So you can store your meat for as long as you like, as long as it stays at that temperature. The reasoning behind this, according to the USDA, is that keeping food frozen "prevents the growth of microorganisms that cause both food spoilage and foodborne illness. The process of thawing and refreezing can disrupt the bacteria and mold that naturally grow in aging food, allowing them to multiply when the temperature rises enough.
So the USDA recommends tossing uncooked roasts, steaks, and chops after a year in the freezer, and uncooked ground meat after just 4 months. These ice crystals rupture the tissue of the meat on a microscopic level that can change the taste and texture of the meat. Defrosting and refreezing the meat again may cause a notable difference in quality. The meat may be very dry or lose some of its texture. However, the quality of the meat may drop after some time, and very long freeze times may cause noticeable changes in the quality and taste of the meat.
Because of this, various types of meat have different storage lengths to ensure that they are still high quality once thawed out to eat. Fresh meat will generally have the longest shelf life and can last the longest in the freezer without losing quality. Processing, cooking, or smoking the meat drastically reduces this time in many cases, as the quality of the meat will suffer after freezing again.
Refreezing cooked meats may also taint the flavor of the meat, as some flavors oxidize and break down after cooking — even in the freezer. Freezing meat is a great way to store and protect it from spoilage. Fresh meat can technically last indefinitely when stored at the correct temperature, so the guidelines for storage refer to the quality and flavor of the meat itself. Following safety precautions helps reduce the chance of spoilage, as well.
Some freezers may not be able to keep the temperature consistently low enough, so storage times can vary. Even after following the correct safety and storage procedures, people should avoid any meat that looks or smells odd.
Eating contaminated food can lead to diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. It can also cause inflammation and develop into stomach flu. Many foods can cause food poisoning, including meat, raw fish, eggs, and produce. Learn more about the causes and how to prevent food poisoning in….
Food poisoning is common and preventable but what is it and what causes it? Getty Images. Related Stories. Hannah Jeon Editorial Fellow Hannah is an editorial fellow at Good Housekeeping, where she loves to cover home, health, entertainment, and other lifestyle content. This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below. More From Cooking Tips. This is because canned meats and fish tend to come in a very specific format, like Spam, a tin of anchovies, or canned tuna fish.
Canning involves a different process to keep your food safe and unspoiled. The food is heated to kill bacteria then vacuum sealed to create a sterile environment and prohibit new bacteria growth. There are very few examples where the fridge is your best storage option over your freezer or canned foods in your cupboard, but these examples do exist. The FDA recommends you skip freezing prepared meats that have been stuffed, for instance, and only refrigerate those before cooking.
When it comes to most uncooked cuts of beef, you can freeze them for several months without sacrificing quality. According to the FDA , you can keep cuts, like roasts, frozen for anywhere from 4 to 12 months and steaks for 6 to 12 months.
Ground beef should be frozen for no more than three to four months. Once cooked, you can also safely freeze those beefy leftovers.
But the FDA recommends you keep these frozen for only about two to three months. Again, this is purely a matter of quality. Meat can be kept longer in the freezer than these guidelines espouse. But at that point, you may begin to sacrifice quality. If you want to freeze a whole chicken or turkey, the good news is that frozen poultry can keep for up to one year without sacrificing much quality.
The FDA says chicken parts like thighs, breasts, or wings keep well for up to nine months, but giblets should be kept no longer than three to four months. Ground chicken should probably be kept for no longer than three to four months as well. For uncooked pork, freezer guidelines are similar to beef.
Roasts can be kept frozen for between 4 and 12 months. Chops are OK in the freezer for four to six months. For cooked cuts of pork, the FDA recommends you keep these frozen for only two to three months to maximize quality.
When it comes to smoked and processed pork like ham, hot dogs, bacon, and lunch meats, the FDA recommends you only freeze these foods for one to two months. Recommendations for freezing seafood are a bit more complicated.
Lean fish like catfish or cod can be kept frozen for six to eight months. Fatty fish like salmon should be kept frozen for only two to three months. Shellfish like shrimp and other seafood like scallops can be kept frozen for three to six months. Cooked fish should be kept frozen for no longer than four to six months.
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