How long to store frozen meat in the freezer. Shelf life of meat

02.11.2023

Meat should be present in the diet daily. And if you can’t use the whole product at once, it becomes necessary to make preparations. I learned from my own experience all the intricacies of storing meat products. I will be happy to share my knowledge.

Main nuances

Storing meat is one of the earliest human traditions. Nowadays, a home refrigerator with a freezing function is ideal for these purposes. Let's figure out how to properly store meat in the freezer, depending on its origin.

Type 1. Red meat

Beef or porkbefore freezing you need to prepare correctly:

Rinse thoroughly under water;
Divide into portions;

Don't cut the meat too finely. The larger the piece, the more useful properties it will retain and the longer its shelf life will be.

Place the pieces in plastic bags or wrap in parchment;

Attach a sticker with the date of freezing to the workpiece.

Now we will properly prepare the meat for freezing, but how long can meat be stored in the freezer and at what temperature:

-8 to -10°C- 3–4 months;
From -10 before 18 ° C- 4–8 months;
-18 to -24°C- 8 months–1 year.

For various reasons, the freezer may stop working. If only a couple of hours pass, nothing will happen to the food; if more, the shelf life of frozen meat will begin to decrease.

Save the product from sudden temperature changes you can do this in the following ways:

Vinegar. Rub the meat with vinegar, then put it in a cool place. This method is effective within 1–2 days;

Salt solution. Soak a towel in a strong saline solution, wrap the meat and place it in a cool place. This way the product will last for three days;
Milk. Transfer the meat to a glass or enamel container and fill with cold milk. This way the product will last for 2-3 days without loss of nutrients;

Type 2. White meat

How long does chilled chicken last in the refrigerator?? It depends on the temperature in the refrigerator:

If the temperature range is from +2 to +5 °C- 3–5 days;
If the temperature is at 0 °C- 10–12 days.

Before putting the carcasses into the refrigerator, you need to place them in airtight containers or wrap them in cling film.

Now let's see how long you can store chicken in the freezer:

At temperatures from 0 to -5 °C- month;
At temperatures from -18° to -24°C- up to 12 months.

The shelf life of chicken in the freezer depends on whether it is processed correctly. Instructions and rules for preparing chicken meat for freezing, are presented in the table:

Images	Rules
	Rule 1. White meat should not be washed before freezing.
	Rule 2. Wipe the chicken carcass dry with a napkin or paper towel, as shown in the photo.
	Rule 3. Cut the carcass if necessary. Place the pieces in bags or containers and mark the freezing date.

If the chicken has been in the refrigerator for several days, it can be frozen. If more than two days have passed since the carcass was chilled, you can’t do it! Such a product is considered stale. Remember that the shelf life of food in the freezer directly depends on the correct temperature conditions.

If you notice that the chicken in the freezer is starting to “melt”, try to stop it using one of the suggested methods:

Compact the meat compactly into an enamel bowl with a lid.. Place in a cool place - effective for 1 day.
Toss the product in a marinade of salt and pepper.- effective 3 days;

Wrap the carcasses in a towel soaked in vinegar- effective 5 days.

Type 3. Meat by-products

By-products include all edible organs of animals, including minced meat in the form of minced meat. Since the price of these products is much lower than other types of meat, I stock up on them for future use.

However, offal spoils quickly; it can last no more than 8 hours in the refrigerator. Therefore, it makes sense to put them in the freezer.

A table with a list of semi-finished products and by-products will tell you how long they can be stored:

Image	By-product
	Liver. Chicken, pork and beef liver can be stored up to 3 months at -10°C.

Not everyone can afford to buy fresh meat every day. The vast majority of people try to stock up on it for at least a week. And if an opportunity arises to purchase several kilograms of good beef or 3-4 poultry carcasses at a low price? It's difficult to give up on this. And the question immediately arises: how long can meat be stored in the refrigerator and how can it be stored correctly?

Features of storing meat in the freezer

Meat is stored the longest in the freezer at a temperature of -18? C and below. Moreover, shelf life directly depends on the type of meat and how it is cut - in pieces, whole carcasses or in the form of minced meat.

Beef, pork and lamb (large cuts) can be stored for 4 to 12 months. Naturally, the less it sits in ice, the more it will retain all its properties. Another important nuance is that small pieces of meat (for example, goulash) should not be kept in the freezer for more than 3-4 months.
It is best to store rabbit or nutria carcasses for no more than six months, but if necessary, the storage period can be extended for another 6 months.
Poultry carcasses can be stored for a year, and poultry pieces will last for 8 months.
Any minced meat can be stored for 2-3 months. It will last longer, but will become much less nutritious.
Meat by-products are stored for 1-2 months.

If the temperature in the freezer is approximately -12? C, the shelf life of meat products is reduced by 1/3. At temperatures from -8 to -10? C – 2 times. Meat must be packed in cling film (ideal) or plastic bags. When storing meat for a long time, it is extremely undesirable to defrost it. Each defrosting reduces all beneficial qualities by half.

Features of storing meat in the refrigerator

Now let's talk about storing meat in the refrigerator. This is especially true if you are very tired or busy processing meat products right away, or preparing them for storage in the freezer.

Fresh, fresh meat is placed in glass or enamel containers - it cannot be left in a bag! You can use a plastic food container. The meat should not be tightly closed; it is best to leave the container open. In this form it will lie for a day. The same applies to fresh poultry carcasses.

Minced meat is stored in a common chamber for no more than 12 hours - it must also be removed from the bag. Any by-products are not left in the common chamber for more than 6 hours.

Features of long-term storage of meat in the refrigerator

There are also emergency situations when meat has to be stored in the common chamber of the refrigerator for several days. For example, if the freezer is full or has stopped freezing. In this case, you need to use culinary tricks that will prevent the meat from spoiling.

A piece of meat is rubbed well with lemon juice and stored in a glass, enamel or stainless steel container without covering - this way it will “last” for 2 days.
You can wrap the meat in thick paper and cover it with a cloth soaked in a strong saline solution. Shelf life – 2-3 days.
Some sources advise pouring fresh milk over the meat or dousing it with boiling saline solution - shelf life up to 2 days.
If you have the opportunity, wrap a piece of meat in nettle leaves and arrange the pieces with them. Then wrap everything in a damp towel and place in an enamel bowl. It should not spoil for about 2-3 days.

Meat is must-have product on a person's menu if he is not a vegetarian.

Stores offer a wide selection of meat products; it is sometimes difficult for the buyer to understand the timing of the sale and storage of goods.

This question is relevant not only when buying meat, but also when there is a need to store it at home.

Dear readers! Our articles talk about typical ways to resolve legal issues. If you want to know how to solve exactly your problem - call free consultation:

The most popular types of meat products

Types of meat products are classified depending on what animal it has been received.

For the average buyer, the usual and most frequently used are following product types.

Beef- meat of a cow or calf. The latter is also called veal. The meat is dark red with white streaks. The older the animal, the darker and harder the meat will be. Beef is considered a dietary product as it contains little fat.

Beef is easily digestible, therefore it is used in dietary nutrition.

Pork. The source of meat is domestic pigs. It is high in fat, but some parts, such as tenderloin or shoulder, contain little fat and are therefore considered lean. The advantage of pork is that it cooks quickly, making dishes juicy and tender.

Mutton- young lamb meat. Despite the large amount of fat, lamb is digested better than pork and contains less cholesterol. The taste of a dish greatly depends on the method of preparation and the skill of the cook.

Chicken. All parts of the carcass are eaten, including offal. The most dietary and delicious part is the breast.

Thigh and wings They are considered the fattest, but dishes made from them have an exquisite taste and are loved by many.

Turkey. This is the leanest meat, which is why nutritionists love to include it in menus for those losing weight.

Unlike chicken, turkey rarely causes allergies, so it can be given to small children.

Processing and preparation

By processing method meat happens:

By degree of readiness meat products are divided into:

Semi-finished products can be sold either chilled or frozen.

Shelf life according to GOST

According to GOSTs, the shelf life of meat and meat products begins to expire from the moment of production.

The label must indicate date of manufacture.

If this is a perishable product, then it is necessary to indicate day and time production; for shelf-stable products, the month in which they were produced is indicated.

The shelf life of the product in its original packaging significantly exceeds the shelf life of the opened product.

Cannot be re-frozen or pack opened and defrosted products into vacuum containers.

Terms and procedures for storing meat products regulated by GOSTs:

28589-2014 (" Canned meat. THAT");
32752-2014 (" Chilled offal for baby food. THAT");
31778-2012 (“Meat. Pork cutting for cuts. THAT");
R 55445-2013 (Meat. High quality beef. THAT");
12513-67 (“Meat- pork in half carcasses, frozen, supplied for export. THAT");
16594-85 (" Pork products raw smoked. THAT");
27747-2016 (" Rabbit meat. THAT");
31790-2012 (" Boiled foods from pork. TU") and many others.

How much and at what temperature can you store in the refrigerator?

It is not always possible to cook meat immediately after purchase.

If the housewife intends to process the product within 1-2 days, then not necessary send the meat to the freezer.

Chilled meat may well “wait” on the refrigerator shelf.

To ensure that the product does not deteriorate and retains maximum beneficial properties, it should be prepare correctly:

Rinse meat under cold running water;
divide into the necessary pieces;
get wet a towel to remove excess moisture;
wrap in cling film or parchment;
lay down on the top shelf of the refrigerator, closer to the wall, since that is where the temperature is lowest.

Chilled meat can be stored in the refrigerator not for long, therefore, when purchasing, you should pay attention to the date of manufacture.

On average, meat can remain at a temperature of +2-7 degrees for no longer than 72 hours.

Sometimes unscrupulous sellers deliberately indicate on the label wrong date in order to have time to implement it.

Meat shelf life are given in the table:

Storing in the freezer

The freezer is ideal conditions to preserve the freshness of meat.

However, when frozen the product loses many taste and beneficial properties.

Storage periods also vary. For example, chicken can last as long in the freezer as beef, but it will be narrower. tasteless.

Also it is forbidden Keep the prepared minced meat with additives in the freezer for a long time, since onions or spices after defrosting can completely ruin the taste of the product.

Shelf life in the freezer frozen meat at t -13-19 degrees:

beef- up to a year;
pork- about 6 months;
bird- from 3 to 8 months;
minced meat without additives- 3-5 months;
semi-finished products- no longer than 45 days.

Deep or shock freezing significantly extends the shelf life.

With it, liquid is in the product immediately crystallizes without having time to release harmful substances.

Deep-frozen meat and poultry(up to -45 degrees) are stored for the following time:

pork- up to a year;
beef- up to 18 months;
bird- up to a year.

To store a product in the freezer for a long time, it must be prepare correctly. The algorithm is as follows:

rinse meat or poultry under running water, let the water drain;
get wet paper towel;
divide by portioned pieces;
wrap each piece in film or foil;

It is advisable to write the freezing date and type of meat on the packaging.

put minced meat in Plastic container;
send the prepared product to freezer.

How can you tell if a product has gone bad?

Spoiled meat will emit bad smell. The veins of low-quality meat are yellow, the product itself is weathered, with dark spots.

Fresh pulp is elastic, when pressed, quickly returns to shape.

Spoiled meat is not elastic; it is too soft and loose.

When cut, the spoiled product will release cloudy juice. The meat feels stale to the touch sticky, slimy, it is unpleasant to hold in your hands.

When cooked, spoiled meat will produce cloudy broth with an unpleasant odor.

Many people cannot imagine their table without meat. However, if the terms and conditions of storage are violated, it becomes deadly poison.

To avoid purchasing a low-quality product and severe poisoning, need to know how and for how long this or that type of meat should be stored.

Author of the article -

Meat is a high-calorie and nutritious food product that contains many useful substances, necessary for the normal functioning of the human body.

But, like any product, meat must be stored properly. depends on many factors: type, storage conditions and method of preparation. We’ll tell you in this article how long you can store meat in the freezer.

Dear readers! Our articles talk about typical ways to resolve legal issues, but each case is unique.

If you want to know how to solve exactly your problem - contact the online consultant form on the right or call free consultation:

How to choose fresh?
The freshness and quality of meat can be determined by factors such as cut, texture, color and smell.

The most important sign indicating the freshness of a product is color. The color of the meat should be uniform, without any extraneous shades or spots: beef - red; lamb - dark red; poultry meat - light pink; veal and pork - pink. Veins and inclusions of fat are allowed.

Fresh meat has a slightly perceptible, pleasant aroma. There should be no sharp, sour or musty smell.

Fat on meat can tell a lot about the freshness of the product. “Marbling” on the cut indicates the high quality of the product. Good meat has white fat.

The exception is lamb fat, which can be milky or cream-colored.

Benign meat has dense elastic consistency. It should spring back when pressed. The hole left by the finger is instantly smoothed out.

On fresh product there can be no slime or mold.

How long can you store jam in the cellar? Find out about this from ours.

Optimal temperature

At what temperature should it be stored?

Meat products, depending on the type and method of preparation, can be stored both at room temperature and in the refrigerator or freezer.

Storage temperature fluctuates from +5 to -30°С.

Terms, conditions and storage rules

In order for meat to retain its taste, nutritional and healthy qualities, it is important to store it correctly. Each method of storing meat has its own conditions, norms and characteristics.

Best before date fresh fresh meat 2-4 days at temperatures from 0 to +5°C. It is not recommended to pack the product in a plastic bag or cling film - fresh meat may “suffocate”.

To prevent the meat from rotting, it should be stored in an enamel or ceramic container covered with a lid. It is allowed to immerse the product in cold water and put it in the refrigerator.

Chilled meat- This is a product that has not been frozen. Stored at temperatures from 0 to +2°C. The shelf life of chilled raw pork and beef is from 1 to 3 days, chicken – up to 5 days. At a constant temperature of 0°C and below, shelf life varies up to 15 days.

Freezing meat reduces its nutritional value and taste, but significantly increases the shelf life of the product.

At a temperature of 12-18°C, the shelf life of a frozen product is:

beef - 8-13 months;

pork - 3-6 months;

poultry meat - 4-9 months.

Deep frozen meat— storage at temperatures below -30°C extends the shelf life of meat by more than 2 times:

pork - up to 15 months;

beef - up to 2 years;

chicken - up to 12 months.

Keep defrosted (thawed) Meat in the refrigerator is recommended for no more than a day, since the product was stored for a certain time before defrosting.

Thawed meat is practically no different in quality from chilled meat.

Best before date boiled meat depends on its type.

Jellied meat can stay in the refrigerator for a week.

The more salt used during cooking, the longer the dish can be stored.

Fatty meat spoils much faster than lean meat.

Frozen cooked meat can be stored for a month.

Best before date smoked meat:

in the refrigerator - up to 10 days;

at room temperature - 1-2 days.

Vacuum packed meat. The shelf life of vacuum-packed meat is 7 days.

Table

How long can you keep in the refrigerator?

With cooking defrosted product It's better not to delay.

After all, it had been in the freezer for some time. It is advisable to start heat treatment of the product within 24 hours.

The shelf life of boiled meat largely depends on the cooking method. But it's better not to keep it more than 1-2 days.

How long to store finished marinated meat depends on the sauce used and spices used for its preparation:

The safe shelf life of meat marinated in lactic acid products is 1-2 days.

Meat marinated in mayonnaise can be stored for no more than 5 days.

Pepper, wine, and vinegar in the marinade help preserve the product in a week.

Garlic and onions in marinade significantly increase shelf life - up to 5 days.

In order to increase the shelf life of marinated meat, the product can be frozen by first removing it from the sauce.

Frozen meat, in comparison with fresh meat, loses a little in taste and nutritional properties. But it benefits from shelf life, which is much longer than the shelf life of fresh or chilled meat.

Lamb, pork, beef can be stored frozen for 3-12 months.

Frozen poultry meat can be stored for 8-12 months.

Boiled and smoked meat It is advisable not to keep it in the freezer for more than 1 month.

What happens to the product over time?

Fresh meat has a delicate juicy texture, a pleasant smell and good taste.

During long-term storage, meat undergoes irreversible processes, which radically change these indicators.

Putrefactive microflora develops, under the influence of which the product becomes flabby, acquires a brown color and a musty smell.

The result is meat spoils.

How can you tell if it has gone bad?

It is quite easy to understand that meat has expired. The spoiled product has strong unpleasant odor, loses elasticity and natural color.

Brown or green spots, mold on the meat, as well as a musty or sour smell indicate that the product is unsuitable for food.

What are the dangers of eating expired food?

Staphylococcal intoxication, salmonellosis, dysentery, infectious botulism- diseases that can be caused by eating expired products. Eating spoiled meat is fraught with many serious consequences, including fatal outcome.

Meat is a tasty and healthy product, rich in vitamins, minerals and amino acids. But in order to preserve all its beneficial properties and taste, it is necessary to correctly observe the conditions, standards and shelf life.

Since ancient times, people have been accustomed to stocking up on meat. Nowadays, there are devices for its long-term storage. How long can you store meat in the freezer? Not everyone can answer this question unambiguously. The shelf life of meat products from different animals and birds differs from each other.

The timing depends largely on the conditions. Meat storage conditions depend on the following factors:

equipment;
temperature;
volume of pieces;
type of animal or bird;
package.

How long can meat be stored in the refrigerator? Approximate shelf life:

lamb - 1 year;
beef (photo No. 1) - 1 year;
chicken (photo No. 2) - about a year;
pork - 8 months;
goose, duck, rabbit - 6 months;
meatballs and cutlets - 3 months;
beefsteaks - up to 9 months;
sausages - 60 days.

The storage time for pork and beef in freezer conditions varies. Storage of chilled meat or minced meat also has different periods. There are quite a lot of nuances in this matter. The freezer allows you to extend the period if the raw materials are frozen correctly.

If stored beyond the specified time, frozen meat may acquire a not very pleasant taste and smell. Some of it may go bad. It is recommended to cook meat that has been stored in the freezer for a long time for 1.5 hours or even more before eating. To eliminate the unpleasant odor, you can extinguish it by adding various spices.

You cannot defrost pieces several times.

How to properly store meat in the freezer? Purchased ready-made minced meat, liver, kidneys and hearts can be stored frozen for up to 4 months. Homemade sausage or other sausage products have a shelf life of 2 months. Products purchased in a store have already been in the warehouse for some time. Therefore, their shelf life is somewhat shorter than recommended.

You can and should freeze it

When preparing for storage, freezing plays an important role. How to preserve meat correctly? To do this you need to do the following:

the product must be frozen in separate portions;
the prepared piece must be washed and excess moisture removed with a napkin;
each portioned piece is wrapped in cling film, paper or foil;
several individual portions can be placed in a separate bag;
Insert a sticker with the date of freezing into the bag;
After completing all operations, place the product in the freezer.

The date written on the sticker will help you determine the remaining shelf life at any time. Portioned pieces wrapped in film or foil will not freeze to each other. They are easy to take out of the freezer and cook. This improves meat storage.

Meat products cannot be stored for a long time at a temperature of 0...+4˚. They should be placed in a glass or plastic container with a lid; it can be replaced with a napkin or paper towel. Such storage conditions allow you to keep the product in the refrigerator for no more than a day.

Chopped pieces without freezing and minced meat in such conditions should lie for 6 to 12 hours.

How to ensure normal storage during a sudden power outage? This may well happen for several reasons. If the lights are turned off for 2-3 hours, the frozen product can be stored in the freezer as usual. During this time nothing will happen to him. If a power outage occurs for more than 3 hours, the freezer must be emptied of food. The meat product is taken out and rubbed with vinegar or citric acid.

After this, it is placed in a cool place.

Chilled meat is stored well if it is wrapped in a cloth moistened with a solution of salicylic acid or saline solution. In the old days, pieces were stored in cold milk or curdled milk. But these methods allow you to store the product for no more than 10 hours. Then it needs to be cooked or frozen. If meat products are frozen in industrial freezers, they can be stored for several decades. But this cannot be done at home.

Each type of meat has its own shelf life. This is influenced by the size of the pieces, packaging material, grade and type of meat, and temperature parameters. The packaging of products purchased in the store contains information about the shelf life. But these labels can be re-adhesive. Therefore, it is better to store such products in the refrigerator for no more than 2 days, or they should be immediately frozen and kept in the freezer.

Conclusion on the topic

How to store meat in refrigerators outside the freezer? Each housewife will answer this question in her own way. The correct answer can be considered - up to 2 days. The shelf life of chilled meat is the same, and that of frozen meat is completely different. If products are not sold within the specified time, they may spoil. Duck, chicken, turkey, and prepared minced meat are stored for even less time - a maximum of 12 hours. After this period ends, the products must be frozen, then the shelf life of meat in the refrigerator increases several times. But even in this case, they do not reach the deadlines guaranteed by industrial refrigeration units.

Signs of product spoilage are the appearance of mucus on the surface and an unpleasant odor. Next, the surface begins to lighten, then a greenish coating appears on it. Frozen pieces are stored in stacks in the freezer, which results in loss of weight and quality. How much depends on the length of stay in the cell. Fat-soluble vitamins are also destroyed. Only vitamin A remains unharmed. In order to be able to use freezing at any time to prepare delicious dishes, you need to store it at lower temperatures.

At a temperature of -25 ˚C, beef, lamb, and pork are stored 1.5 times longer than at t -18 ˚C.

To preserve meat products, it is best to immediately cool or freeze them. To do this, large pieces need to be cut into smaller ones. Their optimal weight is 350 g. When freezing, the temperature of storing meat in the chamber must be constant, only then it is possible to prepare a tasty dish at any time.