If you are one of those people who occasionally enjoys a meal of fresh beef, you should make sure that you are aware of all of the guidelines that you should follow when it comes to the handling and storage of beef. The following are a series of tips that will help you to store your meat and enjoy it at a later date:
1. When you are shopping for beef, save the beef until the last minute. If the beef is refrigerated, you should only place the meat instead of the car if it is too cold to touch. If the beef is frozen, it should be rock solid and, if your trip home is more than 30 minutes, you should place the beef inside a cooler.
2. The date on the meat should be considered so that you are ensured of its freshness.
3. For beef that is stored at refrigerator temperature, make sure that you dispose of the meat by the “use by” date.
4. If the meat is a roast or beef steaks, you should use the meat within three to five days after purchase.
5. If the fresh beef is not going to be needed until after the expiration date, the meat should be tightly wrapped and placed on the bottom of the freezer. The beef can be frozen for as long as two weeks in its original wrapping. If the beef has to be stored for longer, wrap the beef in aluminum foil or place the meat in freezer bags. Make sure that the air is removed.
6. Before you place the beef into the freezer, you should label the package with today’s date, the type of cut, as well as the number of servings in the package. In this way, you can use the older meat first.
7. Use the thermometer on the freezer or refrigerator in order to make sure that the freezer is set below 0°F and the refrigerator is set below 40°F.
8. If you need to thaw frozen meat, place the beef in the refrigerator inside of a container or in a dish.
9. Prepare and enjoy.
