Shelf life of minced meat in the refrigerator, freezer and at room temperature

It is convenient to freeze minced meat in portions, so that if necessary, you can only get another package in advance. You can grind the products in a blender or finely chop them by hand (with a kitchen hatchet or a sharp knife). But the recognized leader in the production of minced meat is a meat grinder (mechanical or electric). Depending on the main ingredient, there are several types of minced meat.

• Meat. If we talk about nutritional value, then minced beef and lamb will be the most high-calorie, and pork will be the fattest. Most often, these types of meat for minced meat are used in mixed form, then it turns out juicy and tender. Dietary, low-calorie and more affordable minced meat comes from poultry. The most popular among Russians are chicken and turkey.
• Fish. For grinding, purchase a piece of fish fillet or fresh fish, preferably meaty and not very bony. It is cleaned, gutted and removed from the bones. There are no special requirements for the “origin” of marine life intended for cutlets, meatballs or pie filling. Usually minced meat is made from pollock, cod, hake, pike, pike perch, salmon, and halibut.
• Mushroom. Mushroom mince produces melt-in-your-mouth, flavorful cutlets, as well as an ideal filling for pies, dumplings, pancakes, and pizza. Traditionally, mushrooms are boiled or fried before chopping.
• Vegetable. Cutlets or vegetable pie filling are an excellent option for a dietary, lean diet. Vegetables add extra juiciness to regular cutlets. Twisted zucchini, potatoes, cabbage, carrots or assorted vegetables are added to the minced meat.

Product varieties

• meat - finely minced meat of artiodactyl animals, a classic version of minced meat, used to prepare many dishes;
• fish – fish pulp minced through a meat grinder, used for preparing dietary dishes;
• from poultry – chopped fillet of poultry carcass;
• sausage or sausage - a mixture of chopped meat ingredients that is used to prepare sausage products;
• vegetable – chopped vegetables;
• from mushrooms - chopped mushrooms, scrolled through a meat grinder or food processor.

Product nutritional value table:

How to tell if a product has gone bad

To prevent the minced meat from spoiling, you must adhere to the above rules and always check its suitability for consumption. E. coli, salmonellosis, staphylococcus and listeriosis, which multiply in spoiled meat, can cause poisoning. The first sign of a spoiled product is the smell - unpleasant or pungent.

If the semi-finished product was not initially of the best quality, larvae may appear in it if stored improperly. Under no circumstances should you use a spoiled product, hoping that after heat treatment there will be no harm. Its use threatens poisoning and intestinal problems.

How to package a product before storage

To store minced meat in the refrigerator, you need to place it in a plastic container or glass container with a lid. Wrap the dishes in cling film and place in the refrigerator.

And in order to store the semi-finished product in the freezer, you need to divide the mass into several parts. Then pack it in a special food bag or regular cellophane bag. After this, form plates approximately 2 cm thick. This way the minced meat will freeze evenly and take up minimal space in the freezer.

Mushroom, fish and vegetable mince can be stored in plastic containers with a lid that are suitable for freezing. The mixture should be laid out in a thin layer in a plastic container and placed in a storage chamber.

It is worth considering that it is strongly not recommended to freeze minced fish, because... the product loses its taste and texture.

... and cook at home

To independently prepare homemade minced meat suitable for long-term storage, pay attention to three rules, following which you can safely make meat preparations for future use.

1. Minimum moisture. Before putting the meat into the meat grinder, you should thoroughly wash it and dry it with a paper towel. The less moisture in the minced meat, the better it will be preserved.
2. No additives. Any additional ingredients (salt, seasonings, onions, vegetables) should be added to the minced meat only before preparing the dish.
3. Sequence. Different types of meat are minced one by one. Various meat components are also stored in separate bags.

Without violating the conditions and shelf life of minced meat in the refrigerator and freezer, you can be sure of receiving high-quality, tasty and healthy dishes. But if you dream of preparing a culinary masterpiece, choose the right meat combination for minced meat. A win-win option is 70% beef (tenderloin, shoulder or brisket) and 30% pork (loin, shoulder, neck). Buy good, fresh meat for minced meat, only then can you count on excellent culinary results.

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Shelf life

The shelf life of minced meat in the refrigerator and freezer differs significantly.

Chilled in the refrigerator

In the refrigerator, minced meat should be stored on the lowest shelf so that drops from it do not fall on other products located below.

In the freezer

You cannot freeze minced meat from several types of meat, because each product has its own shelf life. You cannot freeze minced meat more than once, and before freezing, the minced meat should be fresh or in the refrigerator for as little time as possible, because the longer the minced meat is left without freezing, the greater the likelihood of harmful microbes getting into it.

Thawed in the refrigerator

After defrosting the product, it is advisable to use it immediately, but if this is not possible, then it is worth considering that the timing of defrosted minced meat in the refrigerator:

In the freezer

The freezer is one of the best places for long-term storage, because at low temperatures the processes of protein decomposition and bacterial growth slow down. The shelf life of products placed in a freezer with a temperature range from -12 to -18°C, depending on the raw material, is:

• From 30 to 90 (with shock freezing) days for all types of meat (chicken, beef, pork).
• Up to 3 months for products made from chopped fish (the texture and consistency may noticeably deteriorate).
• 6 months – finely chopped mushrooms.
• No more than 90 days vegetable p/f.

The minced meat will be edible even after the specified time intervals, but most of the nutrients and vitamins will be lost.

To increase storage time, you should adhere to the following recommendations when freezing products:

1. It is necessary to freeze freshly prepared products, and not those that have been in the refrigerator for several days.
2. It is better to cook yourself from proven raw materials. According to extensive research conducted by Roskachestvo, traces of antibiotics, E. coli, salmonella and listeria were found in the frozen products of many manufacturers. Consumption of such semi-finished products can significantly harm human health.
3. Do not add bread, spices, onions, garlic, eggs and other ingredients often used in cooking before freezing. This will worsen the taste of the dish.
4. It is recommended to store each type in a separate sealed container to prevent cross-contamination by bacteria.
5. We advise you to divide the total mass of the blanks into portions, which will later be convenient to take out and use as needed. Another plus is that smaller portions freeze more evenly and faster.
6. Plastic bags, vacuum packaging with a zipper, containers, and cling film are suitable for storage. It is important that raw materials do not come into open contact with other products. Factory-made substrates take up a lot of space; it is better to move the contents of them into smaller containers.
7. To help you remember when you put it in the freezer, label each bag with the packing date, time, and variety.
8. Re-freezing a defrosted product is prohibited.

When defrosting, to maintain the quality and structure of the product, you should first place it on a refrigerator shelf until completely thawed. If time is pressing, you can use a microwave, water bath, or simply place the bag in a container of cold water at room temperature. After thawing, start cooking immediately to prevent the product from spoiling. When defrosting vegetables and mushrooms, do not forget to drain the resulting water.

Defrosting the product

There are several ways to defrost semi-finished products. Place frozen minced meat in the refrigerator or in cold water. For faster defrosting, you can use the microwave oven at minimum power with a mode designed for defrosting. You can also chop the meat product into small pieces and then wait about half an hour.

It is important to know that under no circumstances should you defrost minced meat in hot water, in the sun or in a warm place, because above-zero temperatures are favorable conditions for the proliferation of harmful bacteria.

When defrosting minced mushrooms and vegetables, a lot of liquid will be released, because most mushrooms and vegetables are water. Before cooking, you need to strain the liquid and only then start cooking.

Is it possible to use a semi-finished product if the expiration date has expired?

Reference. While some products can be consumed after the expiration date, meat, including minced meat, definitely does not belong to this category.

If a semi-finished meat product has all the signs indicating that it has spoiled, it should under no circumstances be eaten. Otherwise, there is a chance of getting seriously poisoned with all the ensuing consequences in the form of:

• vomiting;
• weaknesses;
• intoxication of the body;
• disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, etc.

Thus, minced meat, like most other food products, has a strictly defined shelf life, during which its taste and quality characteristics are preserved. Not only manufacturers and retail outlets, but also ordinary citizens should adhere to recommendations regarding the storage of such semi-finished products.

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Storage methods without refrigeration

Preserving minced meat without refrigeration is quite difficult, but there are still several ways:

1. For those who live in private houses, a cellar or basement can serve as a place to store minced meat. Place the product in a non-metallic container and place it in a cool place, wrapped in cling film or foil.
2. A more innovative and modern way to preserve minced meat without refrigeration is to use a cooler bag, if you have one. You need to pack the minced meat in the same way as when storing it in a regular refrigerator and place it in a portable refrigerator.
3. This method is only suitable for minced meat. You need to soak a cotton cloth in vinegar, wrap the minced meat in it and place the product in a saucepan with a lid, and then put it in a dark and cool place.
4. Being in natural conditions, people preserve meat products in the ground. They dig a hole and place the dishes with meat there, and then cover the top with boards, branches, or any other available materials.
5. You can also preserve meat using ice-cold running water by placing a pan in it.

It is important to know that minced meat deteriorates most quickly in cellophane packaging, so you should not try to preserve the product in this packaging. It is best to place the minced meat in a glass bowl or pan.

How to extend the shelf life of minced meat

Meatball soup, fresh meat cutlets, and poultry are prepared on the day the minced meat is purchased. If you have made supplies for future use, it is recommended to freeze them immediately. A number of rules are followed to ensure that the product does not spoil for as long as possible.

Right:

• the minced meat was bought from a trusted seller, the packaging contains the date of manufacture and composition;
• Before putting it in the refrigerator, the mass was dried with a paper towel;
• the storage container is clean, dry, with a lid;
• The packaging was marked with the time and type of meat and fish.

Wrong:

• mixed with fillers: onions, chopped potatoes, bread 6 hours before use;
• the resulting mixture was left on the table;
• store in an open container without a lid or film;
• The defrosted minced meat was put into the freezer again.

The shelf life of homemade minced meat is 2 times higher than store-bought. The owners know exactly when and what it is made from. When putting it in the freezer, it is recommended to sign the date on each package.

How to choose ready-made minced meat in the store

It is best to mince the meat yourself and get minced meat, but if this is not possible, then when buying store-bought minced meat, you should pay attention to some things.

• Consistency. The minced meat should not be paste-like, it should be homogeneous and with white inclusions, of which there should not be too many. If this is possible, then it is better to check the minced meat for quality: if the white inclusions are crushed with your finger, then it is fat, and if not, then it is tendons and ligaments.
• Color. Minced pork should be pinkish in color, while minced beef should be reddish. A gray coating indicates poor quality of the meat product. It is also worth paying attention to the type of minced meat; the fresh product has a shiny appearance. If the minced meat looks dull and faded, then think about its freshness.
• Best before date. An important criterion is expiration date. The fact is that minced meat can be stored in the refrigerator for a maximum of 12 hours; if you close your eyes to this fact, then poisoning is just around the corner.
• Smell. The semi-finished product should smell like fresh meat. If the minced meat smells of any additives: spices, vinegar, garlic, lemon juice, then the sellers probably masked the smell of a spoiled product in this way.
• Category. Ground meat also has categories. Categories A, B imply from 80% meat content in minced meat, categories B, D, D indicate a meat content in minced meat of up to 60%. You need to understand that the lower the percentage of meat in the product, the more preservatives there are.
• Liquid. If the juice from the minced meat is cloudy and dark in color, then the minced meat has been lying on the counter for quite a long time and it is not the freshest. The juice should be clear. Also, the minced meat should not “float” in the liquid; if this is the case, then most likely the sellers used water to add weight to the product.

We choose a semi-finished product in the store...

What kind of meat is store-bought or market minced meat actually made from? This is an open question... But the purchased semi-finished product is in extraordinary consumer demand. To eat natural meat, and not ground waste from meat production, remember nine criteria by which you can recognize high-quality minced meat.

1. View. Fresh minced meat has a shiny, slimy surface.
2. Color. The color of the minced meat should be bright. Minced beef is characterized by deep red shades, while pork and chicken are characterized by pinkish shades. Dullness, fading, gray inclusions are signals that the product is not fresh.
3. Consistency. The minced meat should be homogeneous. There are no ground bones or tendons in it. Soft white impurities that can be easily rubbed with your fingers are fat. Hard ones indicate that the cartilage has been twisted.
4. Compound. In the labeling, the manufacturer indicates the category of the product. Typically this important information is printed in small print on the back of the package. If you want to eat real ground fillet, look for the letter "A". According to standards, this category contains 85% meat. Category B is from 60% to 80% meat, C – 40-60%, D – from 20 to 40%, D – less than 20%. The lower the “meat” percentage, the more soy, flavorings, and additives in the minced meat.
5. Best before date. Even if you have to use a magnifying glass to look for the treasured date on the packaging, be sure to check the “age” of the semi-finished product, and do not buy minced meat at your own peril and risk.
6. Tightness. The packaging must be intact and without damage.
7. Smell. You can only evaluate purchased minced meat by smell at home. The smell of fresh product is neutral. You should be wary of sour, sweetish-harsh notes, as well as the strong aroma of black pepper - this is the spice that is used to mask the dubious odors of spoiled meat. You can check the freshness of the minced meat like this: pour a tablespoon of it with a glass of water, cover with a lid and bring to almost a boil (about 80°C). The appearance of a sour, unpleasant smell, turbidity of the broth with floating flakes indicates that the meat is gone and unfit for consumption.
8. Manufacturer. Give preference to factory minced meat. At large producers, the cut raw materials are immediately processed, so you can be sure of the freshness of the meat.
9. Price. A cheap meat product indicates undesirable “inclusions”: various offal, skin, bone meal, third-rate meat (udder, stomach). Minced meat cannot cost less than the cheapest meat, unless it is twisted from something even cheaper.

Features of self-cooking

It would seem that there is nothing complicated in preparing minced meat: grind the meat through a meat grinder, adding onion, salt and spices to taste. But there are still tricks that can make the product more tasty, soft and healthy.

To make minced meat less fatty, you need to reduce the pork content in the minced meat. And in order to relieve the minced meat from dryness, add onions, raw potatoes, or stale bread and a loaf soaked in milk. Also, to make the minced meat dish juicier, you can add lard to the minced meat.

To make the minced meat tender and fluffy, you need to knead it thoroughly or beat it.

In order to make minced chicken soft and juicy, you can mix it with a few tablespoons of sour cream, boiled rice or potatoes.

When making minced vegetables containing cabbage, you cannot salt the cabbage until it has completely cooled, otherwise excess moisture will be released, which will spoil the quality of the minced meat.

When preparing minced fish, to give it juiciness, add grated potatoes or semolina, rather than bread soaked in milk.

What affects shelf life

Even if you can’t see the expiration date at first glance, you will definitely need to find out. Each manufacturer or seller is required to provide such information. There are several parameters, depending on which the shelf life may vary.

Conditions

You can store minced meat in the refrigerator or on the counter if a number of conditions are met. The shelf life of each type of semi-finished product is different, and they should be stored separately from each other, in different refrigerators. At a temperature of 0…+5°C the storage time is:

• meat - up to 12 hours, at most a day;
• chicken – up to 12 hours;
• fish - up to 6 hours.

If it is assorted minced meat, you should know that its storage time is shorter. It is better to purchase semi-finished products in trusted stores with good sanitary conditions.

Package

Manufacturers use various materials to package the product: foil, parchment, plastic containers and cellophane bags, from which the air is squeezed out before packaging. It is best to choose vacuum trays or sealed bags, as well as packaging equipped with a special fastener or tightly covered with cling film. The worst and most unprofitable option for the buyer is a plastic bag. Such packaging is used by manufacturers who want to save money, and because of this the shelf life will be reduced.

Compound

The composition of the semi-finished product directly affects the shelf life. Some manufacturers increase this parameter by adding preservatives to the semi-finished product; they should indicate this on the packaging. This can greatly increase the shelf life, but the quality will suffer.

Most often, housewives store freshly prepared minced meat without additives, because... the presence of various spices, onions, garlic and other components shortens the shelf life. It's better to put all this in before you start cooking. Adding water is also undesirable.

Fried minced meat

Heat treatment has a specific effect on the quality characteristics of food products. In parallel with pathogenic bacteria that accelerate spoilage, beneficial microorganisms that prolong the shelf life are also destroyed.

Minced meat dishes prepared by frying retain their freshness and taste in the general compartment of the refrigerator for up to 36 hours. It is recommended to place the product in a plastic tray with an airtight lid. It is allowed to pack fried delicacies in food foil. Freezing extends the shelf life of semi-finished products after heat treatment to two months.

How to identify a stale or low-quality product

If you decide to buy a store-bought product, it is recommended to pay attention to its external signs.

When choosing minced meat, follow the rules:

1. You should not take products that have an unpleasant odor or signs of dryness or dullness.
2. The sliminess and shine of the product indicate its freshness.
3. Minced chicken should not be dark in color - it acquires this color towards the end of its shelf life. The product should release a little liquid, slightly pinkish in color. If it is not there, it means that bread or flour has been added to the product.
4. When purchasing minced meat, you should not buy a product that has a gray tint. It is not advisable to take a product with spices - they usually mask the “odor” that appears.

I recommend that you make minced meat yourself or buy (as a last resort) from trusted manufacturers. Personally, I rarely have luck with purchased products, so I prefer to make them myself and freeze them for future use. Those who frequently visit my site know how much I adore minced meat dishes. Come and get acquainted with recipes for lasagna, cabbage rolls, chicken Kiev, burgers and much more.

Features of minced meat storage

It happens that when we freeze food, we do not track how long it stays in the freezer.

This is not critical and delaying it for a couple of months does not pose a health risk, but it may well affect the taste of the final dish.

Over time, meat loses its beneficial qualities. The product becomes tasteless, which is reflected in the final dish. A useful life hack is to put a sticker on the container with the freezing date.

Semi-finished products

The shelf life and required temperature of finished products are usually indicated on the packaging. The average shelf life in the freezer is 1-3 months, in the refrigerator at temperatures up to +6 degrees - 12 hours.

Please note that some semi-finished products cannot be defrosted - they are cooked immediately after being removed from the freezer. For example, dumplings.

But, say, pancakes with meat, I prefer to slightly defrost before frying. Otherwise, there is a risk that the filling will not warm up enough.

With onion

Chefs do not recommend freezing products with onions, vegetables, salt and spices - this worsens their taste characteristics. It is advisable to introduce these components immediately before preparing the dish.

However, adding onions to a product does not change its shelf life. For meat mass, it lasts up to 24 hours in the refrigerator, up to 3 months in the freezer.

Fried

The fried product can be left at room conditions for 6 hours. When stored in the refrigerator (in a plastic container), it is good for up to 72 hours, in the freezer - up to 2 months.

Not just meat

Minced meat is a semi-finished product that is obtained by grinding a specific product in a blender or meat grinder. Its main ingredient may not only be meat. Thus, the following types of this product are distinguished:

• meat;
• fish;
• vegetable;
• mushroom.

However, most often the word “minced meat” means minced meat (or fish), to which finely chopped onions and spices have been added. The calorie and nutritional content of the most common types of meat filling is presented in the table below.

Table - Calorie content of different types of minced meat

Judging by the energy value and protein content, minced mushroom (350 kcal/100g) can easily compete with meat. Fish contains only about 70 kcal/100 g, and vegetable - from 40 to 100 kcal/100 g, depending on whether it contains legumes.

What kind of minced meat is there?

Minced meat is a mass minced in a meat grinder. It can be different. It all depends on what product it was made from.

• Meat - the mass is obtained after processing the meat of cattle and poultry. It can only be made from a certain type of meat and from several types.
• Fish - a mass obtained from fish fillets and sea reptiles. Just like meat, it can only be made from a certain type of fish fillet, from several or with the addition of seafood
• Vegetable - a product obtained from vegetables and herbs.
• Mushroom - mushrooms are used here

Mushroom Meat Fish

Storage rules for popular types of minced meat

There are several basic conditions for storing minced meat in the refrigerator, suitable for any type of meat. Follow them and you can keep the product longer.

1. No additives (onions or any other vegetables). They should be mixed with meat only immediately before cooking.
2. No seasonings or spices - just like vegetables, it is better to add them during the cooking process.
3. To get rid of excess moisture - before grinding the meat, be sure to blot it with a paper towel, this will extend the shelf life of the minced meat.

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If the resulting meat mass sticks to your hands, this means that it was cooked at too high a temperature, which affected the structure of the product. It is not recommended to use such minced meat.

How long can minced meat be stored in the refrigerator: chilled...

The answer to the question of how long raw minced meat can be stored in the refrigerator directly depends on the main ingredient of the crushed mixture. The refrigerator assumes short-term storage of the product at a temperature of 4°C for several days, provided that the filling is prepared correctly.

Table - Storage standards for different types of minced meat for commercial enterprises

In practice, freshly prepared pork, beef, turkey and chicken mince can be stored in the refrigerator for about two days and can be used without fear for health. If you do not plan to use this product for cooking within 48 hours, it is better to store it in the freezer.

Please note that minced meat, mushrooms and vegetables must be stored at a temperature of 4-6°C in a zero chamber. This is a compartment that is located directly under the freezer in two-chamber refrigerators.

...and defrosted

Proper defrosting means thawing the product on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. However, at home, housewives most often defrost chopped meat in the microwave. When defrosting mushroom and vegetable mince, a lot of water is released. Therefore, immediately after the procedure, these products must be drained, getting rid of excess moisture, and sent to a frying pan or oven.

The answer to the question of how long defrosted minced meat can remain in the refrigerator is practically no different from the shelf life of a chilled product:

• semi-finished meat products - 12 hours;
• chopped fish - 6 hours;
• minced vegetables and mushrooms - 24 hours.

Once thawed, a product should not be re-frozen. If you ignore this rule, be prepared for the fact that the taste of the minced meat will no longer be so pronounced, and the beneficial properties in the finished dish will remain significantly less. In addition, there is a high risk of bacterial growth in a re-frozen product.

We choose a semi-finished product in the store...

It is absolutely not worth buying semi-finished meat products from unverified sellers. Such a purchase can result in an intestinal infection or poisoning. And in this case, you can pay not for the actual weight of the product, but for the ice that tightly covers the wings and thighs. Packaged ground meat has a sticker or label indicating the packaging date and shelf life. Pay attention to four more points when choosing.

1. Color. The most common types of minced meat should have the following colors: chicken should be light pink, fresh pork should be reddish in color, and beef should be dark red. Contact with air changes the color of the fresh meat filling, making it darker. Do not be afraid of this phenomenon, which is easily explained by knowledge of a school chemistry course. But fresh chilled minced meat cannot turn gray under any circumstances.
2. Consistency. The mixture of minced meat should be homogeneous and fairly dense. Gray inclusions are not acceptable. The only thing that may occur is white speckles, indicating the presence of lard in the meat filling.
3. Smell. Having smelled the minced meat, the buyer should smell the smell of fresh meat and nothing more. In stores and supermarkets, this product should not be sold with onions, garlic or already added spices. The pronounced aroma of seasonings can only mean one thing: they are trying to sell you, at best, stale, and at worst, spoiled minced meat.
4. Supplements It is worth carefully studying the label or sticker. Ground meat should be free of all additives, including soy protein and soy. Products with additives are not intended for long-term storage. It is suitable only for the fastest possible (within a few hours) consumption.

The shelf life of minced meat at room temperature should not exceed two hours. Violation of this rule may cause damage to the product.

... and cook at home: 3 rules

If you intend to prepare shredded meat for future use yourself, follow three rules.

1. Remove moisture. Before grinding, the meat must be blotted with paper napkins. By removing water from its surface, you can maximize the shelf life of the semi-finished product.
2. We exclude additives. No need to add onions or other vegetables. Any additives should be added to the ground meat immediately before cooking.
3. We don’t add pepper or salt. These seasonings make the meat fibers too tough. As with spices, salt and pepper should be added just before preparing the final dish.

Shredded meat filling that has a “jelly” consistency and sticks to your hands during the cooking process is evidence that it was cooked in a room that was too warm. High temperature negatively affects the structure of meat, so it is better to avoid such a product.

What to put in

The ideal container for short-term storage of ground meat is a glass container with a lid. Glass does not enter into a chemical reaction with the substances contained in the product and does not absorb the smell of minced meat.

Many people are interested in the question of whether it is possible to store minced meat in the refrigerator in a bag, because this type of packaging is the most common in supermarkets and stores. Considering the fact that short-term storage of the product under discussion does not exceed 12 hours, the use of plastic bags is quite acceptable.