Freezing meat: how long do ground beef, chicken and steak last?
Fresh ground meat and chicken carry a use-by date: after that day, don’t eat it and don’t freeze it, even if it smells fine. At -18 °C (0 °F), ground meat keeps its quality for up to about 3 months, chicken for about 4–5 months and beef for 6–10 months. Always thaw in the fridge and cook within 24 hours. Never refreeze meat that was thawed raw.
Meat in the fridge and freezer: guidelines
| What | Guideline | Keep in mind |
|---|---|---|
| Raw ground meat, fridge | day of purchase, never past use-by | Loose from the butcher: cook or freeze the same day |
| Raw chicken, fridge | 1–2 days, never past use-by | Bottom shelf, so juices can’t drip |
| Raw steaks, chops, fridge | 1–2 days, at most until use-by | As cold as possible, 4 °C (39 °F) or below |
| Ground meat, frozen | up to about 3 months | Freeze flat, wrap airtight |
| Chicken, frozen | about 4–5 months | Whole or in pieces, well wrapped |
| Beef / pork, frozen | beef 6–10 months, pork 2–4 months | Fatty meat goes rancid sooner |
| Thawed in the fridge | cook within 24 hours | Don’t refreeze raw |
| Cooked meat leftovers | 2–3 days in the fridge | Cooked dishes can be frozen |
How to freeze meat properly
- Freeze in time: on the use-by date at the latest, ideally right after shopping.
- Flatten portions: press ground meat flat in a bag. It freezes faster and thaws more evenly.
- Wrap airtight: use freezer bags or containers and squeeze out the air. Supermarket fridge packaging often isn’t made for the freezer.
- Label it: write down what it is and the date, so you use the oldest first.
- Store at -18 °C (0 °F) or colder. Freezer times are about quality: after that, meat gets drier and loses flavor.
Ground meat past its date – even by one day?
Then don’t eat it. Ground meat and poultry spoil very quickly, which is why they carry a use-by date rather than a best-before date. You can’t see, smell or taste the germs that make you sick, and cooking it well doesn’t make out-of-date ground meat safe.
Freezing only helps before the date: it stops germs from growing but doesn’t kill them. Freezing meat that is already past its date won’t rescue it. When in doubt, throw it out.
How to thaw meat safely
- Thaw in the fridge, in a container or on a plate. Flat portions often need one night, large pieces longer.
- Never thaw on the counter at room temperature. The outside warms up while the inside is still frozen.
- Pour away the thawing liquid and keep it away from other food. Wash your hands and the board afterwards.
- In a hurry: use the microwave’s defrost setting and cook the meat straight away.
- Cook thawed meat within 24 hours. Always cook ground meat and poultry through (at least 70 °C (158 °F) in the center for 2 minutes).
Can you refreeze thawed meat?
Raw: no. Germs start multiplying again during thawing, and freezing again doesn’t kill them. Every thaw-and-freeze cycle pushes the numbers higher.
Cooked: yes. If you turn thawed ground beef into a pasta sauce, for example, you can freeze the cooled sauce in portions.
Freezer burn: is the meat still safe?
Freezer burn shows up as grayish-brown, dry, leathery spots where air reached the meat. It’s a quality problem, not a safety one: those spots taste bland and get tough. You can cut them off. To prevent it, wrap meat airtight and freeze it quickly.
When to always throw meat away
- When the use-by date has passed, even by one day.
- When it smells sour, rotten or musty or feels slimy, even before the date.
- When it has been unrefrigerated for more than 2 hours, for example in a hot car.
- When it was thawed raw and refrozen and you don’t know how long it sat warm.
Frequently asked questions
Can you eat ground beef one day after the use-by date?
No. Ground meat carries a use-by date. After it, don’t eat it and don’t freeze it, even if it looks and smells normal. You can’t detect the germs that make people sick.
How long does frozen ground beef last?
Up to about 3 months at -18 °C (0 °F). If it stays frozen the whole time, it doesn’t become unsafe after that, but it gets drier and less tasty. Label it with the date and use older packs first.
Can you freeze chicken?
Yes, whole or in pieces, for about 4–5 months. Freeze it on the use-by date at the latest, thaw it in the fridge and always cook it all the way through.
Can I refreeze thawed ground beef?
Not raw. Cook it within 24 hours. Once it’s cooked and cooled, you can freeze the finished dish.
All figures are guidelines for food that is stored correctly and kept chilled. No guarantee: when in doubt, throw it out. Take extra care during pregnancy and with young children, older or vulnerable people.