If you like to make burgers, ground beef is a good choice. But how do you know when it’s gone bad? The expiration date and changes in color, texture, and smell can help.
People often use ground beef to make savory pies, tacos, meatballs, and sausage, as well as burgers and meatballs. It accounts for about 62% of all beef sold in the United States.
But because grinding the meat makes more of its surface airy, organisms that cause food to go bad have more room to attach to it. Thus, it goes bad faster than steak or other larger cuts.
Spoilage and pathogenic bacteria may both affect ground beef. Even though these bacteria aren’t usually dangerous, they do make food less healthy and give it a bad smell and taste.
On the other hand, pathogenic bacteria are dangerous, as they can lead to food poisoning. Furthermore, spoilage makes it more likely for them to be present in your food. So, even though bacteria that cause spoilage won’t make you sick, you should always throw away spoiled ground beef to avoid eating microorganisms that do.
Ground beef may change color due to multiple factors, including temperature, light, microbial growth, and exposure to oxygen.
Because it has a lot of oxymyoglobin, which is a color made when a protein called myoglobin reacts with oxygen, fresh, raw ground beef should be red.
The interior of raw ground meat may be greyish brown due to a lack of exposure to oxygen. This doesn’t indicate spoilage.
However, ground beef that has turned brown or gray on the outside should be thrown away because it means it’s starting to go bad.
Cooked ground beef can also go bad because of mold, so throw away any leftovers if you see any fuzzy blue, gray, or green spots.
Another way to check your ground beef is by conducting a touch test. Fresh ground beef should have a relatively firm consistency that breaks apart when you squeeze it.
But a sticky or slimy texture, whether the food is raw or cooked, could mean that spoilage bacteria are present. You should toss it immediately.
To avoid spreading bacteria from one surface to another, wash your hands thoroughly after touching raw meat.
This test is probably the easiest and fastest way to determine whether meat has spoiled. It applies to both raw and cooked ground beef.
Though the scent of fresh ground beef is barely perceptible, rancid meat has a tangy, putrid odor. Once it goes bad, it’s no longer safe to eat.
The scent changes due to the increased growth of spoilage bacteria, such as Lactobacillus spp. and Pseudomonas spp. , which may also affect the flavor.
Still, it’s best to throw it away even if you don’t smell anything fishy but can see or feel that it’s going bad. Pathogenic bacteria can’t be smelled.
A sell-by date tells the retailer how long a product can be displayed for sale. Ground beef can be refrigerated and safely eaten up to 2 days past this date.
The expiration date, which is sometimes written as “best before,” tells you when the food is most likely to start going bad. Food will have the best taste and quality before this date.
Any ground beef that hasn’t been frozen will go bad after a certain date, but frozen ground beef can last up to 4 months.
You shouldn’t eat spoiled ground beef because it might have pathogenic bacteria in it, which cause foodborne illnesses. Symptoms include fever, vomiting, stomach cramps, and diarrhea — which may be bloody.
Microorganisms that cause disease grow quickly in food that has been left out at room temperature. This is especially true for food that has gone bad.
The most common harmful bacteria in ground beef are Salmonella and Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC). Outbreaks of infections related to these bacteria occur fairly frequently in the United States. It may take several days for symptoms to appear.
Use a meat thermometer to make sure that the internal temperature of the ground beef reaches 160°F (71°C). This will kill these bacteria and lower your risk of getting food poisoning.
Proper handling and storing are key to avoiding food poisoning from ground beef. Here are a few safety tips:
Always wash your hands well after handling ground beef, and don’t forget to clean the kitchen counters and tools.
You reach into the fridge for the pack of ground beef you bought a few days ago, ready to make burgers. But you pause when you notice the use by date was yesterday. Is it still safe to cook and eat?
With beef and other meats, the use by dates are helpful guidelines but not definitive. Freshness and quality begin declining past the date, but the beef may still be safe if handled properly.
In this guide we’ll cover everything you need to know about eating beef after the use by date, including
- How to tell if expired beef is safe to eat
- Proper storage to maximize freshness
- Safe handling and cooking of older beef
- How beef type affects shelf life
- When to throw out expired beef
- Alternatives uses for beef past its prime
With some caution and common sense, beef can often be safely enjoyed a few days past its prime. Read on to become an expert on determining when beef is still okay to cook and eat after the use by date.
How to Tell If Expired Beef is Safe to Eat
Beef can sometimes be safely consumed 1-3 days past its use by date, depending on a few factors:
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Type of beef – Ground beef has a shorter shelf life than steak
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Storage that was done right: Was it kept at 40°F or below all the time? Higher temperatures speed up spoilage.
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Package integrity – Is the packaging undamaged and still airtight? Oxygen causes faster spoilage
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Color and smell – Fresh beef is bright red and smells neutral. Off odors or browning/grey hues signal spoilage.
Using your senses is the best way to tell if expired beef is still good to eat. Trust your eyes and nose: if it has changed color or smell, it’s best to be safe and throw it away.
Proper Storage to Maximize Beef Freshness
To help beef last as long as possible, proper storage from purchase to plate is key:
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Store in original airtight packaging. Re-wrap if opened.
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Keep beef in the coldest part of the refrigerator, at 40°F or below.
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Place in a shallow pan to allow cold air circulation and catch any leakage.
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Use ground beef within 1-2 days, steaks/roasts within 3-5 days.
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Freeze for longer storage. Thaw under refrigeration, never at room temp.
Proper chilling paired with careful date tracking helps extend beef’s shelf life and window of safe consumption past the use by date.
Safe Handling of Beef After the Use By Date
Once beef passes its use by date, extra care must be taken when handling to prevent illness:
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Inspect closely and rely on your senses – if it has an off color or smell, don’t risk eating it.
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Discard if there is any sliminess, stickiness or mold present.
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Cook expired ground beef thoroughly to 160°F minimum internal temperature.
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Cook steaks/roasts to 145°F minimum internal temperature.
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Discard any leftover cooked expired beef rather than saving it.
As long as expired beef still looks and smells fresh, cooking it thoroughly kills any bacteria present and renders it safe to eat. However, don’t attempt to extend storage of cooked expired beef; eat immediately.
How Beef Type Affects Shelf Life
Not all beef lasts the same amount of time past its use by date. Here are some general guidelines based on cut:
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Ground beef – Lasts 1-3 days past “sell by” date. Higher surface area means faster spoilage.
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Steaks – Typically safe 3-5 days past the date if properly refrigerated.
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Roasts – Like steak, roasts can often last 3-5 days past “sell by” date.
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Frozen beef – Remains safe indefinitely if constantly kept frozen, but quality declines over months.
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Processed beef – Pre-cooked lunch meats generally last 3-5 days past date. Unopened hot dogs can go 1-2 weeks past.
Keep in mind certain types like ground and processed beef have a shorter window of safe consumption beyond the date on the package.
When Expired Beef is No Longer Safe
While beef can sometimes last past the use by date, there comes a point where it is no longer safe to cook and eat. Discard expired beef that shows any of the following signs:
- Strong unpleasant odors
- Slimy texture or stickiness
- Significant darkening in color
- Mold or patches of dryness
- An overall dull, faded appearance
If old beef exhibits a noticeably “off” odor, texture, or appearance, it should not be risked. At the first signs of spoilage, throw it out. Don’t taste expired beef to determine if it’s still good or not.
What to Do With Beef That’s Past Its Prime
If it’s nearing or just passed the use by date, beef that is still fresh and safe can be cooked and eaten immediately. However, beef that is clearly past its prime should be discarded. Here are some options:
- Throw it in the compost bin if available
- Double wrap and dispose in regular garbage
- Freeze until garbage day to contain odors
- Contact local waste department about proper meat disposal
While cooking and consuming beef 1-3 days past its date can be safe when done carefully, there comes a point where you have to cut your losses and say goodbye to beef that is well on its way out.
The Bottom Line
The use by dates on beef are helpful but not definitive. With careful inspection, storage, handling, and cooking, beef can often be safely prepared and enjoyed 1-3 days past the package date, depending on the cut. However, at the first signs of spoilage, it’s best to play it safe and discard beef rather than risk getting sick from eating meat that is past its prime.
What will bad ground beef smell like?
Spoiled ground beef will have a pungent, putrid smell. Ground beef that is safe to eat typically has little to no perceptible smell.
Can ground beef smell a little but not expired?
All ground beef has a slight aroma of iron. Ground beef that is getting close to its expiration date may smell a little stronger, but it is still safe to eat. However, if a product has a noticeable, pungent smell, it is most likely spoiled and should be discarded.
Verify: Should you eat food after the best if used by date?
FAQ
Can I eat beef one day out of date?
How long is beef good for after use-by date?
Can you eat ground beef 1 day after use-by date?
Is it okay to eat something 1 day after use-by date?
How long can you eat ground beef after a sell-by date?
“The sell-by date is a guideline for the retailer, saying, ‘Look, we can keep this meat on the shelf until this day.’ Assuming you buy it, bring it home and put it right into the refrigerator, you can still eat the ground beef for two days after the sell-by date. If you go past that, though, you are putting yourself at risk.”
Are dates good to eat?
Dates are a great food. They have antioxidant properties, large amounts of fiber, and healthy fats. They help take care of the health of the brain, skin, and heart and control blood sugar levels.
When should you eat food after use-by date?
Use By: This is the suggested date by when you should eat the food. But just because it’s a day or two past the use-by date doesn’t mean that consuming it will make you sick, although you should evaluate the quality of the food yourself after this time. It is not a safety date, except when used on infant formula.
How long is beef good for after sell by date?
How Long Is Beef Good for After Sell by Date Use or freeze beef, veal, pork, and lamb products with a “Sell-By” date within 3 to 5 days of purchase. Fresh chicken, turkey, ground meat,