Q&A for How to Tell if Ground Beef Has Gone Bad

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  • Question
    I have had ground beef in the freezer for approximately three months. Can you tell me if it is bad or not? It looks perfectly normal aside from the fact that it looks a little bit white.
    Janice Tieperman
    Community Answer
    Beef is good for around 4 months in the freezer, so your beef should theoretically still be in good shape if it's only been 3. Ultimately, use your best judgment—if the meat seems off to you, toss it out instead of eating it.
  • Question
    Once the hamburger has been freezing can you refreeze it without cooking it first?
    Janice Tieperman
    Community Answer
    Yes, but only if you defrosted the meat in your refrigerator. If you defrosted the meat in a bowl or water or in the microwave, it's no longer safe to refreeze.
  • Question
    I left my cooked hamburger out for 12 hours at 58 degrees. Is it safe to eat
    Janice Tieperman
    Community Answer
    Unfortunately, no—you should throw it out. According to the Food Safety and Inspection Service of the USDA, ground beef is only safe at room temperature for up to 2 hours (or 1 hour if it's at least 90 °F/32.2 °C).
  • Question
    Froze 2lbs of ground beef on 3rd day of refrigeration. It turned dark brown when thawed in fridge. Is it bad?
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    Check the smell and texture of your ground beef. It does change color as it gets older, but if it doesn't smell or feel slimy, it should still be okay.
  • Question
    Can I cook ground beef that sat in the fridge for an unknown amount of time?
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    Throw it away if you aren't sure when the sell-by date was. It may have gone bad.
  • Question
    Is my ground beef safe to eat the next day if I defrosted it in the package in water all day and put it in the refrigerator for overnight?
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    Ground beef should be cooked immediately after you thaw it in water. Otherwise, bacteria could form.
  • Question
    I packed my hamburgers in separate freezer bags and left them on the counter for 6 hours in 74 degree weather. Can I freeze them now?
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    You shouldn't refreeze them since they probably developed bacteria while they were thawing at room temperature. Always thaw your beef in the fridge or in a sink with cold water.
  • Question
    What would cause meat to taste sour after it has been frozen?
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    The longer you keep food in the freezer, the more likely it is to develop freezer spots that could attribute to the flavor.
  • Question
    Is it safe to cook and eat beef that has turned brown? It has been frozen and thawed.
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    Meat will turn brown over time. Check to see if it smells or has a slimy texture.
  • Question
    Can I boil my ground beef if I am not sure it is bad?
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    When in doubt, throw the beef away. It is only good to use up to 2 days after the sell-by date if it's been in your fridge.
  • Question
    I bought 5 lbs. of hamburger at Grocery Outlet and froze it immediately. Sour tasting, strange clear colored juice came out when frying. What happened?
    DividedGuitarist
    Community Answer
    Your beef may have been freezer burned or it was expired when you bought it and you had never noticed it. The clear colored juice may have been a watery mixture that leached out while cooking.
  • Question
    If beef smells slightly off, will cooking it thoroughly save it?
    Community Answer
    No, it will not. The issue with food poisoning is that whatever baddies are in the meat have left behind toxins - that's one reason it's called food poisoning and not food. If the beef has gone off, then you can't cook it to save it, it must be disposed of.
  • Question
    If I feed my dog ground beef that was left out 2 days, will it hurt him?
    Community Answer
    Yes, it is likely to hurt him, just as it would a human.
  • Question
    I left a tube of hamburger out on the counter for about two hours before I packed int n aluminum foil and froze it. I just defrosted it and it reeks of rotten eggs. Should I throw it away?
    Community Answer
    If it smells that badly, you'd better just play it safe and throw it away.
  • Question
    I put 5 pounds of ground beef (completely frozen) in the fridge on Monday night to thaw out. I forgot it was in the meat drawer until Friday afternoon, when I discovered it and immediately cooked it. I browned it, and it smelled fine. Is it okay?
    Community Answer
    Having been frozen and then kept in the refrigerator for five days, it should be good to eat. As long as it doesn't smell bad and isn't really slimy, it's probably still good. But remember...when in doubt throw it out!
  • Question
    Could refrigerated ground meat still be good seven days past the due date?
    DividedGuitarist
    Community Answer
    It's possible. In order to still be safe, the meat should be roughly half gray and half red. It must not have a pungent odor and shouldn't be waxy or slimy.
  • Question
    I left a pound of solidly frozen hamburger meat on the counter to thaw. It took several hours to completely thaw. I immediately put it in the fridge but didn't cook it until the next day. It was brown and smelled slightly sour. Is it safe?
    Community Answer
    Probably not, since it already smells a bit sour. Also, you shouldn't thaw meat on the counter but in the refrigerator.
  • Question
    If meat is four days past the sell-by date but has been in fridge the whole time and wasn't slick feeling and didn't smell bad, but was 60% gray, is it okay to cook?
    DividedGuitarist
    Community Answer
    Yes, it can be consumed. However, ideally you should monitor your meat every day in order to cook it when it is red. If it's nearing the expiration date, it is best to place it in the freezer and thaw it in the refrigerator when you're ready to cook it.
  • Question
    I put cabbage rolls in my crock pot last night and forgot to plug it in for 10 hours. Is it safe to cook it and serve?
    DividedGuitarist
    Community Answer
    No, you cannot serve meat that has been sitting out for more than an hour or two without being chilled.
  • Question
    How long does ground beef keep in the freezer?
    Community Answer
    It can last indefinitely, but ideally it should be eaten within 4 to 6 months.
  • Question
    Is it normal for ground beef to start smelling sour after I start mixing spices and shaping the beef?
    Community Answer
    Ground beef shouldn't smell sour unless you add lemon juice or vinegar.
  • Question
    I bought two huge tubes of ground beef that said the due date was 8/10. It is now 8/22. It's been kept in a commercial refrigerator at 38 degrees and the tube wrapper has not been opened. The beef still looks fine. Should we eat it or toss it?
    Community Answer
    If it meets the criteria, it may still be safe to eat. That said, the meat isn't guaranteed to be safe at this point.
  • Question
    I froze fresh beef then thawed it out in the fridge over a two day period. It was kept in the fridge for six days. Is it good?
    Community Answer
    A week is usually too much time to keep raw meat in the fridge. If it is slimy, discolored, or smells off, just throw it out.
  • Question
    How can I tell if frozen ground beef has gone bad?
    Community Answer
    If the ground beef was good when it was frozen and has been in the freezer less than six months, you are probably fine. Thaw it in the fridge only, not on the counter or under water. Open the package after it has thawed and follow all the above steps to determine safety.
  • Question
    Is it safe to eat my ground beef if it is 8 days from the sell by date, but it smelled slightly off?
    Community Answer
    If it's a little off, it might be fine. However, it is not guaranteed to be safe to eat. You should try to return it to the store and exchange it for a fresher package.
  • Question
    I took the meat out the freezer and let it defrost outside overnight before putting it in the slow cooker the following afternoon. It was a bit brown. Is it okay?
    Community Answer
    If it smells bad, it's best to just throw it out. It normal for some meats to brown or gray from oxidation.
  • Question
    Can I cook raw ground beef which smells like vinegar?
    Community Answer
    Meat should not smell like vinegar. The smell indicates that the meat has spoiled.
  • Question
    I have beef patties that have been frozen for 3 months, they're gray. Have they gone bad?
    Community Answer
    They may be safe to eat if they don't smell or feel waxy. Usually when they're within 6 months of being frozen, they're fine.
  • Question
    If I thawed frozen ground beef in the sink, then put it in the fridge overnight, is it still good?
    DividedGuitarist
    Community Answer
    If the meat was still cold while thawing it should not be a problem, however, it is best to place the frozen meat into the refrigerator to thaw over several hours depending on the thickness. If the meat is very large such as a turkey then it can be placed into chilled water in the sink.
  • Question
    I just bought mince meatballs from the butcher: the use before date is in one day's time. Are they okay to eat?
    Community Answer
    Yes, they'd still be edible a day after the Use By date.
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