How long can meat (raw or cooked) be kept in the freezer before it needs to be thrown out?!


Question: Is it dangerous to eat? Or is there just less nutritional value if frozen for too long?


Answers: Is it dangerous to eat? Or is there just less nutritional value if frozen for too long?

It actually just depends on how you store it in the freezer...

but here is what the fda says about different meats:

Bacon and Sausage 1 to 2 months
Casseroles 2 to 3 months
Egg whites or egg substitutes 12 months
Frozen Dinners and Entrees 3 to 4 months
Gravy, meat or poultry 2 to 3 months
Ham, Hotdogs and Lunchmeats 1 to 2 months
Meat, uncooked roasts 4 to 12 months
Meat, uncooked steaks or chops 4 to 12 months
Meat, uncooked ground 3 to 4 months
Meat, cooked 2 to 3 months
Poultry, uncooked whole 12 months
Poultry, uncooked parts 9 m,onths
Poultry, uncooked giblets 3 to 4 months
Poultry, cooked 4 months
Soups and Stews 2 to 3 months
Wild game, uncooked 8 to 12 months

Because freezing keeps food safe almost indefinitely, recommended storage times are for quality only. Refer to the freezer storage chart at the end of this document, which lists optimum freezing times for best quality.

If a food is not listed on the chart, you may determine its quality after defrosting. First check the odor. Some foods will develop a rancid or off odor when frozen too long and should be discarded. Some may not look picture perfect or be of high enough quality to serve alone but may be edible; use them to make soups or stews. Cook raw food and if you like the taste and texture, use it.

Most people say 6 months to a year is fine. After that, it'll probably be freezer burnt.

About 6 months

I cooked and ate some beef that I had stored in the freezer for over a year and it was fine - it just looked a little freezer burnt around the edges but it hadn't gone bad or anything.

best way to check is by poking!
poke the meat, if it returns to it's normail position easily then it's edible.. but if it stays poked.. then lose it

About 6 months it will be fine.

About a year it will still be fine.

Try 3 years and it will be gone.





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