How much minced meat can be stored in the refrigerator, methods and storage time
A regular cookbook contains a large number of recipes in which one or another type of minced meat can be used. The main thing when preparing them is to use a fresh product, without signs of spoilage. In order for her to remain so after purchase or self-production, you need to know exactly how much minced meat is stored in the refrigerator in different conditions.
What factors affect shelf life
Key factors affecting the shelf life of ground meat or vegetables in the refrigerator are cooking conditions, temperature conditions, packaging and ingredients used. To get the maximum shelf life of product freshness, you need to combine them correctly with each other.
Terms
During cooking, care should be taken to ensure that all dishes are clean and free of food debris.They can cause the fermentation process, which will lead to rapid deterioration of the finished product.
The meat grinder should be thoroughly cleaned after each use with special brushes, including hard-to-reach places.
The second point is to maintain the desired temperature regime in the refrigerator. In the refrigerator compartment, the temperature should fluctuate in the range of up to +4 degrees Celsius, and in the freezer - in the range of -18 degrees.
Pack
A regular food bag or parchment is perfect for storing homemade food. It is advisable to put the stuffing thus packaged in a metal container or plate. This will prevent the packaging from absorbing foreign odors and leaks.
If the minced meat was store bought, the best solution would be to leave the original packaging. It lets you know exactly when a product has been prepared and is ideal for storing it.
Compound
Minced meat can contain not only meat or poultry, but also vegetable additives. Therefore, the shelf life of the semi-finished product may vary depending on the ingredients used. If the resulting product has a very short shelf life, it is better to start preparing the dish immediately.
Storage methods and periods
The shelf life can vary significantly depending on the chosen temperature regime. Thus, ordinary meat can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, and in the freezer the period increases to 1 year. The optimal choice can be made depending on how quickly you plan to cook the minced meat dish.
Ice
This method can be called the golden mean if minced meat was purchased or prepared for use in the near future. Depending on its type, the shelf life of freshness varies between 6 and 24 hours.
Frozen
In the case of a freezer, the shelf life of the product increases significantly. With proper packaging and freezing, ground meat without additives can sit undisturbed for 3 months. Before it goes to the freezer, it is recommended to immediately divide it into separate portions, so that it is easier to use the right amount later and to avoid refreezing.
At room temperature
The shortest shelf life for minced meat and vegetables is observed when stored without refrigeration. It is recommended to leave ground meat at room temperature only during defrosting or just before cooking. It is especially dangerous to store raw food in a room in the summer, since the heat greatly accelerates its deterioration.
Thawed in the refrigerator
Thawed minced meat is no different from fresh, and also keeps for up to 24 hours at +4 degrees. However, in this case, refreezing is not allowed, since it can greatly deteriorate the properties of the product or render it unusable. A large volume of liquid may escape during defrosting. If you plan to defrost slowly in the refrigerator compartment, place the package in a metal container.
Standards compliant with GOST and SanPin
The most accurate information regarding the shelf life of different types of minced meat can be provided by national standards. They differ depending on the ingredients used. The term remains unchanged for foods that have been properly frozen and frozen. It is equal to 3 months, regardless of the composition.
Chicken
This type of minced meat is the most common because it has a low price and good gastronomic properties. After being prepared by meat processing factories, it can be stored without opening the original package in the refrigerator for 12 hours. The term does not change for a domestic product.
turkey
Ground turkey meat differs from chicken meat only in taste and fat content, so the shelf life is completely consistent. The same rule applies to any other bird.
The maximum time the ground turkey can “live” in the refrigerator compartment is 12 hours.
Pork
Ground meat from large animals has its advantages. It can be stored for up to 24 hours in its original packaging, if the preparation of the product has been carried out by a meat processing company in compliance with the standards. In the case of the home option, you will have to limit yourself to the same 12 hours.
Beef
Ground beef is distinguished by its dryness. Sometimes in stores it is sold only with the addition of pork. The same standards apply to it, allowing it to keep its freshness in the refrigerator for up to 1 day from the date of production. This rule only applies to original unopened packaging. After opening or preparing minced meat at home, the shelf life is reduced to 12 hours.
with onion
Onions and other vegetable additives turn minced meat into a preparation for a future dish. It is recommended to add these foods, along with salt and spices, just before cooking. If it does not contain preservatives, such a semi-finished product can be stored in the refrigerator for no more than 6 hours.This is due not only to the fact that the meat can deteriorate, but also to the abundant release of juice, caused by the presence of vegetables and spices.
Fish
Ground fish is used less often than meat, but is still quite common in homemade recipes. If prepared with fresh fish, it can keep for up to 24 hours, even when cooked at home. For the store version, the shelf life does not change and is the same 24 hours.
Liver
The liver, washed and minced, can also be stored for a long time. It can be stored fresh in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours, as well as in its entirety. It is not recommended to add other foods to the liver when chopping, if the dish will not be cooked immediately.
Rabbit
Rabbit meat has very similar properties to pork and beef. Thus, according to health standards, the same shelf life is set for it: 24 hours if the minced meat was made in the factory, and 12 hours for a homemade product.
Fried
Frying minced meat is equivalent to heat treatment of a meat product. These dishes can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours. It is not recommended to freeze fried minced meat, as its gastronomic properties can be noticeably distorted.
Features of storing homemade minced meat
When preparing minced meat at home, you need to pay attention to a few simple rules that will maintain freshness throughout the period.
Coaching
All bones and cartilage should be removed from the meat before loading it into a meat grinder, blender or food processor. It should be rinsed well under running water and dried with a kitchen towel. Utensils and tools are used perfectly clean, without traces of other products, even if they have just been prepared.
Pack
After cutting the meat, the finished minced meat should be divided into packages and sent to the refrigerator or freezer. In addition, if the freezing option is selected, the packaged product must be placed in the coldest part of the chamber so that it freezes as quickly as possible. After complete freezing, it can be moved to any compartment.
In the refrigerator for a short time, minced meat can be stored in metal or ceramic dishes. It is not recommended to use plastic bowls for this.
How to choose the right purchase
When choosing minced meat in a store, you need to pay attention to 4 main indicators: the presence of juice, consistency, smell and color. Some of them, alas, cannot be verified. If sold in original unopened packaging.
Color
Most types of ground meat and poultry have a delicate pink color. The exception is a product from horse meat and beef - it has a more pronounced red tint. If the minced meat is gray or greenish, you should not buy it.
Consistency
Minced meat and fish should be tender and knead well with your hands. If there is excessive dryness and it looks crumbly, this indicates that it has been on the counter for a long time. Such a product is simply dry and weathered and may already show the first signs of spoilage.
Juice
Fresh ground meat should not contain much moisture or blood. If juice begins to appear in it, this indicates that the product was prepared a long time ago or low-quality raw materials were used in its manufacture. The exception is minced fish, which, on the contrary, should have a small amount of moisture.
Feel
The smell of minced meat and fish should be pleasant. The presence of notes of acid, chlorine or other chemical elements in the smell may indicate its preparation from rotten meat, in which they tried to hide the notes that betray spoilage.
How to Freeze Properly
When freezing ground meat, homemade or purchased, you should follow a few simple rules. They will simplify its further use and increase the shelf life.
In parcel
When freezing in a bag, it is recommended to roll the minced meat into a thin cake. So it will freeze faster and it will be much easier to separate the required amount without defrosting.
In plastic containers
When using containers, you can use small portions or create internal dividers. It will also make it easier to use the minced meat later, because you don't have to strain to separate the required amount.
Thawing rules
The best option for thawing ground meat is to place it in the refrigerator for 12 to 18 hours. If you need to quickly prepare a product for further cooking, it is better to use a microwave in a special mode or slowly warm it up in a water bath. Do not attempt to thaw ground meat with a hair dryer or other household appliances.
Signs of product deterioration
It is possible to determine whether ground meat has deteriorated primarily by its smell. Even if the shelf life is not exceeded much, a pronounced rotten hue begins to appear. The second indicator is a color change from pink to gray or greenish. Such a product should not be consumed, as it is fraught with severe food poisoning.
Common Mistakes
When buying ground meat, some start counting the shelf life from the moment it is loaded into their refrigerator. However, this is fundamentally wrong. In the store you need to specify how long it has been cooked and start counting from this moment. Then all the indicators will comply with sanitary standards.
Another mistake is to add spices to minced meat in advance, ostensibly to marinate it. Such a product can quickly deteriorate, so it is better to add spices and vegetables to the composition immediately before heat treatment.