How Long Does Frozen Meat Last

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How Long Does Frozen Meat Lasthttps://pocket-syndicated-images.s3.amazonaws.com/611f00784e876.jpg

Here’s What You Need to Know About Freezing Meat

 

If you’re wondering when to toss that old chicken in your freezer, follow these easy

guidelines.

 

How Long Does Frozen Meat Last? Here’s What You Need to Know About Freezing

Meat

 

If you’re wondering when to toss that old chicken in your freezer, follow these easy

guidelines.

 

https://pocket-syndicated-images.s3.amazonaws.com/611f00784e876.jpg

 

When it comes to stocking up on food, there’s nothing as convenient as filling up your

freezer with a variety of frozen meals and ingredients, since freezing your food is the

best way to guarantee freshness, long-term.

If you’re like many people and keep key meat items — such as raw chicken or ground

beef — in the freezer, there’s probably a question you might be wondering: How long

can you freeze meat before it goes bad?

The good news is that frozen meat that’s kept at a temperature of 0° Fahrenheit or

lower will actually be safe to eat indefinitely, according to FoodSafety.gov — but it’s

important to remember the difference between “safe to eat” and “good to eat.” After

some time, the quality of the meat will degrade due to things like freezer burn — which is

why you might want to know how long you can keep different meats in the freezer

before they start to veer into “bad quality” territory. To help you make sure you’re not

freezing your meats longer than you should, we’ve gathered some guidelines — based

on recommendations from the FDA — as to how long you should you should store

different types of meat in your freezer.

(*The graphic above illustrates our Chief Food Director's professional opinion on

frozen meat quality over time, which may suggest shorter freezing time than the FDA's

recommended time outlined below).

https://pocket-syndicated-images.s3.amazonaws.com/611f00784e876.jpg

How should I be storing meat in the freezer?

Before you go stock up on all types of meat, it’s important to first know how to safely

and properly store meat in your freezer. First, you should make sure that you're

freezing the meat — and all other frozen foods — at a temperature of 0° Fahrenheit or

lower; this is the temperature that keeps food safe by preventing the growth of

microorganisms and inactivating any microbes (such as bacteria, yeasts and molds)

present in food, according to the USDA.

 

It’s perfectly safe to freeze meats in its original packaging; but if you're planning to

keep it in your freezer for longer than two months, the FDA recommends that you

overwrap these packages with airtight heavy-duty packaging such as foil, plastic wrap,

or freezer paper — or you can just place the package inside a plastic bag, too.

How long does frozen meat last?

Poultry

According to the FDA, whole chickens and turkeys can last in the freezer up to a year.

If you're freezing poultry pieces such as turkey or chicken breasts, thighs, or wings,

however, they should be consumed within nine months, while giblets should be kept no

longer than three to four months.

 

Beef, Veal, & Lamb

 

When it comes to fresh meat like beef, veal, or lamb, you should know that these foods

can last for several months in the freezer, depending on what type of meat they are.

Specifically, the FDA says that raw steaks can be kept in the freezer for six to 12

months. Chops, however, last shorter at four to six months while roasts can be kept

frozen from anywhere between four months to a year.

 

Pork

 

Uncooked pork has similar freezer guidelines to beef and other meats: Chops should

last four to six months in the freezer, while roasts can be kept frozen for four to 12

months. Processed pork, such as bacon, sausage, hot dogs, ham, and lunch meats,

shouldn't keep them in the freezer for longer than one to two months.

 

Fish & Seafood

 

Fish and seafood can get a little more complicated when it comes to recommended

freezer guidelines, but generally, lean fish can last six to eight months in the freezer

while fatty fish lasts shorter at two to three months.

 

Ground Meat

Whether your type of raw ground meat is beef, turkey, lamb, or veal — or any other

mixtures of them — you shouldn't have it in the freezer for longer than three to four

months. (The same goes for hamburger meat!)

 

Cooked & Leftover Meat

 

Sometimes you’ll want to freeze your leftover meats for later consumption — but before

you go ahead and cook extra portions, you should remember that cooked meat doesn't

maintain its quality in the freezer for as long as raw meat does. According to the FDA,

cooked poultry dishes and cooked fish can be kept in the freezer for four to six months,

whereas other cooked meat and leftover meat dishes (such as beef, veal, lamb, and

pork) shouldn't be kept for longer than two to three months.

 

 

This post originally appeared on Good Housekeeping and was published March 23,

2020. This article is republished here with permission.

 

https://getpocket.com/explore/item/how-long-does-frozen-meat-last-here-s-what-you-

need-to-know-about-freezing-meat?utm_source=pocket-newtab

 

[humble3d]

How Long Does Frozen Meat Last

 

 

Here’s What You Need to Know About Freezing Meat

If you’re wondering when to toss that old chicken in your freezer, follow these easy

guidelines.

How Long Does Frozen Meat Last? Here’s What You Need to Know About Freezing

Meat

If you’re wondering when to toss that old chicken in your freezer, follow these easy

guidelines.

 

When it comes to stocking up on food, there’s nothing as convenient as filling up your

freezer with a variety of frozen meals and ingredients, since freezing your food is the

best way to guarantee freshness, long-term.

If you’re like many people and keep key meat items — such as raw chicken or ground

beef — in the freezer, there’s probably a question you might be wondering: How long

can you freeze meat before it goes bad?

The good news is that frozen meat that’s kept at a temperature of 0° Fahrenheit or

lower will actually be safe to eat indefinitely, according to FoodSafety.gov — but it’s

important to remember the difference between “safe to eat” and “good to eat.” After

some time, the quality of the meat will degrade due to things like freezer burn — which is

why you might want to know how long you can keep different meats in the freezer

before they start to veer into “bad quality” territory. To help you make sure you’re not

freezing your meats longer than you should, we’ve gathered some guidelines — based

on recommendations from the FDA — as to how long you should you should store

different types of meat in your freezer.

 

(*The graphic above illustrates our Chief Food Director's professional opinion on

frozen meat quality over time, which may suggest shorter freezing time than the FDA's

recommended time outlined below).

How should I be storing meat in the freezer?

Before you go stock up on all types of meat, it’s important to first know how to safely

and properly store meat in your freezer. First, you should make sure that you're

freezing the meat — and all other frozen foods — at a temperature of 0° Fahrenheit or

lower; this is the temperature that keeps food safe by preventing the growth of

microorganisms and inactivating any microbes (such as bacteria, yeasts and molds)

present in food, according to the USDA.

It’s perfectly safe to freeze meats in its original packaging; but if you're planning to

keep it in your freezer for longer than two months, the FDA recommends that you

overwrap these packages with airtight heavy-duty packaging such as foil, plastic wrap,

or freezer paper — or you can just place the package inside a plastic bag, too.
How long does frozen meat last?

Poultry

According to the FDA, whole chickens and turkeys can last in the freezer up to a year.

If you're freezing poultry pieces such as turkey or chicken breasts, thighs, or wings,

however, they should be consumed within nine months, while giblets should be kept no

longer than three to four months.

Beef, Veal, & Lamb

When it comes to fresh meat like beef, veal, or lamb, you should know that these foods

can last for several months in the freezer, depending on what type of meat they are.

Specifically, the FDA says that raw steaks can be kept in the freezer for six to 12

months. Chops, however, last shorter at four to six months while roasts can be kept

frozen from anywhere between four months to a year.

Pork

Uncooked pork has similar freezer guidelines to beef and other meats: Chops should

last four to six months in the freezer, while roasts can be kept frozen for four to 12

months. Processed pork, such as bacon, sausage, hot dogs, ham, and lunch meats,

shouldn't keep them in the freezer for longer than one to two months.

Fish & Seafood

Fish and seafood can get a little more complicated when it comes to recommended

freezer guidelines, but generally, lean fish can last six to eight months in the freezer

while fatty fish lasts shorter at two to three months.

Ground Meat

Whether your type of raw ground meat is beef, turkey, lamb, or veal — or any other

mixtures of them — you shouldn't have it in the freezer for longer than three to four

months. (The same goes for hamburger meat!)

Cooked & Leftover Meat

Sometimes you’ll want to freeze your leftover meats for later consumption — but before

you go ahead and cook extra portions, you should remember that cooked meat doesn't

maintain its quality in the freezer for as long as raw meat does. According to the FDA,

cooked poultry dishes and cooked fish can be kept in the freezer for four to six months,

whereas other cooked meat and leftover meat dishes (such as beef, veal, lamb, and

pork) shouldn't be kept for longer than two to three months.

 

This post originally appeared on Good Housekeeping and was published March 23,

2020. This article is republished here with permission.

https://getpocket.com/explore/item/how-long-does-frozen-meat-last-here-s-what-you-

need-to-know-about-freezing-meat?utm_source=pocket-newtab