\u00a9 2023 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. Believe me, food poisoning is very unpleasant and can even be fatal, its just not worth the risk. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. FuriousGrill.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. It also keeps the beef safe for eating, because it defrosts evenly and slowly to provide the best texture. Well, mince meat goes through a number of stages during its shelf life, transforming from the bright red colour seen on supermarket shelves to a tinged browny-grey colour. She holds a BASc in Culinary Arts and Food Service Management from Johnson and Wales University. If the meat smells sour or unpleasant, its probably bad and you should discard it. If the use-by-date has passed, then it is a clear sign to help you tell if the steak is bad or not. Cook ground beef to an internal temperature of 160F (71C) to prevent the spread of food-borne illnesses. As for the use-by-date, if it is June 15th, you need to cook or freeze the meat by that date. Yourmeatguide.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com / .co.uk, link to How To Choose A Good Butcher To Buy Your Meat From, link to The Advantages Of Using A Butcher If You Love Eating Meat, Safely REFREEZE Meat & Poultry A Detailed Guide. Never leave the meat to thaw at room temperature, and make sure that it isnt out for more than 2 hours (or 1 hour in really hot conditions). As meat goes bad, it usually takes on grayish undertones. Also, within 30 minutes of opening, any smell should have all but disappeared. The USDA says that food can technically be kept at zero degrees Fahrenheit indefinitely. The meat will also have returned to a more normal looking color by this point. Handling and storing ground beef properly reduces your risk of foodborne illnesses. If you dont notice a funny scent but still see signs of spoilage in color or texture, its still safest to throw it away, as pathogenic bacteria cannot be smelled (6). As a small thank you, wed like to offer you a $30 gift card (valid at GoNift.com). You can get. Some butchers like to age the meat by hanging (see our article here about aged beef) it prior to packing. Thawed ground pork shouldn't have any smell. Yes, it is perfectly fine to eat chicken past the sell-by date. First thing: Fresh meat, like fresh fish, has no smell. The most common sign people know to spot a spoiled steak is the change in color. This helps prevent spoilage. Spoilage and pathogenic bacteria may both affect ground beef. With over ten years of experience, she specializes in catering, event planning, menu development, meal planning, and food business operations. 4. Therefore, even though spoilage bacteria wont make you sick, you should always discard spoiled ground beef to avoid consuming disease-causing microorganisms. This article was co-authored by Abyssinia Campbell and by wikiHow staff writer, Janice Tieperman. A whole week has passed, and that package of ground beef is still chilling in the back of your refrigerator. Not all microbes are dangerous. To destroy these bacteria and reduce your risk of food poisoning, cook ground beef thoroughly and use a meat thermometer to verify that its internal temperature reaches 160F (71C) ( 3 ). If its surface has turned thoroughly brown or gray or grown mold, it has gone bad and should be discarded. This article, "Very helpful! Approved. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services says you should cook most meats to an internal temperature of 145 degrees F. Poultry needs to be cooked to a slightly higher internal temperature of 165 degrees F. People who eat rancid meat are likely to get sick. Again, it's most likely because it thawed at some point, or was already bad before going in the freezer. Thawing frozen meat in the fridge is a safe alternative to the counter. Dont cook with ground beef thats more than 3 days past its sell-by date. Last medically reviewed on February 22, 2023. Be sure to carefully read the product label when buying ground beef. Raw ground beef should be bright red on the outside and brownish on the inside. If your ground beef has a sticky or slimy texture when raw or cooked, it has most likely gone bad. Another way to check your ground beef is by conducting a touch test. You shouldnt eat ground beef past its expiration date unless its been frozen, in which case it can last up to 4 months (8). If youre not sure how to tell if meat is bad, give it a good smell. Even with all the strict measures in place to ensure that quality is maintained throughout the whole meat processing procedure, ocassionally a bad piece of meat makes its way into the system and it is nobodys fault. If you buy through links on our site, we may earn a commission. So, if the sell-by-date is 2nd of June, the store must sell the meat by that time to give the customer the needed time to store or cook it. Something doesnt smell right is the change in color but will make the meat smells sour or unpleasant its., then it is probably the easiest and fastest way to check your ground beef to avoid cross-contamination or... 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