last for about a year if it is frozen.
Now, for poultry that has been cooked, the storage time rules are not much different from red meat. Refrigerators can store processed poultry meat for three to four days, and two to six months if stored in a freezer.
3. Seafood
Raw fish and seafood products can be stored in the refrigerator for 1-2 days before being processed. If you want to keep it longer, move it to the freezer. Freezing fresh seafood makes it durable for the next six months.
Even so, the FDA, the drug and food regulatory agency in the United States which is equivalent to the Indonesian BPOM, recommends that you keep the fish following the fat content in the fish.
Fish with little fat, such as cod, flounder, tuna, and tilapia, can be stored in the freezer for up to six months. While anchovy, mackerel, salmon, and sardines, which are classified as fatty fish, only allowed for two to three months to maintain its quality.
4. Ground beef
Ground beef - whether it comes from beef, lamb, or chicken - can only stay in the refrigerator for one to two days. If stored in a freezer, ground beef can last for up to 3-4 months.
5. Processed meat
Processed meat products such as sausages, corned beef, bacon, ham, smoked meat, salami, etc. can stay in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks with a perfectly sealed wrapper. If it has been opened before, processed meat can only be stored in the refrigerator for about 5-7 days. If put in the freezer, the shelf life of processed meat is one to two months.
Saving processed meat is much easier than fresh meat because the packaging has an expiration date. To make it easier for you, stick the date label when you open the package so you know when to take it out of the refrigerator and quickly process it before it rots.
The following things must also be considered so that the condition of the meat remains fresh during storage
Besides considering the length of time to store meat, some other things that are no less important for you to consider before processing meat are:
- It's best to cut the meat while it's still fresh before storing it.
- Store raw meat in a clean, tightly closed container (airtight).
- When purchasing packaged meat, follow the storage instructions printed on the packaging.
- Check the expiration date before processing packaged meat. Discard immediately if it is stale or rotten.
- Separately cooked meat and raw meat when stored in the refrigerator.
- Give a label containing the date and name of the meat to find out when the meat began to enter the refrigerator, as well as to be easily distinguished from other meat.
Do not freeze again the melted meat
After removing the meat that is stored or frozen in the refrigerator, immediately process everything so that there is no leftovers that must be frozen again. Re-freezing thawed raw meat can reduce the quality of meat and make it rotten quickly.
So before putting it in the refrigerator, divide the portions first so that when going to cook, you only need to remove and thaw only as needed.
