ShelfLife
How long does steak last in the fridge?
Raw steaks and beef roasts keep 3 to 5 days in the fridge after you buy them, and 4 to 12 months in the freezer. Once cooked, steak keeps 3 to 4 days in the fridge.
| Food | Fridge | Freezer |
|---|---|---|
| Beef steaks | 3–5 daysfrom purchase | 4–12 monthsfrom purchase |
| Beef roasts (round, rump) | 3–5 daysfrom purchase | 4–12 monthsfrom purchase |
| Chuck roast, brisket | 3–5 daysfrom purchase | 4–12 monthsfrom purchase |
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 steak has gone bad
- A sour, rancid or sulfur smell.
- A slimy or tacky surface.
- Green, gray or black patches, or mold. A brownish color on its own is normal: meat turns brown where it hasn't been exposed to oxygen.
- More than 5 days in the fridge.
How to store steak
- Keep raw beef in its package on the bottom shelf of the fridge, on a plate, so juices can't drip onto other food.
- Cook or freeze it within 3 to 5 days.
- Vacuum-packed beef can look dark purple: it turns red again a few minutes after opening.
- Refrigerate cooked steak within 2 hours, wrapped or in a sealed container.
Can you freeze steak?
Yes. Steaks and roasts keep their best quality for 4 to 12 months in the freezer. Wrap them tightly in plastic and then foil or a freezer bag, or vacuum-seal them, to prevent freezer burn. Thaw them in the fridge (a day for steaks, longer for a roast) and cook them within 3 to 5 days.
Questions
What temperature should steak be cooked to?
The USDA's safe minimum for whole cuts of beef is 63 °C (145 °F) in the center, followed by a 3-minute rest. Bacteria on a steak are on the surface, which is why searing the outside matters most; ground beef is different.
How long does cooked steak last?
3 to 4 days in the fridge, and 2 to 3 months in the freezer. Reheat it gently, or slice it cold into salads and sandwiches.
Is freezer-burned steak safe to eat?
Yes. Freezer burn, the dry gray-brown patches, is a quality problem, not a safety one. Cut the patches off before or after cooking.
Add steak to ShelfLife when you buy it, and get a reminder before day 5.
Related foods
Storage times: USDA FoodKeeper (Food Safety and Inspection Service), public domain. Text by ShelfLife.