Cna You Freeze Beef Before Use by Date
"Use or Freeze By" Date for meat...anyone Ever Go Past?
Updated on September 23, 2011
M.R. asks from Churchville, NY
14 answers
Just wondering--I'm notorious for failing the "just smell it!" test for everything--raw meat always smells nasty for me. Of course, the time I decide to try buying a club pack again and plan to divide and freeze I forget to freeze, which is why I stopped buying them because it was a waste. Well, it smells okay to me, the meat isn't all brown yet (starting to turn slightly less red, but not downright brown). Do you follow the date for ground beef or follow your nose? Just wondering! My husband will probably give it the final sentence when he gets home.
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So What Happened?
Thanks for the feedback. I actually did freeze it. If I hadn't had a date stamped on there I would not have thought anything was wrong with it. I over cook meat anyway. We grew up eating game so I guess used our own dating system and I keep my fridge really cold (water ices over). I stopped buying the Club Packs because we shop in the middle of the night and I started forgetting to divide and freeze it and it would spoil (I would always go to bed planning to do it in the morning).
Our store has a "use or freeze by" instead of a "sell by" date. I think they discount meat as it approaches the "use by" date, which is why sometimes we get really good steak for less. :)
Featured Answers
V.C.
answers from Dallas on
I will use the smell taste even before the date. I might use something a couple of days after the date. But my boys are older. I wouldn't risk it if someone in the household had a weaken immune system.
3 moms found this helpful
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T.H.
answers from Kansas City on
Mostly I follow my nose. If it's more than a week past the date then I'd probably toss it. Turning brown is okay for steaks and ground beef, it doesn't hurt the quality of the meat at all.
3 moms found this helpful
M.M.
answers from Lake Charles on
I just made meatloaf that said "sell or freeze by sep 17" it was the 19th, it looked pretty good and when smelled it it smelled good so I used it.. and it was still great. Chicken is the easiest to tell with for me and seems to be the first to turn bad (and fast).. I always make my husband smell it because like you, it always smells bad to me too (bionic pregnancy nose and all lol).
2 moms found this helpful
A.M.
answers from Dallas on
a day or two past is ok - not more than that for ground beef. Steak, chicken breast, pork chops (ie non-ground items) can go longer so long as you cook them properly.
2 moms found this helpful
L.M.
answers from New York on
"use by" or "sell by"? I frequently use meat that is past the "sell by" date. I usually give it the smell and look test. If in question, I throw it out.
2 moms found this helpful
K.M.
answers from New York on
I agree you can go 1 or 2 days past the sell by (or freeze) date.
2 moms found this helpful
R.H.
answers from New York on
When in doubt throw it out!
2 moms found this helpful
M.B.
answers from Austin on
The sniff test isn't accurate..... toxins are building up before it gets to the rank stage.
It is usually good for a day or two past the use or freeze by date, but frankly, I don't know that it is worth it.
Meat turning brown isn't an indicator, either... the browning is just oxidation from exposure to air.
2 moms found this helpful
G.T.
answers from Rochester on
"Sell by" and "use by" dates are only suggestions. I never go by them. There are too many variables.....such as: where was it stored, how long was it stored there, what temp was it stored in (not all refrigerator temps are the same), was it ever frozen, what method did you use to thaw it (in the fridge or on the counter), etc. Since you like to buy the family pack and split it, how was it wrapped after you split it?
A good motto to live by is......."if in doubt, throw it out".
J.W.
answers from St. Louis on
I have a thing with meat so I wouldn't use it even before the use by date. Still I have been told it is good for a couple days after the use by date.
C.M.
answers from Washington DC on
no. I never go past the date. I am weird about raw meat. I really don't even make beef all that much. Just chicken or turkey. One day last week I did decide to make a veggie and beef soup in the crock pot and I had just bought the beef cubes the day before and kept them in the fridge. There was no weird smell, and so I cooked it all day long. About a couple hours after dinner my daughter had a tummy ache and some pretty bad diareah and I wasn't feeling too great either (my son was fine though) and my husband was in the bathroom every hour! So, now I'm going to be even more weird about meat. I won't be buying red meat for a long time that's for sure! Not sure why it was so bad since I had just bought it.
D.P.
answers from Pittsburgh on
Unless I cook or freeze the meat within 24 hours, I don't use it...I would probably use the date to be safe.
C.D.
answers from New York on
follow date but raw meat doesnt smell to me unless its turning bad where are you buying it? I freeze as soon as i get it home.only thing that smeel to me is raw fish never cook it if it smells bring it back to store
R.Y.
answers from New York on
I would use a day or two past the sell by date. I don't usually second guess the use by date. My kids are small and I don't want to take a chance.
Source: https://www.mamapedia.com/article/use-or-freeze-by-date-for-meatanyone-ever-go-past
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