How do you know when ground beef goes bad?

Raw ground beef should be bright red on the outside and brownish on the inside. If its surface has turned thoroughly brown or gray or grown mold, it has gone bad and should be discarded.

How can you tell if ground beef is spoiled?

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!

Is it OK to eat ground beef that has turned brown?

If all the meat in the package has turned gray or brown, then chances are that it is, in fact, in the process of going bad. For meat to have been exposed to oxygen for so long that it's turned brown through and through, it's no longer fresh.

What does spoiled ground beef smell like?

Smell the ground beef

A sour or tangy scent is a good indicator that it has spoiled and should be thrown out. Even if ground beef looks and feels okay, doesn't always mean that it is safe to use. A rancid smell is a good enough sign on its own that bacteria has started growing in the beef and you could get sick.

How long can you keep raw ground beef in the fridge?

It is safe to store ground beef in the refrigerator for 1–2 days, and eat leftovers within 4 days. 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).

Here's How To Tell If Ground Beef Has Gone Bad

Is ground beef OK if it turns brown in the refrigerator?

Check the color

The interior of raw ground meat may be greyish brown due to a lack of exposure to oxygen. This doesn't indicate spoilage. Nevertheless, you should throw away ground beef if it has turned either brown or gray on the outside, as this indicates that it's beginning to rot.

Why does ground beef turn gray?

If you open a package of ground beef and find the interior meat looks gray, it's likely because the meat hasn't been exposed to oxygen. In that case, the meat is still safe to eat, provided it doesn't have any other indicators of spoilage (read more on that below).

Is ground beef good 4 days after sell by date?

Generally, you can expect to be able to use ground beef one to three days after the "sell by" date depending on how it has been handled. Quality begins to decline on the Sell by date, so you should try to use the meat as soon as you can. Don't use foods that show signs of spoilage such as mold, off-odor, slimy texture.

What happens if you eat spoiled ground beef?

If your beef is "bad" due to spoilage, other bacteria are at work than those that cause food poisoning. In most cases, they give the meat a bad odor or surface slime, but do not cause noticeable symptoms if eaten. However, their presence means the meat is decomposing and should be thrown away.

Why does my ground beef smell like fart?

It's very possible that some of the blood oxidized in the package and had a strong smell. You can rinse the meat off, dry it and then smell it. If it still smells foul, toss it. If it smells like iron, you should be good.

What should ground beef smell like?

Fresh ground beef may have a mild iron smell, but if it starts to smell rotten (beef tends to get a funky sweet odor), you should err on the side of caution and throw it out. Second, the touch test. Fresh ground beef is usually cool to the touch, smooth, and slightly damp.

What color should ground beef be?

So, what does it mean if your ground beef has gone from its bright, reddish-pink color to a brownish gray? It's simple really: Once exposed to oxygen, ground beef will turn brown, and that is perfectly normal (via The Takeout).

Can you eat ground beef that has been in the fridge for a week?

Regardless what color the beef is, two weeks is entirely too long to refrigerate ground beef. It is unsafe and should be thrown out. Raw ground beef only keeps in the refrigerator for 1-2 days. Ignoring storage time, regarding color, brown meat is as safe to eat as red meat.

Is gray meat okay?

Ground beef with these textures should not be consumed and should be thrown away. So, if your ground beef looks, smells and feels OK, then you're set to use it. But if the ground beef is gray on the exterior or has another indicator of spoilage, it's best to discard it.

How can you tell if meat is spoiled?

Spoiled meat will have a distinct, pungent smell that will make your face scrunch up. Texture – In addition to an unpleasant scent, spoiled meats can be sticky or slimy to the touch. Color – Rotten meats will also undergo a slight change in color. Poultry should be anywhere from a bluish-white to yellow in color.

Can you cook bad ground beef?

People who eat rancid meat are likely to get sick. Like any other old, spoiled food, bad meat can make you sick. If the meat has been contaminated with something pathogenic, like bacteria or toxins, it can make you sick.

What does cooked spoiled beef taste like?

03. What Does Bad Steak Taste Like? While it isn't recommended to check for spoiled steak by tasting, meat that has gone bad will have a rancid taste. If your steak tastes extremely sour or bitter, it's definitely gone bad.

Can you eat spoiled meat if you cook it?

Cooking spoiled meat won't make it safe to eat. Though it can kill the bacteria and molds that populated it, it won't get rid of the toxins and spores that they left in it. To avoid food poisoning, throw out raw meat when it's past its expiration date or if you suspect that it's spoiled.

What does spoiled meat smell like?

Beef that's gone bad has a sour smell. Sometimes with an aroma like milk that has gone off. Eating meat that has gone off, or is slimy, can cause food poisoning.

How long is ground beef good in the fridge after thawing?

Information. While foods are in the process of thawing in the refrigerator (40 °F or less), they remain safe. After thawing, use ground meats, poultry, and fish within one or two additional days, and use beef, pork, lamb or veal (roasts, steaks, or chops) within three to five days.

Can you eat meat past the sell by date?

In general, consumers have one to three days to use that meat product if it is fresh before there would be concern from a safety standpoint. Typically retailers will mark down the price of a product if the sell by date is near.

How long will beef keep in fridge?

Beef, veal, lamb and pork roasts, steaks and chops may be kept 3 to 5 days. After cooking, meat, poultry and seafood can be safely stored in the refrigerator 3 to 4 days.

Is ground beef supposed to smell like rotten eggs?

If your beef is past its expiration date, has a sticky or slimy texture, wasn't stored properly, and smells like eggs, then your best bet is to throw it away. Certain types of bacteria can interact with the blood and proteins to release a sulfur, egg-like smell. Bad ground beef can also smell of ammonia.

Why does my beef smell like eggs?

This bacteria keeps growing as time passes by, so you might have spoiled beef in the fridge the day after purchasing it. Besides smelling like rotten eggs, this spoiled meat can also be sticky and slimy or change color.

What does raw meat smell like?

Fresh red meat has a light bloody, or metallic smell. This scent isn't overpowering and you will usually have to place your nose very close to smell it. On the other hand, if your steak has gone bad, it will have a definitive odor that smells sour, or a little like eggs or ammonia.