Storing Uncooked Meat

Meat should be stored at a low temperature to help preserve its quality and prevent the growth of illness causing bacteria. Chilling meat to below 40° F is recommended. Meat can be chilled or frozen. In order to freeze meat, you must drop the temperature below 28° F.

Refrigerating Meat

Refrigeration is a good way to store meat for short periods of time. Refrigerated meat should be stored below 35° F and wrapped to prevent dehydration, odor absorption, and contamination of the meat and other foods in your refrigerator. You may extend the shelf life of meat by removing the retail packaging and rewrapping the meat in foil. In general, you should consume refrigerated meat within four days of purchase.

Cured meat products have a longer, more stable life in the refrigerator. They can be safely stored in the refrigerator for up to 60 days.

Freezing Meat

Freezing is an excellent way to store meat for longer periods of time. It allows the meat to maintain most of it's physical properties, taste, texture, smell, and nutritive properties. Small amounts of nutrients (salts, proteins, peptides, amino acids, and water-soluble vitamins) will be lost as drip when the meat is thawed.

Your freezer should remain at a constant temperature that is below 0° (-10°F is better). If you must remove your meat from the freezer for short periods of time, it should be maintained at a temperature below 28° F.

Frozen storage time is extended by proper packaging, which is sealed to prevent air and moisture exchage and protects against freezer burn (areas of severe dehydration on the surface of the meat). The table below shows the maximum recommended length of storage for different meat products at 0° F for the preservation of optimum quality.

Meats That Should Not Be Frozen

Sliced meats such as bacon and lunch meat should only be frozen if they are vacuum packed. When not vacuum packed they can develop a rancid flavor within a matter of days or weeks.

Freezing of Cooked Meat

Precooked meat and poultry will have a "warmed over" flavor when cooked the second time. This loss or "fresh-cooked" flavor can be minimized by vegetable or seed flour based sauces or gravies. This is because the natural anti-oxidants found in many vegetables and seeds prevent the lipid oxidation which contributes to the "warmed over" taste.