How long does raw ground beef last in the freezer

Q: How do you know if ground beef is bad frozen?

Touch the ground beef. If its slimy, thats not normal. Smell and visually examine at your ground beef, and if its brown or an off odor, those could be signs that your ground beef is spoiled. Always remember — when in doubt, throw it out!

Learn how long ground beef keeps in the freezer. Plus, get tips for freezing ground beef properly.

Table of Contents Show

How Long Can You Freeze Ground Beef?
How to Freeze Ground Beef
BEEF, GROUND (HAMBURGER) - FRESH, RAW
Shelf Life Tips
Today's Tips
Is frozen ground beef still good after 2 years?
How long can ground beef stay in the freezer before it goes bad?
How do you know if ground beef is bad frozen?

Ground beef is a tasty, budget-friendly protein to keep on hand. While ground beef can be stored in the fridge for a few days, the freezer is a great long-term solution. But just how long does ground beef last in the freezer? Read on to find out—plus, get tips for freezing ground beef the right way.

How Long Can You Freeze Ground Beef?

Ground beef can be frozen indefinitely, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. However, it is recommended to use ground beef within four months of freezing, as the quality of the meat will begin to deteriorate over time. Ground beef that has been frozen for too long may not be as flavorful. Plus, the texture and color of the meat may change.

How to Freeze Ground Beef

Wrap a package of ground beef in plastic wrap, aluminum foil or freezer paper, or place in a freezer-safe bag before freezing. Taking this extra step minimizes the risk of freezer burn and prevents any freezer odors from infiltrating the ground beef. Store ground beef on the bottom shelf of the freezer, just like you would in the fridge.

Be sure to date the package so you can keep track of when it was initially frozen. Another helpful bit of info to note is the quantity of meat within the package. This tip is especially helpful if you've wrapped the package and can no longer see the contents. If you have multiple packages of ground beef in the freezer, follow the first-in, first-out rule—meaning whatever package was placed in the freezer first, take that out first.

BEEF, GROUND (HAMBURGER) - FRESH, RAW

Freezer

3-4 months (best quality)

Shelf Life Tips

How long does raw ground beef last in the fridge or freezer? The exact answer to that question depends to a large extent on storage conditions - keep ground beef (including raw hamburgers) refrigerated at all times.
How long does raw ground beef last in the refrigerator? After ground beef is purchased, it may be refrigerated for 1 to 2 days - the "sell-by" date on the package may expire during that storage period, but the ground beef will remain safe to use after the sell by date if it has been properly stored.
Unopened raw ground beef may be kept in its original store packaging when refrigerating; to maximize the shelf life of ground beef, do not open the package until ready to use.
How long can raw ground beef be left at room temperature? Bacteria grow rapidly at temperatures between 40 °F and 140 °F; ground beef should be discarded if left out for more than 2 hours at room temperature.
To further extend the shelf life of raw ground beef, freeze; when freezing, place ground beef in the freezer before the number of days shown for refrigerator storage has elapsed.
You can maximize the shelf life of ground beef in the freezer by overwrapping the original store packaging with airtight heavy-duty aluminum foil, plastic wrap, or freezer paper or place the package inside a heavy-duty freezer bag in order to prevent freezer burn.
How long does raw ground beef last in the freezer? Properly stored, raw ground beef will maintain best quality for about 3 to 4 months in the freezer, but will remain safe beyond that time.
The freezer time shown is for best quality only - ground beef that has been kept constantly frozen at 0°F will keep safe indefinitely.
How long does raw ground beef last after being frozen and thawed? Ground beef that has been defrosted in the fridge can be kept for an additional 1 to 2 days in the refrigerator before cooking; ground beef that was thawed in the microwave or in cold water should be cooked immediately.
How long does ground beef last in the fridge once it is cooked? Cooked ground beef will usually stay good for 3 to 4 days in the fridge and 4 months in the freezer.
How to tell if raw ground beef is bad? The best way is to smell and look at the ground beef: signs of bad ground beef are a sour smell, dull color and slimy texture; discard any ground beef with an off smell or appearance.

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Today's Tips

Is frozen ground beef still good after 2 years?

Answer: From a safety perspective you have nothing to worry about - ground beef that has been in the freezer for a year will still be safe to eat. But the quality will likely have suffered. As the U.S. Department of Agriculture notes, foods kept constantly frozen at 0°F or lower will keep safe indefinitely.

How long can ground beef stay in the freezer before it goes bad?

A person can store ground beef in the freezer for up to 4 months. When cooking ground beef, the minimum internal temperature as measured with a food thermometer is 160°F (71°C).

How do you know if ground beef is bad frozen?

Touch the ground beef. If it's slimy, that's not normal. Smell and visually examine at your ground beef, and if it's brown or an off odor, those could be signs that your ground beef is spoiled. Always remember — when in doubt, throw it out!