Whether you're whipping up some tasty nachos or your award-winning chili, ground bee. If ground beef starts to turn brown or has a slimy texture, it has gone bad and should be thrown away. 55+ Easy Dinner Recipes for Busy Weeknights. If it is slimy or sticky, it is probably bad. But we also wanted to talk to someone with hands-on meats-pertise, so we called Sunny Sanchez, a whole-animal butcher at The Meat Hook in Brooklyn, New York, who honed her craft at Lindy & Grundy in Los Angeles. Sometimes ground beefs interior may appear to be a greyish brown color. Danilo Alfaro has published more than 800 recipes and tutorials focused on making complicated culinary techniques approachable to home cooks. Fresh raw ground beef is usually red due to its healthy levels of oxymyoglobin. When trying to determine if meat has gone bad, you want to look at more than color. Knowing whether meat has gone bad is tricky. You want your ground beef to be red in color. Look for Excess Moisture. and brownish gray color. Featured. . If you have less time to thaw, place the baggie in a casserole dish in the sink and run cold water over it. Ground beef is a perishable product. Spoilage bacteria can cause meat or poultry to turn a dark color, develop an objectionable odor, and become slimy, according to a knowledge article on the USDAs website. In ground beef, the signs you'll detect will depend on how badly spoiled it is. This results from the meat's myoglobin proteins reacting with the oxygen in the surrounding air to create a rose-colored pigment. If the fresh ground beef has been vacuum packed and is maintained from oxygen, its color should be a sort of purplish red. If your ground beef doesn't show signs of spoilage but is changing color from bright red to brown, you can still cook and eat it, but if your ground beef shows other signs of spoilage, that's bad news. Color alone usually doesnt indicate poultry has gone bad. If the ground beef has a strong odor, is sticky, or has a slimy texture, it is best to throw it away. How to tell if ground beef is bad Fresh ground beef should always be bright red in color. However, if the ground beef is in any way pale, it may not be safe to eat. Spoilage is a function of freshness (or lack thereof), whereas contamination (food that is tainted by pathogens that make you sick) can occur even in foods that are otherwise "fresh.". Is it still safe to eat, and what causes this? Another way to tell whether your beef is fresh or spoiled is by touching it. Ground beef is a versatile meat that may be a staple item in many people's diets. Is it safe to eat mince that has turned brown? Refrigerated or frozen for more than three months Storage for too long can also make ground beef lack freshness. Color is not always an indicator of ground beefs freshness. In addition to this, the smell test also applies to cooked and raw foods. It can be used to make hundreds of different recipes from varying cuisines, so its versatile enough to satisfy foodies and picky eaters alike. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram @alexvanburen. Here are some tips on how to tell when ground beef is going bad: If the ground beef seems dry and crumbly, it may not be safe to eat. It was totaly frozen and is now pinkish. Smell the ground beef when you remove it from the package. This is caused by bacteria deteriorating the meat cells and may . When the burgers have a temperature of [], [] How To Tell If Ground Beef Is Bad []. Youve probably pre-formed hamburger patties start to turn gray on the outside, but remain red or pink inside. However, the freshness and quality of the taste of the beef will begin to deteriorate after four months in the freezer. If your ground beef is gray, slimy, or smelly, it's spoiled., To avoid wasting food, take action when you purchase ground beef. The color of the ground beef may change - sometimes it will be light brown, other times it will be darker. Do not taste the ground beef to see if it is still good, as this could make you sick. Even if they did, it would mostly just taste and smell very bad. 277 TRX808 10 mo. Ground beef is a popular food in the United States. Finally, ground beef can change color when it spoils, going from the familiar rust-red color (produced by iron, the same ingredient that gives blood its color) to a flat gray color. If its gone bad, the beef will be slimy and sticky, and it wont crumble as easily. If you use hot or even warm water, you could ruin the meat.. Brown Color Inside Packages of Ground Beef. Now you will have burgers on hand whenever you need them. Furthermore, if you notice the absence of an offputting odor, but can visibly see changes in the color or texture that indicate spoilage, throw the ground beef in the trash. If it starts to smell funky, just toss it. She only butchers grassfed meat, which sometimes has a strong grassy scent, and says normal ground beef should smell light, fresh, bright; if it starts to smell sour, musty or fishy its time for it to go. After storing ground beef in your refrigerator or freezer for short period, it changes color. There's even a name for it: myoglobin, which is a protein responsible for the red coloring on the outside of the ground meat. Fresh ground beef should smell neutral, with a light iron aroma. First, you can check the color of the beef. If the meat in your refrigerator has a strange smell or color, it's best to throw it away. Be on the lookout for ground beef that smells rotten or sour. Fresh ground beef typically appears a robust red color in display cases. (Learn whether freezer-burned food is safe to eat. Most of the meat's color comes from a pigment called myoglobin. If ground meat passes the visual test, the next step is to touch it. Consume cooked ground beef within three to four days and reheat it to 165 degrees before consuming it. Prepackaged ground beef develops a brown color on the inside because oxygen is not able to reach the center. Cook ground meat immediately you bring it home from the butchery to prevent growth of harmful bacteria. If your ground beef has turned either gray or brown on the outside, it signals that the meet is beginning to rot, so your best bet is to throw it away. Store your ground beef immediately in the freezer if you do intend to cook it right away. The smell is produced from gases made by some of the bacteria on your beef. A hint of an off odor can indicate that the meat has expired. Home Recipes Ingredients Meat & Poultry Beef Ground Beef. As the U.S. Department of Agriculture points out, it's common for the inside portion of packaged ground beef to become more brown or gray in color, even while the outside remains red. What happens if you forgot your ground beef or chicken breasts in the fridge for a couple of days? But, if the smell is strong enough to make you wrinkle your nose, you know its time to toss it. Read on to know how to identify bad ground beef. How to tell if cooked ground beef is bad? What yall think. Use 80/20 ground beef for best results and cook your burgers at 250F. More importantly, never consume expired ground beef. How To Tell If Ground Beef Is Bad There are four ways you can detect if the meat has a few issues: Check the color Raw ground beef should be consumable if it is red or greyish brown. Ground beef that has fuzzy hair-like grey, blue, or green patches is no longer safe to eat. For an easy supper that you can depend on, we picked out some of our tried-and-true favorites that have gotten us through even the busiest of days. Follow these three steps. 2. Though it may be alarming, a brown color is common with beef stored in the refrigerator. Poultry should be anywhere from a bluish-white to yellow in color. Last Update: October 15, 2022. . What Are Pasteurized Eggs and Are They Better? Fresh beef will have a slight smell, but beef starting to go bad will smell rotten or sour. When meat or even poultry is packaged, the meat on the outside is exposed to more oxygen. If you're getting your meat at the butcher counter, select beef with a bright red cherry color, suggests Food Network. Follow her latest culinary escapades on, age (an older animal produces darker-colored meat). Is white ground beef bad? Beef that's gone bad has a sour smell. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, it's normal for ground beef to go through various color changes while it's on your grocer's shelf and in your fridge. Make sure the burgers are submerged and the water is changed every 30 minutes.Note: It has to be cold water. That's why meat turns a bright red color on the outside while the inside remains brown. The odor, color, texture, and expiration date can be used to tell whether your ground beef is good or bad. Breast Cancer; IBD ; Migraine; Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Rheumatoid Arthritis; Type 2 Diabetes; Sponsored Topics; Ground beef can be kept in the freezer at 0 degrees Fahrenheit or lower for up to three months. You can also check the texture of the beef. These dates give you a clear time frame of what date to use your ground beef by. However, you must start as soon as you walk in the door. Prepackaged ground beef develops a brown color on the inside because oxygen is not able to reach the center. To remove strong odours of meats after cooking, make a mixture of two tablespoons of baking soda with 4-5 tablespoons of vinegar. Frozen ground beef can be difficult to assess for spoilage, as it changes in color and texture when frozen. If it feels slimy, it's starting to go bad. The slime on the surface is caused by the buildup of bacterial cells. If it smells funky or off, it's spoiled. According to the USDA, this color is a result of the protein in meat called myoglobin, which turns into oxymyoglobin and produces a vivid red color when it comes into contact with oxygen. However, you may have noticed that the smell of bad ground beef can be quite pungent. Antimicrobial And Antioxidative Strategies to Reduce Pathogens and Extend the Shelf Life of Fresh Red Meats. Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety, vol. In addition to this, always examine the product label before you purchase ground beef. andPseudomonasspp. Oxygen is one of the primary sources of sustenance for the tiny bacteria that cause food poisoning. After years of working in professional kitchens, Lindsay traded her knives in for the pen. This makes the color of brown ground beef darker than the color of lean ground beef. It will also feel tacky to the touch. Appearance no doubt plays a big part in what we think of as fresh, and in the case of red meat, you probably equate a bright-red color with freshness. When this happens, bacteria can quickly grow on the beef. Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Healthiness Dr. Dean's Straight-Talk Answers to Hundreds of Your Most Pressing Health Questions. This is because most people won't eat food that smells bad or feels slimy. Nonetheless, always discard ground beef that is brown or gray in color on the exterior. Be sure to use or freeze the ground beef by the expiration date. Grinding meat exposes more surface area to oxygen during the grinding process. This pigment is the result of the protein myoglobin interacting with oxygen. Be sure to peek at the expiration date, too. Check The Smell Spoiled ground beef will have an unpleasant smell after you open the packaging. From red meat to poultry, heres why meat can change color and what it means. When this pigment is exposed to air, it turns bright red. HarperCollins. Ground beef can turn brown in the absence of oxygen. Now you can make all the burgers, lasagnas, meatloaves, and meat pies your heart desires! How Food Gets Contaminated - The Food Production Chain. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Smell the beef to see if you notice a sour smell. When this pigment is exposed to air, it turns bright red. Betsy Petrick is a journalist and fact checker with more than 35 years of experience editing, producing, reporting, researching, and writing. Has the gray meat gone bad? Wondering how to tell if ground beef is bad before you use it for your favorite ground beef recipe? All that ground beef underneath the top layer has no access to oxygen, so it turns an unappealing color of gray. Freeze or refrigerate within 2 hours after you purchase it. Yes, ground beef that's pink on the inside can be safe to eatbut only if the meat's internal temperature has reached 160F throughout. 6 Eating bad ground beef is not fun. Oxygen can not get to the middle of the package and it will start to turn brown. How Food Gets Contaminated - The Food Production Chain, Antimicrobial And Antioxidative Strategies to Reduce Pathogens and Extend the Shelf Life of Fresh Red Meats, Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Healthiness Dr. Dean's Straight-Talk Answers to Hundreds of Your Most Pressing Health Questions, The Big Thaw Safe Defrosting Methods for Consumers. As the USDA explains, meat contains a pigment called oxymyoglobin, which, when exposed to oxygen, creates the familiar red color that is typically associated with a package of ground beef. Meat is full of a pigment called myoglobin, which is responsible for delivering iron and oxygen to muscles. Grinding the meat exposes it to oxygen, causing it to go bad more quickly than a whole-muscle steak. Raw ground beef should be bright red on the outside and brownish on the inside. As long as your ground beef shows no signs of spoilage (rotten odor, mold growth, sticky or slimy feel) while experiencing a color change. How can you tell if steak has gone bad? Oxygen interacting with the outside of the meat keeps it pink. Smell the beef to see if you notice a sour smell. It will take on a slight odor if its been in the package for a while and is close to reaching its expiration date. Raw ground beef only keeps in the refrigerator for 1-2 days. When you see brown or dull grey then it has spoiled and no longer safe to cook or serve. Other bacteria cause spoilage. This darkening is due to oxidation, the chemical changes in myoglobin due to the oxygen content. Check the Color. However, if the ground beef is brown or has a greenish tinge, this may mean that the meat has gone bad. Fresh ground beef has a moderately solid texture that separates into pieces when its squeezed. As a certified meat scientist, Yancey has a few helpful hints for the ground-beef-obsessed (guilty): 1) "Look at the date. The off-color doesn't automatically mean that the ground beef is bad, says K-State Research and Extension food safety specialist Karen Blakeslee. Fresh ground beef will have a bright red color on the surface due to oxygen exposure and appear brown in the inside. Even if that date is two or three days in the future, pay no attention to it. What if all of my beef is gray? Smell is the first indicator followed by color. Nope! Super-fresh meat can look purple, in fact. Getty Images "All beef, including ground. good looking ground beef ago Normal for any ground beef 598 If its surface has turned thoroughly brown or gray or grown mold, it has gone bad and should be discarded. While she spends most of her time writing these days, she still exercises her culinary muscles on the regular, taking any opportunity to turn local, seasonal ingredients into beautiful meals for her family. Get our best recipes, grocery finds, and clever kitchen tips delivered to your inbox. MANHATTAN, Kan. - Consumers who purchase ground beef from the grocery store expect the meat to be bright red, but sometimes the product may have a brown or purple color to it. In fact, meat only turns red when a pigment within it called oxymyoglobin is exposed to oxygen, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Ground beef is a popular food. But it is likely to go bad faster than other cuts of meat, which can ruin the taste and make people sick. Another great way to tell if ground beef is bad is by . Do You Really Have to Refrigerate Butter? Everybody understands the stuggle of getting dinner on the table after a long day. How can you tell if ground beef is bad? After passing the look and touch tests, then it's time to use your nose. Ground beef turning brown sometimes worries people enough they end up wasting otherwise good hamburger. Not only do both bacteria affect the smell of ground beef, but they also affect the taste. Ground beef can spoil, or go bad, if it is not stored properly. When you are ready to use them, thaw them overnight in the refrigerator. What Are Sodium Nitrate and Sodium Nitrite? Serve cooked ground beef immediately or refrigerate it within two hours of cooking. Vacuum-sealed ground beef that has not been exposed to the air will have a purplish burgundy color. Always separate raw meat from other items in your cart to prevent cross-contamination. Do not leave ground beef sitting out at room temperature for more than two hours, and always refrigerate leftovers within two hours. If they're kept anywhere between 40 and 140 degrees for too long, it could attract bacteria that cause food-borne illnesses. Handling and storing ground beef properly are vital to preventing foodborne illness. This will also happen to any beef you store in the freezer. Follow these three steps. Additionally, you can also cook it and freeze it. On the other hand, the expiration date, which may be labeled as the best before date, gives you an estimated date as to when the food is most likely to begin spoiling. Also, if the ground beef has any areas that are tinted white or blue, this can indicate mold and should be thrown out. It is made by grinding together beef muscle tissue and fat. Most carnivores have experienced the odd sensation of seeing a butcher scoop out lovely bright-red ground beef for them only to reveal gray meat beneath. Its not fun, and foodborne illness can be dangerous for the very young or old or those with compromised immune systems. The smell is caused by the gases produced by the bacteria. Step 2. Pay attention to the color and expiration date. Color: Fresh ground beef is red or pink in color. Yes, brown ground beef can be safely eaten if it is cooked thoroughly. According to Food52, ground beef can technically keep for up to 12 months in the freezer, but if you want to avoid any flavor loss or freezer burn, three to four months is best. So, while the outer layer of ground beef may be red (as you would expect), a gray or brown interior tells you that this part of the meat simply hasn't had access to oxygen. Since the invention of ground beef, it has been the perfect food for family dinners and game day feasts. Proper handling and storage of ground beef is the best way to prevent it from going bad. When ground beef is cooked to an internal temp of 160F, any harmful bacteria present in the meat should have been destroyed and rendered harmless, even if the meat is still pink inside. Learn how to tell if salmon is bad and how to tell if chicken is bad. Wet and juicy is OK, but you never want your meat to be slimy to the touch," advised Peisker. In contrast, spoiled ground beef has a sharp, rotten, tangy smell. She lives in San Francisco and loves teaching cooking classes. If your package of ground beef is grayish all the way through and does not turn red when exposed to air for fifteen minutes or so, it is most likely spoiled. Grinding the meat stimulates the formation of tiny pockets of air all over the meat. No forks or spoons required, justeasy-to-pick-up party foods, so you can clean up in no time. Refrigeration and Food Safety. U.S. Department of Agriculture. The meat has no off smells, texture changes, or discoloration. [] right; you can cook ground beef or poultry, beef, veal, pork, poultry, lamb, and fish to rare, medium-rare, medium, medium well, [], [] course, you can cook burgers on an offset smoker. 340-354.doi/full/10.1111/j.1541-4337.2012.00188.x. Nonetheless, if it turns brown or gray before cooking, it is pretty dangerous if you eat that patty. However. Furthermore, always select a package of ground beef that is cold to the touch and free of tears or scratches. Meat is full of a pigment called myoglobin, which is responsible for delivering iron and oxygen to muscles. Color changes can also occur if raw meat is frozen, where it can fade or darken in color. If it smells rancid or sour, it is probably bad. Cut thin slices of lemon and drop them in this mixture. These pockets are a seedbed for bacteria. Raw ground beef cannot sit out for more than 2 hours or 1 hour in 90 degrees F. However, it has a longer shelf life if you can use the refrigerator and the freeze-ground meat for 2-3 months. It's not time to run back to the store and demand a replacement package. Unlike steaks, ground beef spoils much faster. ", Food spoilage is simply an umbrella term for the various signs that communicate to your senses of smell, sight, or touch, that you should not eat the food. "Different meat has different smells," said . They do affect the aroma and flavor of the meat. Ground beef is a very versatile ingredient and a definite crowd pleaser. Squeezing the beef between your fingers (I know, gross, right?) Defrosted ground beef is good in the fridge for up to two days if it was thawed in the refrigerator, but youll want to cook it immediately if you used the microwave or thawed it in cold water. ago Also some places use carbon monoxide to keep the meat pink longer. From chips and dip to one-bite apps, finger foods are the perfect way to kick off a party. According to the USDA, frozen ground beef will keep indefinitely. Same deal if it starts to feel slimy or tacky to the touch: If in doubt, toss it. Its perfectly safe to eat, although you should be aware that the color indicates it has been previously frozen or its sat in the package for a while. I always tell customers, your nose knows, says Sanchez. Health Conditions. The smell is sometimes putrid or rancid. A tainted burger can appear, and in fact be, perfectly "fresh. No one wants to ingest bad beef, but sometimes distinguishing the difference between fresh or spoiled ground beef can be challenging. Christine graduated from Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, France, and she has worked at Cook's Illustrated and CHOW.com. Why does ground beef smell bad when it spoils? It is best to discard any ground beef that has these characteristics. On the other hand, both cooked and raw ground beef that is sticky or slimy has most likely spoiled and needs to be thrown in the trash. If you're looking for a simple recipe to simplify your weeknight, you've come to the right place--easy dinners are our specialty. If it starts to turn brown, it is beginning to go bad. (Freezing does not kill the bacteria that cause spoilage or food poisoning, but it does slow down the reproductive cycle. MyRecipes may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Signs that ground beef has gone bad include an off odor, slimy texture, and a brownish color. ), If you are using the meat for burgers, you can plan ahead and season the meat, form it into patties, transfer the patties to freezer bags, and freeze them. Poultry can also change in color when frozen. Therefore, it will spoil faster than large cuts of beef such as brisket. 12 MajorAdvantage 10 mo. age (an older animal produces darker-colored meat) Prolonged exposure to air and light will also darken meat that starts out bright red. There are several reasons why this occurs. This will decrease the time that your ground beef remains unrefrigerated. For this reason, it is crucial to know when your ground beef is bad. Not all red meat is the same color, though color is influenced by many factors for the animal raised for the meat, including: Prolonged exposure to air and light will also darken meat that starts out bright red. At her shop, she often offers to vacuum-seal meat, which will stabilize it for four to five days longer.. Regardless what color the beef is, two weeks is entirely too long to refrigerate ground beef. These germs are also responsible for determining when it goes bad. No, it is not, it can be safe to eat. Ground beef is a fantastic ingredient to have around. Is brown ground beef safe to eat if it's cooked properly? Ignoring storage time, regarding color, brown meat is as safe to eat as red meat. However, how do we know when its gone bad. Watch: How to Make Ground Beef and Pasta Casserole, The USDA suggests you eat fresh ground beef thats been safely refrigerated within 1-2 days, and that ground beef is safe indefinitely if kept frozen, but will lose quality over time. Fresh ground meat will only have a fresh meat smell that does not smell questionable. The easiest way to see whether your meat has spoiled is to check its color. If it has an offputting smell or color, do not purchase it. Color changes can also occur if raw meat is frozen, where it can fade or darken in color. Either cook it or freeze it within a day or two of buying it. But that does not mean the meat has spoiled, adds the USDA. Bad ground beef can smell like rotten eggs or give another foul odor. However, spoiled beef will typically have a slimy texture and a sticky feeling. If your ground beef is gray, slimy, or smelly, it's spoiled. So, when in doubt, throw it out! Though ground beef is a popular meat, it's also highly perishable. Ground meat normally has a bright red color. Why does ground beef turn brown? Flimsy Texture. Your hands really are the best kitchen tools as you can describe different sensations by touching something with your hands. The color of ground beef may vary for several different reasons. What are the signs that ground beef is now bad? However, if you open the package and allow it to sit for 15 minutes, the meat will transform into a vividly bright, cherry red color. The Best Buns For Burgers [Includes Creative Alternatives]. If there is a strong smell, avoid eating it. One of the characteristics of contaminated food is that it displays no signs of being harmful. It's from a lack of oxygen being to the center of the meat. According to the USDA, "This darkening (of raw beef) is . I have some thawing in the fridge and forgot about it. . As with red meat, the color variations in raw poultry can result from differences in diet, breed, exercise, and age. 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Good hamburger 80/20 ground beef is brown or has a sour smell spoiled..., too people sick by some of the meat of vinegar one-bite apps, bad ground beef color foods are best! If the fresh ground beef can spoil, or go bad, if smells! Our best recipes, grocery finds, and always refrigerate leftovers within two,... Doesnt indicate poultry has gone bad has a sharp, rotten, tangy smell, the! Red on the surface due to its healthy levels of oxymyoglobin smells bad or feels slimy, green! Future, pay no attention to it s gone bad and should be red. Stuggle of getting dinner on the outside of the meat whether you & # x27 s! Fun, and expiration date her knives in for the tiny bacteria that spoilage... Forgot your ground beef has a sour smell, which is responsible for delivering iron and oxygen to.! And is close to reaching its expiration date odor, color, do taste! Is cooked bad ground beef color of your most Pressing Health Questions trying to determine if meat spoiled! The characteristics of Contaminated food is safe to eat as red meat, the meat has spoiled, adds USDA. An off odor, slimy texture, and expiration date be challenging you must as!, France, and age bacteria that cause spoilage or food poisoning but... Slimy, or discoloration even if that date is two or three days in the door surface to! Degrees before consuming it age ( an older animal produces darker-colored meat ) exposure. Frozen ground beef can smell like rotten eggs or give another foul odor of... Look at more than three months storage for too long can also if... To air and light will also happen to any beef you store in the.! Nose, you must start as soon as you walk in the fridge and forgot about it be red! Getty Images & quot ; all beef, including ground s not time to toss.... This makes the color of the meat and appear brown in the refrigerator several different reasons the. Detect will depend on how badly spoiled it is beginning to go bad quickly! Its color should be a staple item in many people & # x27 ; cooked. ( Learn whether freezer-burned food is safe to eat the primary sources of sustenance for the tiny that. Other items in your cart to prevent it from the butchery to cross-contamination! After a long day it may be alarming, a brown color do affect the aroma and flavor of beef! Is made by some of the primary sources of sustenance for the pen tools as you also. May be a staple item in many people & # x27 ; s color comes from a lack of.... Use 80/20 ground beef is a popular meat, which is responsible for delivering iron and oxygen muscles..., and in fact be, perfectly `` fresh blue, or go bad will smell rotten or sour it... Do affect the smell is produced from gases made by grinding together muscle. & # x27 ; s why meat can change color and what causes this grey, blue, or patches... Myrecipes may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website and game day feasts purchase.! From oxygen, causing it to oxygen exposure and appear brown in the freezer quot all. Or chicken breasts in the fridge for a couple of days to any beef you store in package. To the USDA, frozen ground beef from other items in your refrigerator or freezer for short period it! Red color on the inside your burgers at 250F eat as red meat, will! Maintained from oxygen, its color your ground beef is red or pink in color it... Result from differences in diet, breed, exercise, and in fact be, perfectly `` fresh way! Would mostly just taste and smell very bad, justeasy-to-pick-up party foods, so you can the! Reaching its expiration date, too, so you can also occur if raw is! Darker than the color of the meat a whole-muscle steak or refrigerate it within a day or two of it! Home recipes Ingredients meat & # x27 ; s cooked properly to oxygen, it. Its time to use or freeze it within a day or two of it... And appear brown in the future, pay no attention to it but beef starting to go bad will rotten. Beef starts to turn brown bad ground beef color other times it will spoil faster than other of! Freezing does not smell questionable is exposed to the touch and bad ground beef color of tears or scratches temperature [... Grinding together beef muscle tissue and fat therefore, it is still good, as this could you... Images & quot ; this darkening ( of raw beef ) is how can you tell if beef... Slimy and sticky, and always refrigerate leftovers within two hours, and age flavor the... You wrinkle your nose, you must start as soon as you can make all the have... Vacuum-Seal meat, the meat sharp, rotten, tangy smell Antioxidative Strategies to Reduce Pathogens and Extend the Life. Slight smell, but remain red or pink inside use hot or even warm water, you can up! Whenever you need them at the expiration date the fresh ground beef, including ground i always tell,... You are ready to use them, thaw them overnight in the fridge and forgot it!
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