3 Ways to Store Meat

1. Bacteria in Raw Meat

The U.S. Food Safety Inspection Service says that any food that comes from an animal can be full of bacteria. Possible bacteria include Salmonella, Escherichia coli O157:H7 (E-coli), Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus and Campylobacter jejuni. These bacteria can't be seen or smelled, so it's important to properly store your meat to prevent these bacteria from spreading and making your sick. These bacteria aren't harmful to people, but they do cause the meat to deteriorate so that you can't use it. A different set of bacteria causes meat to spoil.

2. Safe Meat Refrigeration Times

If you're looking to store meat for short periods of time, then refrigeration is a good choice. But the key word to remember is "short." Generally, you shouldn't store meat in a refrigerator for more than 4 days, and you should make sure your refrigerator is 35 degrees F or cooler. To prevent the meat from dehydrating, make sure that it is thoroughly wrapped. Sometimes removing it from the packaging you bought it in and rewrapping it yourself can more effectively prevent dehydration and odor absorption. It's a good idea to place meat on a separate plate to prevent it from contaminating other foods in your fridge. Cured (smoked) meat can be stored in the fridge for a maximum of 60 days.

3. Freeze Meat for Long-Term Storage

Freezing meat can make it last longer, but that drip that you see when it thaws means that you're losing small amounts of nutrients like amino acids, water-soluble vitamins, salts, proteins and peptides. However, it isn't a big deal since the amount of nutrients lost is very small. You still keep most of the meat's nutrients and physical properties like taste, texture and smell. The optimal freezer temperature for storing meat is -10 degrees F, but you can get away with a constant temperature of slightly below zero degrees F. Make sure your meat is properly packaged and sealed to prevent air and moisture exchange, which shows up as severe meat dehydration or freezer burn. Beef, fish and lamb can be stored for up to 6 months in a freezer. Veal, pork and poultry is good for 4 months. Seasoned sausage should be stored in the freezer for no more than 2 months. Variety meats are good for 3 months. Lunch meats should only be frozen if they're vacuum packed to prevent a rancid flavor from developing.