ShelfLife
How long does ground beef last?
Raw ground beef keeps only 1 to 2 days in the fridge after you buy it, and 3 to 4 months in the freezer. Once cooked, it keeps 3 to 4 days in the fridge.
| Food | Fridge | Freezer |
|---|---|---|
| Raw ground beef | 1–2 daysfrom purchase | 3–4 monthsfrom purchase |
| Cooked ground beef dishes | 3–4 days | 2–3 months |
Fridge at 4 °C (40 °F) or colder, freezer at −18 °C (0 °F). Freezer times are for best quality: food kept frozen stays safe, but slowly loses taste and texture. These times are USDA guidance, not a guarantee. When in doubt, throw it out.
How to tell if ground beef has gone bad
- A sour or rancid smell.
- A slimy or sticky texture.
- Brown or gray color all the way through and on the surface. A gray center on its own is normal: meat inside the pack doesn't get oxygen, so it doesn't turn red.
- More than 2 days in the fridge, or a pack that has been left out for more than 2 hours.
How to store ground beef
- Put it in the fridge or freezer as soon as you get home.
- Keep it in its package on the bottom shelf, on a plate, so juices can't drip onto ready-to-eat food.
- Cook or freeze it within 1 to 2 days. Grinding spreads bacteria from the surface through the whole piece, which is why ground meat keeps for less time than a steak.
- Cool cooked ground beef quickly in shallow containers and refrigerate it within 2 hours.
Can you freeze ground beef?
Yes. For the best quality, use it within 3 to 4 months. Flatten it into a freezer bag about 1 cm (½ inch) thick before freezing: it freezes and thaws faster and stacks neatly. Thaw it in the fridge and cook it within 1 to 2 days, or thaw it in cold water or the microwave and cook it straight away.
Questions
Is gray ground beef bad?
Not necessarily. Ground beef turns red when exposed to air, so the inside of a pack is often gray-brown. If it smells fine and isn't slimy, the color alone doesn't mean it has spoiled. Gray or brown throughout with a bad smell does.
What temperature should ground beef be cooked to?
71 °C (160 °F) in the center, measured with a food thermometer. Unlike a steak, ground beef has bacteria mixed all the way through, so it shouldn't be served pink in the middle.
How long does cooked ground beef last?
3 to 4 days in the fridge, and 2 to 3 months in the freezer. Reheat it to 74 °C (165 °F).
Add ground beef to ShelfLife the day you buy it, and get a reminder before its 2 days are up.
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Storage times: USDA FoodKeeper (Food Safety and Inspection Service), public domain. Text by ShelfLife.