The importance of handling meat, in this case ground beef, cannot be stressed enough. Without proper handling a person can expose themselves to all sorts of bacteria – some fatal.
How Long to Keep Raw Ground Beef?
Use or freeze raw beef within 2 days from when you purchase the meat. Bacteria such as salmonella and E-Coli will grow and spread in the beef – especially when it is not stored in the proper temperatures.
Bacteria cannot grow when meats are frozen.
These bacteria will cause illness in a human, sometimes death. It cannot be seen on the meat, so just checking it for oddities or giving a smell test will NOT help you determine if there is this type of bacteria.
According to the FSIS website, bacteria quickly grows between 40 and 140 degrees F. Therefore, make sure to store your ground beef at temperatures less than 40 degrees f.
Unless it is frozen, do not leave it in your refrigerator for 2 days max and only thaw your beef in the refrigerator, not on a kitchen counter where it is exposed to the “danger zone” of room temperatures.
Freezing the ground beef will stop any spread of bacteria as noted above. Use the frozen beef within 4 months to ensure maximum freshness, however there is no limit to how long beef can be stored in a freezer.
Grinding Beef Spreads Bacteria Faster
Healthy Meat
Whether grinding your own meat at home, or if your butcher does it for you, it is important to realize that this will cause bacteria to grow even faster. To eliminate the threat of bacteria in your ground beef, make sure it is thoroughly cooked to an internal temperature of 160 degrees F.
When purchasing ground beef, look for good red color – even purplish red. If it has a lot of grayish brown around the meat this could be a sign that is spoiling.
Some meats will have some gray coloring because it is oxygen which helps bring about the red color, so some areas of meat which do not receive much oxygen will have some gray.
3 Ways to Thaw Ground Beef
1. Thaw in the refrigerator.
This slows down the growth of bacteria. Make sure the meat is properly covered and not placed where the juices or meat will touch any other item.
Placing the wrapped package of meat in a glass container or pan is a good choice because you will not need to worry about leakage. Never let it be sitting fully exposed without being wrapped.
It is most common to thaw the meat over night. This is the only method that allows for the meat to be refrozen.
2. Thaw in the microwave.
This process is truly the fastest way, however you have to be careful you do not overcook the meat. Cook the meat quickly after thawing – again to prevent the rapid growth of bacteria. Do not refreeze.
3. Thaw in cold water.
Place the meat within an airtight plastic bag and place in a bowl of very cold water. Make sure the meat is fully submerged. To keep the water cold, change it out every 30 minutes. Like thawing in the microwave, cook the meat immediately and do not refreeze.
What should be the internal temperature of ground beef?
The internal temperature should be 160 degrees minimum. However, when reheating fully cooked frozen ground beef (such as in casseroles, lasagna, or meatballs), the internal temp should be 165 degrees F.
Liz
www.simpleitaliancooking.com
Easy Italian Recipes
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