How Long Can You Freeze Meat? Best Practices And Guidelines

Maybe your like

Medical News TodaySubscribeWhat to know about freezing meat

Medically reviewed by Adrienne Seitz, MS, RD, LDN — Written by Jon Johnson on October 1, 2020

Why freeze meat?
Best practices
How long?
Summary

Freezing meat is a great way to preserve the nutritional value and keep it from spoiling. Depending on the cut and type of meat, uncooked meats may preserve in the freezer and stay at a high quality for anywhere from 1–12 months.

It is important to follow the correct guidelines to store and freeze the meat in order to ensure its safety and prevent bacterial growth.

This article will discuss the importance of safely storing meat and outline some of the best practices for storing and freezing different types of meat.

The importance of safely storing meat

A person with a freezer full of meat. Freezing meat is a useful way to safely store meat for a long period of time. — Credit Image: Jodi Jacobson/Getty Image

Safe storage can protect meat against quality and flavor loss as well as bacterial growth.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) note that safely storing meat in the freezer at 0°F (-18°C) reduces the temperature to a point that inhibits most bacterial growth.

Warmer temperatures than this can allow bacteria to grow on the meat, which can make a person sick. This is why meat stored in the refrigerator typically only lasts for a few days. The cooler temperatures can slow some bacterial growth but not enough to keep the food from spoiling.

Proper freezing also protects against pathogenic bacteria, which are the bacteria behind foodborne illnesses and food poisoning.

Safe storage also protects the meat from flavor and quality loss. A number of compounds in meat oxidize and break down rather quickly at room temperature, which can lead to a noticeable loss of flavor.

Proper storage techniques — such as curing, smoking, and freezing — may help slow this process or prevent some or all quality loss.

Best practices for storing and freezing meat

Some of the best practices for storing and freezing meat include:

Preparing meat for freezing

In most cases, it is OK to store meat purchased from a market in the package it came in. Check for any holes or breaks in the package first, but an airtight package will keep the meat safe at the recommended temperature.

For butchered meat, wrap the cuts in an airtight package first. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommend overwrapping the packaging with airtight foil or plastic wrap if freezing for longer than 2 months.

Freezing temperature

Freezing temperature is a crucial aspect of storing meat. People should keep meat frozen at a temperature of 0°F (-18°C) or below. The USDA note that this temperature inhibits the growth of bacteria and shuts down any other microbes, such as yeasts and molds, in the food.

People can use a thermometer to check whether or not their freezer will reach this temperature. Some freezers that see frequent use may not reach temperatures this low consistently, which may put the food at risk of bacterial growth and spoilage.

Thawing meat

There are three main ways to defrost and thaw meat from the freezer.

The slowest and perhaps safest technique is to thaw the sealed package in the refrigerator. Smaller cuts of meat may defrost in a few hours, whereas larger cuts of meat may take a few days to defrost.

To safely thaw meat faster, a person can place it in a leakproof plastic bag and set it in a tub of cold water. They should change the water every 30 minutes and cook the meat immediately after thawing.

Some microwaves also have specific settings to help defrost frozen meat. If using the microwave method, cook the meat immediately after defrosting it.

Never thaw meat out in the open at room temperature, such as on a counter or in the sink. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) note that bacteria can multiply quickly at room temperature.

Refreezing meat

Once raw meat has defrosted properly, many experts recommend not freezing it again unless the person cooks it first. This is mainly to prevent texture and quality loss.

Raw meat defrosted in the refrigerator is still technically safe to freeze again, though the quality may suffer due to moisture loss.

When defrosted and refrozen, the meat will create more ice crystals within its cells. These ice crystals rupture the tissue of the meat on a microscopic level that can change the taste and texture of the meat.

Defrosting and refreezing the meat again may cause a notable difference in quality. The meat may be very dry or lose some of its texture.

After cooking defrosted foods thoroughly, it is safe to freeze them again.

How long to freeze meat

The FDA note that freezing meat at 0°F (-18°C) will technically preserve it indefinitely. However, the quality of the meat may drop after some time, and very long freeze times may cause noticeable changes in the quality and taste of the meat.

Because of this, various types of meat have different storage lengths to ensure that they are still high quality once thawed out to eat.

The sections below outline how long to freeze meat based on the type of meat:

Fresh meat

Fresh meat will generally have the longest shelf life and can last the longest in the freezer without losing quality.

Ground meats

Raw hamburger meat: 3–4 months
Raw ground turkey, veal, pork, or lamb: 3–4 months

Fresh beef, veal, lamb, and pork

Steak: 6–12 months
Roasts: 4–12 months
Chops: 4–6 months
Other cuts, such as liver, tongue, and chitterlings: 3–4 months
Bacon: 1 month
Raw sausage: 1–2 months

Raw poultry, such as chicken or turkey

Whole: 12 months
Parts: 9 months
Giblets: 3–4 months

Fish and shellfish

Lean fish: 6–8 months
Fatty fish: 2–3 months
Fresh shellfish and squid: 3–6 months

Cooked meats

Processing, cooking, or smoking the meat drastically reduces this time in many cases, as the quality of the meat will suffer after freezing again.

Refreezing cooked meats may also taint the flavor of the meat, as some flavors oxidize and break down after cooking — even in the freezer.

With this in mind, here are the freezing times for cooked meats:

Lunch meats

Hot dogs: 1–2 months
Lunch meats: 1–2 months
Ham (whole, half, or slices): 1–2 months
Corned beef (drained): 1 month

Cooked meat

Smoked sausage products: 1–2 months
Meat leftovers from beef, veal, lamb, and pork: 2–3 months
Gravy, meat broth, and stews containing meat: 2–3 months

Cooked poultry, such as chicken or turkey

Pieces: 4 months
In gravy: 6 months
Fried: 4 months
Nuggets or patties: 1–3 months

Fish and shellfish

Cooked fish: 4–6 months
Smoked fish: 2 months
Canned fish (out of the can): 2 months

Summary

Freezing meat is a great way to store and protect it from spoilage. Fresh meat can technically last indefinitely when stored at the correct temperature, so the guidelines for storage refer to the quality and flavor of the meat itself.

Following safety precautions helps reduce the chance of spoilage, as well. Some freezers may not be able to keep the temperature consistently low enough, so storage times can vary.

Even after following the correct safety and storage procedures, people should avoid any meat that looks or smells odd.

Food Intolerance
Infectious Diseases / Bacteria / Viruses
Nutrition / Diet

How we reviewed this article:

SourcesMedical News Today has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

Chen, L., & Alali, W. (2018). Editorial: Recent discoveries in human serious foodborne pathogenic bacteria: Resurgence, pathogenesis, and control strategies. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2018.02412/full
Four steps to food safety: Clean, separate, cook, chill. (2020). https://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/keep-food-safe.html
Freezing and food safety. (2013). https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/food-safety-education/get-answers/food-safety-fact-sheets/safe-food-handling/freezing-and-food-safety/CT_Index
How to store food and leftovers. (2019). https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/how-to-store-food-and-leftovers/
Refrigerator & freezer storage chart. (2018).https://www.fda.gov/media/74435/download

Share this article

Medically reviewed by Adrienne Seitz, MS, RD, LDN — Written by Jon Johnson on October 1, 2020

Latest news

Supplement mix helps reduce tumor aggressiveness in deadly brain cancer
6 depression symptoms in midlife linked to almost 50% higher dementia risk
Eating more ultra-processed foods linked to higher Crohn's disease risk
FDA approves daily pill to treat low libido in women after menopause: What to know
Fibroids may be a risk factor for heart disease, study suggests

Related Coverage

What are the signs that ground beef is now bad?Medically reviewed by Kim Chin, RD
What signs can people look out for to tell if ground beef has gone bad? Read on to see what to look for and how to safely handle and store beef.
READ MORE
Should you wash meat?Medically reviewed by Jillian Kubala, MS, RD
Meats contain bacteria that are harmful if they enter the body. Due to this, some people wash meat before preparing it, but this is unsafe. Learn more…
READ MORE
How to reduce food wasteMedically reviewed by Jillian Kubala, MS, RD
There are many ways people can reduce food waste, including properly storing food, freezing, pickling, and using food scraps in stocks and compost…
READ MORE
Vitamin D supplements may lower blood pressure in older adults with obesity
Vitamin D supplementation may help manage hypertension, particularly in older adults with overweight or obesity, a new study suggests.
READ MORE
Does French sea salt have any benefits?
French sea salt contains trace amounts of healthy minerals, but its benefits do not differ significantly from other types of salt. Learn more about…
READ MORE

Tag » How Long Does Meat Last In Freezer

Health Conditions

Health Products

News

Original Series

Podcasts

General Health

Health Tools

Quizzes

About Medical News Today

Find Community

Follow Us

The importance of safely storing meat

Best practices for storing and freezing meat

Preparing meat for freezing

Freezing temperature

Thawing meat

Refreezing meat

How long to freeze meat

Fresh meat

Ground meats

Fresh beef, veal, lamb, and pork

Raw poultry, such as chicken or turkey

Fish and shellfish

Cooked meats

Lunch meats

Cooked meat

Cooked poultry, such as chicken or turkey

Fish and shellfish

Summary

How we reviewed this article:

Latest news

Related Coverage

Contact