How long can you kept hamburger meat after open it.?

Answer 1

Freshly ground hamburger should be used within 3 days. If you know you are not going to use it, freeze it right away. Don't wait until the 3rd day to put it in the freezer.

USDA website: "USDA suggests that consumers cook or freeze ground beef within 2 days after purchase for maximum quality."

The aging process when talking about shelf life generally refers to the growth of bacteria and it is this bacteria growth that translates to a bad smell and, eventually, to the creation of a residue which can only be defined as "slimy". Once you detect that residue, you best not chance eating it.

Ground beef should be handled extremely carefully.

• Raw no more than two days
• Cooked, no more than three days
• Once ground beef has been cooked it can be frozen even if it was frozen before. Be sure it's cooked right through with no pink.

When in doubt, throw it out!

"Color of Beef

Beef muscle meat not exposed to oxygen (in vacuum packaging, for example) is a burgundy or purplish color. After exposure to the air for 15 minutes or so, the myoglobin receives oxygen and the meat turns bright, cherry red.

After beef has been refrigerated about 5 days, it may turn brown due to chemical changes in the myoglobin. Beef that has turned brown during extended storage may be spoiled, have an off-odor, and be tacky to the touch."

Generally speaking, ground beef can last from 3 to 7 days under proper refrigeration which means below 36 degrees fahrenheit. This, of course, doesn't take into account when the ground beef was actually produced in the store where it was purchased. Most reputable stores these days will have an expiration date on the product although a number of stores still use codes which allow their personel to know the dates, but it is not apparent to the consumer what the code means. The key determinate for the average person to tell when it has "gone bad" is smell. The aging process when talking about shelf life generally refers to the growth of bacteria and it is this bacteria growth that translates to a bad smell and, eventually, to the creation of a residue which can only be defined as "slimy". Once you detect that residue, you best not chance eating it. The color change of ground beef from red to gray is an oxidation on the outside of the meat and doesn't necessarily mean the meat is bad, especially since some producers use a dye to create that color. You can have a gray discoloration on the outside and break open the package to find it is still pinkish on the inside.

Answer 2

Raw hamburger should be used within a couple days, though it could stay good longer. It is best to freeze raw meats if you are not going to use them for a few days. Safeness really can't be determined without lab tests.

The best policy for hamburger is to use common sense -- first if you are in doubt, throw it out. Failing that, smell it carefully. If there is any "off-normal" scent, throw it out. Second, if you decide to cook it, cook it thoroughly, meaning no red showing inside. Kill every last bacteria, and wash your hands and cooking utensils thoroughly. Lots of problems start with failure to wash hands, and for that matter, anything else the raw meat has come into contact with.

Answer 3

Uncooked hamburger will only be good for a day or two. The flavor and color starts to deteriorate rapidly due to being ground up. Grinding has mixed microorganisms throughout the meat so it spoils faster.

Answer 4

Ground beef should be used within two days of purchase, during which time it has been kept refrigerated.