How long can meat be stored in the refrigerator, freezer, or room temperature?

Meat is a perishable product. Previously, it was purchased for future use, frozen, and processed. Today everything has changed. At any time you can go, choose, purchase a fresh cut of the desired type in the required quantity. But the need for proper storage has not disappeared. Over time, the amount of useful substances decreases, microorganisms grow and multiply, and the risk of poisoning increases. It is important to prevent this from happening.

How long meat can be stored in the refrigerator depends on its type, degree of freshness, utensils and a number of other factors. Let's look at the main methods and choose the best option.

Shelf life of fresh meat in the refrigerator

The average temperature in the refrigerator is +5°, the storage period depends on the time:

+5° +7° – maximum 10 hours;
0° +5°, no more than a day;
-4° 0°, 2 days.

The exception is minced meat and chopped products, since it is not advisable to store these products, but it is better to use them immediately after they are purchased.

Meat	Term
Pork	+5 °, during the day.
Beef	+7 °, during the day.
Mutton	+4°, 48 hours.
Chicken	+4 °, 36 hours; +7°, 24 hours; +10°, 24 hours.
Goose	12 hours at a temperature of +4°.
Duck	12 hours at a temperature of +4°.
Rabbit	+5 °, for 12 hours.
Turkey	12 hours at a temperature of +4°.
Ground meat	+5 °, day.
By-products	+4°, up to 24 hours.

conclusions

The current GOST does not regulate, but simply recommends the terms and conditions for storing meat. The manufacturer himself sets these parameters for his products.
When purchasing meat products, rely on your knowledge and sense of smell. Be sure to look, touch and smell. Do not buy a questionable product.
The refrigerator is the only suitable place to store meat products. For short-term storage, use the refrigerator, for long-term storage, use the freezer.
Ready-made meat dishes are best consumed immediately after cooking. Storing in the refrigerator, and especially freezing, negatively affects their taste.
Knowing the storage conditions will help you preserve, prepare and consume meat with the greatest benefit for the body.

Store correctly and be healthy!

How long does fresh meat last at room temperature?

In order to preserve fresh meat for a week, you can use traditional methods. But there is no complete guarantee of the freshness of these products. The shelf life can be affected by air humidity, high temperature, and insufficient amounts of preservatives. It all depends on where and how the meat will be stored.

Meat	Term
Pork	Day.
Beef	Day.
Mutton	Day.
Chicken	Day.
Goose	Day.
Duck	Day.
Rabbit	Day.
Turkey	Day.
Ground meat	Day.
By-products	Day.

Long-term storage in the freezer

To preserve any type of meat, use a freezer. The shelf life is influenced by temperature:

down to -8°, meat products are stored for about 4 months;
up to -12°, 8 months;
up to -18°, 1 year.

Poultry and pieces of meat products are kept in the freezer much longer, for 12 months, chopped for 9 months, minced meat for only 4 months.

Meat	Term
Pork	-18°, six months; -25°, 14 months.
Beef	-3°, 24 hours; -10°, 4 months; -18°, 8 months; -24°, throughout the year.
Mutton	-5°, 4 days; -15°, 14 days; -18°, 10 months; -25°, throughout the year.
Chicken	-8°, 3 months; -14°, six months; -18°, 9 months; -24°, throughout the year.
Goose	-12° -18°, six months.
Duck	-12° -18°, six months.
Rabbit	-12°, six months.
Turkey	-12° -18°, six months.
Ground meat	4 months.
By-products	3 months.

Marking according to GOST

According to current regulations, meat products are allowed to be consumed only with a veterinary stamp. And also with accompanying documentation confirming the veterinary inspection.

It is strictly forbidden to accept meat with only one veterinary certificate and no mark.

The marking represents complete information about this product and may contain signs, inscriptions, drawings, symbols and other designations. Labeling is applied to consumer packaging in accordance with current standards (Article 4, clause 4.1 of the technical regulations TR CU 022/2011). Consumer labeling of meat products must contain:

Name of the product type.
Product composition.
Quantity of goods presented.
Date of manufacture of meat products.
Best before date.
Storage conditions for the semi-finished product (with closed and opened packaging). They are installed in accordance with GOST R-51074-2003 and the rules of the Customs Union.
Location, name of the manufacturer and his contacts.
Recommendations for use or existing restrictions on preparation.
Nutritional value indicators.
Information about additional ingredients included in the composition (GMOs, dyes, preservatives).

Shelf life of cooked meat in the refrigerator and at room temperature

Finished products can be stored in the refrigerator at +2° - + 6°.

Meat	Refrigerator life	Life in the freezer	Time at room temperature
Boiled	24 hours.	72 hours.	Up to 48 hours.
Fried	48 hours.	3 months.	Up to 48 hours.
Baked	48 hours.	72 hours.	Up to 48 hours.
Stewed	24 hours.	Cannot be stored.	Up to 48 hours.
Smoked	120 hours.	Cannot be stored.	Within 36 hours.
Dried	Six months.	1 year.	30 days.
Salty	3 months.	6 months.	7 days.
Pickled	3 days.	3 months.	Up to 24 hours.
Vacuum packed	45 days.	Up to 6 months.	3 days.

Features of storing frozen meat

In terms of time, meat is stored longest in the freezer at a temperature of minus 18 degrees or lower. The shelf life of a meat product directly depends on the type of product and what cutting option was used. It can be a separate piece, a whole carcass, minced meat.

Large and small pieces

Large pieces of beef, lamb, and pork can last from 4 months to 1 year. The less time the product is in ice, the more it retains its qualities. Small pieces, goulash, cannot be stored in the freezer for more than 4 months. Poultry pieces no more than 8 months old.

Whole bird

The carcass of the poultry product can be stored throughout the year. The shelf life depends on the conditions in which the bird is stored and what type it is. The optimal storage period at temperatures from -12° to -15° for geese and ducks is a week. Chickens, turkeys and guinea fowl - 10 days. At a temperature of -25° for 14 months.

Individual parts of the bird

Poultry meat cut into pieces can be stored for up to 8 months.

Cooked meat

Boiled meat with broth can be stored for 48 hours, without broth for 24 hours. It can be kept frozen for no more than 2 weeks; after defrosting, the boiled product must be immediately stewed or boiled again.

When fried, the meat is wrapped in foil and stored in the refrigerator for no more than 72 hours, at a temperature of +2° - +4°. It is advisable to fry it again later.

Minced meat and offal

Since minced meat and offal can quickly spoil, it is not recommended to keep them in the refrigerator for more than 8 hours. After this time, you need to place these products in the freezer, wrapping them in foil or a plastic bag. The shelf life is 2 months.

Nettle and bird cherry

If you are going outdoors and want to keep a piece of meat fresh without the risk of poisoning, avoid using sour cream or mayonnaise as a marinade. For these purposes, it is better to use vinegar, lemon juice or mineral water.

Be sure to separate the pork and beef from the bone and rub with salt. When you arrive at your dacha or other vacation spot, place the container with meat in a cool area, protected from sunlight.

To create an additional antibacterial effect, wrap pieces of meat with bird cherry or nettle leaves. This will significantly extend their shelf life.

How to properly freeze

It is recommended to freeze the meat product very quickly, at the lowest temperatures. You need to cut the meat into small pieces in advance. To make them harden faster. In this case, taste and nutritional values are less lost. It is also not recommended to wash the meat before freezing; it is better to wipe it.

After the meat has hardened, you can dip it in cool water to form an ice crust. Thus, the crust will help keep the product juicy, no matter how long it is stored.

Drying

Long-term storage of meat without a refrigerator may be necessary if you go on a multi-day hike or if you live in a summer cottage without electricity. In this case, chicken fillet or beef tenderloin must be dried.

Before you start drying the meat, it must be properly processed. To do this, the pulp is cut from the bone and soaked in a salt solution for a day. After this, the fillet is cut into thin strips along the grain, salted and rubbed with spices. The fat must be cut off, since it will taste bitter after drying. For this reason, the method is not suitable for preparing pork.

We will present several drying options so that you can choose the most suitable one:

In the sun. Meat slices are strung on a strong thread and hung in the open air so that the sun's rays fall on them. With this storage method, it is important to ensure that insects do not have access to the meat or, if it is not possible to hang them outside, that the room is well ventilated.
In the oven. Place strips of meat on a baking sheet at a short distance from each other. The tray is placed in an oven in which the minimum temperature is set. The duration of drying beef is 8-10 hours. The air temperature in the oven should be maintained at the same level at all times, and the door should be slightly open to allow moisture to evaporate.
Over the fire. Under natural conditions, a fire made of hardwood is built to dry meat. After the wood has burned, slices of meat are hung over the coals, and a hut of branches and leaves is formed on top. To ensure consistent smoke production, wet wood chips should be added to the coals from time to time. The average drying time is 8-9 hours.
Drying minced meat. Fresh meat must be minced in a meat grinder. Place the resulting minced meat on a baking sheet, add salt, sprinkle with spices and dry until hardened. The pieces should be stirred from time to time to ensure even drying.

Dried meat can be stored in tightly closed containers for quite a long time - up to two months.

Storage of semi-finished products

Semi-finished products are divided into types:

natural;
chopped;
breaded.

Natural ones are made from chilled meat product. It can be: lamb, beef, pork, chicken. Chopped are products made from minced meat, for example, meatballs, kebab, steak. Breaded semi-finished products are cutlets, zrazy, schnitzels, croquettes, which are rolled in breadcrumbs and eggs.

To preserve the taste and aroma of semi-cooked products, you need to select and set the required temperature. All semi-finished products are stored refrigerated at +6°C for up to 3 days. This applies to home-made semi-finished products or those brought from a culinary store. Those that are manufactured at the factory are stored according to their established requirements.

The lower the temperature, the longer the shelf life of the product. But do not forget that when frozen for a long time, the taste of the products disappears. Semi-finished products should be stored separately from raw meat and prepared foods.

What are the dangers of eating expired food?

Under no circumstances should you ignore the expiration date of meat. Eating expired food causes:

staphylococcal infection;
dysentery;
salmonellosis;
botulism.

The consequences of the above dangerous diseases can be very sad. Expired meat is not only very dangerous. It loses most of the beneficial amino acids under the influence of destructive putrefactive reactions. The pleasant taste of meat and aroma disappears.

How can you tell if it has gone bad? After long-term storage, the product acquires a grayish tint to the surface and an unpleasant odor. Previous

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Proper processing of meat “with flavor”

You can process the meat product in the following way:

Soak in table vinegar for 60 minutes. To do this, add 1 tbsp per liter of water. vinegar.
Prepare a saline solution, add 2 tbsp per liter of water. sea or table salt. Soak the pulp in it for 3 hours.
Soak the pulp in a weak solution of potassium permanganate for 60 minutes, then rinse under water and leave for 15 minutes in a cup of cool water.
Add 2 tbsp to the chamomile decoction. sugar and immerse the pulp in it for 20 minutes.
Pour red wine, season with rosemary, thyme, leave for 1 hour.
Coat the tenderloin with mustard, put it in a cool place for 2 hours, and rinse under the tap.
Spread the tenderloin with aromatic seasonings and leave for an hour.
Coarsely chop the onion and garlic and combine with herbs. Marinate the pulp for 2 hours.
Saturate the pulp with soy sauce, wine, and aromatic spices. Leave in the marinade for 2 hours.

Burning

One of the good methods of preserving the freshness of fresh meat outside the home is roasting it over a fire. You can do this in the following way:

Divide the tenderloin into medium pieces;
string the slices onto a skewer or thick wooden rod;
keep the meat over the fire, turning the skewer periodically until the pieces are covered with a thin crust on all sides;
Wait until the meat slices have cooled and place them in a clean container, covering them with a paper or cloth towel.

Processing pork and chicken in this way will extend their freshness outside the refrigerator for 1-2 days.

Ways to increase shelf life

If it is not possible to keep meat in the refrigerator or freezer, follow these steps:

moisten the cloth in a solution of salicylic acid;
wrap the product in this cloth;
The freshness of the meat product is maintained for 10 hours.

You can also preserve the original appearance of meat in other ways:

Wet a towel or any cloth in a strong salt solution and wrap the product and the bag in it. This can be stored for 3 days.
Cover the meat product with nettles and place in an enamel or glass container. Wrap with a wet cloth. Use this method for 2, 3 days.
Rub with vinegar or sour juice and place in an enamel bowl. No need to cover. The method is effective for 2 days.
A fresh piece should be washed and placed in chilled milk, preferably homemade, for 3 days.

Vinegar

For short-term storage of pork and beef, it is necessary to place it in an acidic environment. This will prevent the risk of bacteria developing. You can do this as follows:

soak the meat in 9% vinegar;
Wrap the fillet thoroughly in a clean cotton or cotton cloth;
Place the bundle in a container with a tight-fitting lid and put it in a shady place.

The cloth soaked in vinegar should be replaced every 10-12 hours.

Please pay attention! Do not allow a lot of juice to accumulate at the bottom of the container - this will lead to premature spoilage of the product. Remove excess liquid with napkins in a timely manner.

You can store meat using this method for two days.