Ground beef is the perfect choice for so many dinner options. Even picky eaters can find something that ground beef can cover. Burgers, lasagna, taco night, and more.
Still, ground beef won’t stay fresh in the fridge for long, and you don’t want to serve meat that has gone bad. Avoiding food-borne illness should always be a priority in every kitchen, whether commercial or at home.
So how do you know if the ground beef you just bought is no longer safe to eat? Don’t worry! There are a lot of easy-to-spot signs that your beef should be thrown away, as well as a few surefire ways to keep you and your family safe.
Ground beef is a kitchen staple for many of us. We use it to make burgers, meatballs, tacos, chili, and so much more. But because ground beef is made by grinding up scraps of beef into smaller pieces, it goes bad faster than steak or other cuts of meat. So what does bad ground beef smell like when cooking?
How to Tell if Raw Ground Beef is Bad by Smell
Fresh raw ground beef should have a barely perceptible smell. If you notice a strong, unpleasant or sour odor from the raw meat, it has likely gone bad and should be thrown out
Some describe the scent of spoiled raw ground beef as a “sour” or “off” smell Others may detect tangy, pungent or putrid notes If it smells funky, it’s funky – trust your senses! Don’t risk getting sick from beef that smells “off” in any way.
How to Tell if Cooked Ground Beef is Bad by Smell
The same rules apply once you’ve cooked the meat. Freshly cooked ground beef should have a simple savory aroma. Unpleasant odors point to spoilage.
Cooked spoiled beef tends to smell even worse than raw spoiled beef. You may notice a more pungent “rotten” or “sour” stench from cooked bad meat. Some describe rancid cooked beef as smelling like stinky feet or sweaty socks. Not very appetizing!
If your cooked ground beef smells bad, it’s not worth taking a chance The odor is a clear sign that bacteria has multiplied to potentially dangerous levels in the meat Trust your nose and throw it out.
Why Spoiled Ground Beef Smells Bad
The foul odors of bad beef are caused by bacteria growth. Ground beef contains lots of bacteria, most of it harmless. But once meat is no longer fresh, those bacteria multiply rapidly breaking down proteins and fats into smelly byproducts.
Salmonella, E. coli, Listeria, and other dangerous pathogens can also lurk in spoiled beef, even if you can’t smell them. That’s why it’s critical to discard off-smelling ground beef instead of tasting it. The rotten smell means the meat is well past safe consumption.
How to Prevent Spoiled Ground Beef
To help ground beef stay fresh longer:
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Store it below 40°F as soon as you get home. Keep ground beef in the coldest part of the refrigerator.
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Separate raw beef from other foods in your fridge. Keep packages sealed tight.
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Freeze extra ground beef if you won’t use it within a few days. It’ll keep for 4 months frozen.
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Thaw frozen beef in the fridge, not on the counter. Once thawed, cook within 1-2 days.
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Don’t refrigerate cooked beef for more than 3-4 days before use. Freeze any longer-term leftovers.
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When in doubt, throw it out! Don’t risk getting sick from spoiled beef.
Signs of Spoilage Beyond Smell
Odor is the fastest way to identify bad beef, but there are other signs of spoilage too:
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Change in color – Gray, brown or greenish tints indicate spoiled raw beef. Cooked beef may grow fuzzy gray, blue or green mold spots if it’s gone bad.
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Change in texture – Slippery, slimy raw beef or a sticky cooked meat sauce can mean spoilage.
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Expired sell-by/use-by dates – These warn the meat may be near spoiling or already spoiled.
Trust your senses! If beef smells, looks or feels “off” in any way, play it safe and throw it away. With raw ground beef especially, it’s cheap insurance to avoid potential illness. If you’re ever unsure about beef freshness, remember the old adage – when in doubt, throw it out!
Why Does Ground Beef Spoil?
Unfortunately, all meat will eventually go bad. Still, it helps to know exactly what’s going on when you check your beef and even try to make it last as long as possible. Meat is generally susceptible to a variety of bacteria, especially pathogenic and spoilage.
Pathogenic won’t cause any odors, color changes, or noticeable changes in your meat. However, it will certainly still cause illness. Meanwhile, spoilagebacteria will cause observable effects on your ground beef that we’ll discuss further in this article.
It’s important to keep both of these bacteria in mind when inspecting your ground beef. Both will make you sick, but only one will show signs.
If your beef has gone bad, this might be the first thing you notice before you even open the fridge. Spoiled beef will develop a scent to it similar to ammonia or sulfur. In short, it won’t smell good.
Occasionally ground beef will develop a light smell if it’s been in airtight packaging, and that’s alright. If you take a whiff and immediately make a face, that’s just how your body reacts to something that you shouldn’t eat.
Healthy ground beef will be pink with strips of white fat running through it. Oxidation — AKA overexposure to oxygen — will lead to a bit of grayness, which isn’t necessarily the end of the road.
However, you should throw away the whole package of meat if it has turned completely gray, has dark gray spots, or has mold growing on it. Do not be tempted to remove the mold you can see and salvage the ground beef remaining. There very well may be more mold growing beneath the surface.
If your ground beef smells and looks bad, you can be sure it’s gone bad and should be thrown away. However, if you need more confirmation, you can always check the meat’s texture.
The ground beef should be smooth, and you should be able to press your finger into it and make a mark. If the meat has gone bad, the surface will feel slimy and wet.
You shouldn’t feel any wetness on ground beef, particularly raw beef.
As we mentioned, some bacteria don’t show any observable signs of spoilage. It wont smell, look, or feel different. You can always check again to see how long the beef has been on the shelf and use that number as your final choice.
Since it was just packaged, raw beef should be eaten within three days of being put in the fridge. Every time you buy ground beef, whether it’s at the store, from a butcher, or delivered from a good local farm, double-check the date it was packed and last used.
Consequences of Eating Old Ground Beef
Unfortunately, many people 48 million people every year will experience food poisoning at one point or another. Consuming ground beef that’s just begun to go bad can be very dangerous, depending on your age and personal health.
E. coli and Salmonella are the most common bacteria that grow in meat. You need to be careful with more than just cookie dough. These bacteria can cause stomach issues like diarrhea, vomiting, fever, and intense stomach cramps.
Should you get bacteria from bad beef, your symptoms may not show up for a few days or all of a sudden hit you hard. Make sure to have plenty of fluids available, preferably with electrolytes and vitamins if possible.
Here’s How To Tell If Ground Beef Has Gone Bad
FAQ
How to know if cooked ground beef is bad?
What happens if you cook spoiled meat?
Why does ground beef smell like eggs but not expired?
Does spoiled beef smell like cheese?
Does ground beef smell bad?
The smell of fresh ground beef is barely noticeable. But it’s a different story if the meat has gone bad, says Dr. Craggs-Dino. “You open the package and it just doesn’t smell right. If it smells rancid, or tangy, or just plain putrid, that’s a sign of spoiled meat.”
What does spoiled meat smell like?
Through an understanding of the pungent scents associated with spoiled meat, individuals can protect themselves and their loved ones from the risks of foodborne illnesses. Bad ground beef can develop a sour or ammonia-like smell, indicating spoilage.
How do you know if ground beef is fresh?
Using your sense of smell is also crucial in recognizing fresh ground beef. It should have a clean, slightly metallic scent, indicating a lack of oxidation. If the beef smells slightly sweet, that’s a good sign. Finally, fresh ground beef should have little to no scent of ammonia or sulfur, which could indicate spoilage.
Why does ground beef smell fishy?
One such compound is known as trimethylamine, which is produced when bacteria break down the meat’s protein. This compound is responsible for the characteristic fishy or ammonia-like odor often associated with spoiled ground beef.