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.
You excitedly break out your ground beef to start preparing dinner only to notice it has a strange unpleasant taste. What causes ground beef to suddenly go funky? Several common factors can negatively alter the flavor of ground beef from improper storage to contamination.
Understanding the reasons for spoilage will help you identify when beef is unsafe to eat versus when it simply lost quality but remains edible Let’s explore why your ground beef may taste “funny” and what you can do about it.
Spoilage Bacteria Can Develop Quickly
Raw ground beef is highly perishable and prone to fast bacterial growth. Without proper refrigeration, spoilage bacteria multiply rapidly, causing off-flavors. These bacteria break down meat proteins into smelly compounds like butyric acid, indole, and skatole.
Once you detect spoilage odors like sour milk or ammonia, it’s typically too late. Toss out bad smelling meat because thorough cooking cannot destroy the bacteria or neutralize unpleasant tastes.
Pathogenic Bacteria Also Alter Flavor
Dangerous foodborne pathogens including E. coli, Salmonella, and Listeria cannot be detected by smell. However, their metabolic processes still slightly alter meat’s taste in the early stages of contamination.
So while funny tasting beef could indicate deadly pathogens, it may also simply reflect spoilage. When in doubt, throw it out. Pathogenic bacteria can grow even without strong odors.
Improperly Stored Meat Spoils Faster
Ground beef requires very cold, careful storage. The more exposed surface area interacts with air during grinding, accelerating spoilage. Always refrigerate ground beef below 40°F, preferably freezing it if not using within two days.
Check your fridge’s temperature if beef spoiled quicker than expected. Simple temperature control prevents most storage issues.
Endpoint Cooking Temps Matter
Cooking to the proper internal temperature destroys bacteria that cause funky tastes. Ground beef should reach 160°F minimum, measured with a food thermometer in thickest part. Color alone won’t indicate safety or doneness
Undercooked beef may retain mild off-flavors from spoilage or pathogens. Thorough cooking provides the necessary “kill step”.
Unpleasant Ingredients Get Mixed In
Sometimes ground beef picks up unappetizing tastes during processing before packaging. Things like exposed machine oils, bitter salad dressing drips from the same equipment, or even sanitizing solutions can inadvertently get mixed in.
This is fairly rare with reputable suppliers but does occasionally happen. Contact the store for a refund or exchange if beef tastes chemically upon opening.
Oxidation During Storage Plays a Role
Exposure to air causes oxidation and rancidity over time, even properly refrigerated. This gives older ground beef a stale, cardboard taste. Use frozen ground beef within 4-6 months, or refrigerated within 2 days.
For improved shelf life, opt for vacuum sealed beef that limits oxidation. Freeze extra ground beef for later use.
Signs of Spoiled Ground Beef
Discard ground beef if it has:
- Foul sour or ammonia odor
- Slimy texture and appearance
- Mold growth – do not taste!
- Green or gray discoloration
When in doubt, throw it out. The risks of food poisoning outweigh any desire to salvage questionable meat.
Keeping Ground Beef Fresh
Follow these tips for maximizing ground beef’s flavor and shelf life:
- Choose freshly ground beef whenever possible
- Freeze extras if not using within 2 days
- Thaw in fridge, never at room temperature
- Cook thoroughly to 160°F internal temperature
- Store leftovers no longer than 4 days
With proper handling and cooking, you can get the most from your ground beef and avoid most cases of funny flavors!
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
Why does my beef have a weird taste?
Can you taste when ground beef is bad?
Why does my ground beef taste gamey?
Why does meat taste bad to me suddenly?
What does bad ground beef smell like?
All ground beef has a slight aroma of iron. If ground beef has a noticeable, pungent smell, it is most likely spoiled and should be discarded. Ground beef nearing its expiration date may have a slightly more noticeable smell but is still safe to eat.
Does cooked ground beef go bad?
Raw or cooked ground beef has gone bad if it smells funky, changes color, and/or feels slimy. Don’t cook with ground beef that’s more than 3 days past its sell-by date. Store raw and cooked beef in the fridge to keep it as fresh as possible. If you can’t cook or eat it right away, freeze it for future use.
How can you tell if ground beef is bad?
If ground beef turns gray or brown on the outside surface, people should discard it. This discoloration suggests that it has started to go bad. If a person notices mold on the surface of their ground beef, they should throw it away immediately, whether it be raw or cooked. People can also check the texture to see if meat is bad.
Does ground beef taste sour?
There is a recall on ground beef. Government knows it’s bad, lots of people have gotten ill from eating it all over the US. You can probably google the details. I’ve never had ground meat taste sour. Maybe it’s just because I grew up eating plain, ground beef and just don’t notice it?