How long does cooked ground beef last in the fridge? Like all leftovers, cooked meats will last in the refrigerator for three to four days, according to the Agriculture Department of the United States.

Cooked ground beef should be stored in shallow airtight containers in the refrigerator, or it can be tightly wrapped in heavy-duty aluminum foil or plastic wrap to extend its shelf life and maintain its quality.

Cooked ground beef will keep in the fridge for 3 to 4 days if stored properly.

Cooked ground beef can be frozen and then wrapped tightly in freezer wrap or heavy-duty aluminum foil to further extend its shelf life.

Please read on.

How Long Does Cooked Ground Beef Last in the Fridge?

Cooked ground beef can last for 3-4 days in the refrigerator.

Furthermore, cooked ground beef can be frozen to maintain freshness for up to four months, for those who have room in their freezers.

Yet again, there are nuances here; the recipe and containers you use are just two examples of the many things that can affect a product’s shelf life.

How Long Does Ground Beef Last in the Fridge If It’s Raw?

Many organizations and authorities on food safety claim that raw ground beef can be stored in the refrigerator for 1-2 days after purchase.

It can be kept in the freezer for an extended period of time—typically three to four months—if you’d like to keep it for longer. When it’s time to cook, this will guarantee the greatest freshness and flavors.

How to Freeze Ground Beef?

The only surefire way to extend the life of your ground beef past a few days is to freeze it. When kept in the freezer (at 0 degrees F or below), ground beef and other ground meats will last for three to four months.

In order to prevent freezer burn, wrap ground beef in freezer-safe plastic bags, freezer paper, heavy-duty aluminum foil, or freezer wrap while it is still in its original packaging. Putting the ground beef in a freezer-safe bag and adding a date label is an option if the packaging has already been opened.

When you’re ready to use it, put the packaged ground beef in a big bowl of cool water, keeping the meat submerged with a big weight. Give it five to ten minutes to defrost. Never refreeze previously frozen ground beef; instead, use it right away.

Read about Can You Cook Frozen Ground Beef?

How to Store Cooked Beef?

Cooked beef should cool either in the refrigerator or on the counter for a brief period of time with a loose cover. Cutting large pieces into smaller ones or spreading it out on a baking sheet will help it cool more quickly.

Once it’s no longer hot, tightly wrap the meat in plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator. The meat should be chilled as soon as possible after cooking, ideally within two hours. Harmful bacteria can quickly grow if meat is left at a temperature of 40 degrees F or higher for longer than two hours.

Once refrigerated, cooked beef should be eaten within three to four days, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Beef that has been cooked can be kept in the freezer for a longer period of time. Make sure there is as little air as possible in contact with the meat by wrapping it tightly in plastic wrap. The wrapped meat should be put in a zip-top freezer bag, with the contents and the date clearly marked, to further guard against freezer burn.

According to the USDA, cooked beef will keep in the freezer for two to three months; after that it may still be safe to eat but the texture and flavor may begin to deteriorate.

How to Defrost Cooked Beef?

Refrigeration is the ideal setting for defrosting cooked beef. Place the wrapped package of frozen meat in the refrigerator to gradually thaw.

Depending on the size of the meat, this process could take up to 24 hours for steaks or roasts.

A quicker method is to place the wrapped meat in a resealable bag, if it isn’t already, press out any extra air, and then immerse the bag in a big bowl of cool water. Until the meat is thawed, which can take up to two hours depending on size, replace the water about every half hour with fresh, cold water.

How to Heat Leftover Cooked Beef?

The best ways to reheat cooked meat that has been chilled or frozen and thawed are in the oven or a pan. Let it warm up to room temperature for up to 30 minutes after removing it from the fridge.

Place the meat on a baking sheet, preferably elevated on a roasting rack or an oven-safe cooling rack set inside the baking sheet, and bake it at a low temperature, such as 250 degrees F. Heat it until it is warmed through, to an internal temperature of at least 120 degrees F when checked with a meat thermometer.

To reheat in a pan, cuts like steak or hamburger can be cooked in a nonstick skillet with a little bit of neutral oil, such as vegetable oil. For a few minutes, heat it over medium-low heat, turning it over after two to three minutes. Check the internal temperature of the meat using a meat thermometer; it should be close to the level at which you prefer your steaks to be cooked—for example, 130 degrees F for medium-rare.

If your leftover beef seems dry after being heated, try drizzling it with sauce, gravy, or even some warm beef broth. Moisture that was lost during reheating will be replaced in part by this.

How to Tell If Cooked Beef Has Gone Bad?

It is simply not worth the risk to eat leftover cooked beef if it smells or appears off.

Similar to the day you cooked it, the meat ought to still smell and feel like that. Your meat may be spoiled if it feels slimy or mushy, has a green tint, or has an unpleasant sour or rotten-egg odor. You’re better off not taking a chance because there is no real way to tell if it contains bacteria that can cause food poisoning.

Finally, if you know the meat has been at a temperature between 40 degrees F and 140 degrees F for two hours or more—what food experts refer to as the “danger zone,” as it is the most favorable conditions for bacteria to multiply—pitch that steak or burger and find something else to eat.

Final Thoughts

Ground beef is a specialty meat that requires extra attention when being stored, both raw and cooked. There are more surfaces on which contaminants and bacteria can adhere due to their large surface area. Because of this, they have a much shorter shelf life than other cuts of beef, both in the refrigerator and the freezer.

Only two days and four months, respectively, can be allowed for raw ground beef to remain in the refrigerator or freezer. As long as four days in the refrigerator and four months in the freezer, cooked ground beef can last longer.

The next time you’re out purchasing and cooking ground beef, keep this information in mind! It will assist you in ensuring appropriate food storage and enhancing food safety in your kitchen. Additionally, you’ll know when to use ground beef for the best flavor combinations.