What Is the Correct Way to Store Meat?

Meat is one of the most sensitive and perishable foods. How you should store meat depends on the type of meat, whether the product is raw or processed, and how long you want it to keep. It is important for storage not to interrupt the cold chain, to store the meat in the coldest part of the refrigerator, and to freeze it quickly and in the absence of air when stored in the freezer compartment.

Especially with raw meat, it is important to ensure that the transport is as short and well-cooled as possible before storing the meat. Buy the meat only when you have all your other purchases already in the basket or trolley to avoid unnecessary transport times through the store. Ideally, you should transport raw meat home in a cool box – the meat should not be stored unrefrigerated for longer than 20 minutes.

If you are storing meat that you plan to use within a few days, storing it in the fridge makes sense. There the meat belongs in the coolest place – in most refrigerators, this is the glass plate directly above the vegetable compartment. Take the meat out of its packaging and place it on a plate covered with cling film or put it in a glass or plastic box. It is important that the meat juice does not come into contact with other foods. While beef and pork can be stored in the refrigerator for two to four days, minced meat is very susceptible to germs due to its large surface and should definitely be used within one day – preferably within eight hours. Prepared meat can be stored in the refrigerator for about two to three days, but it can happen that the taste quality decreases after a while.

If you use the freezer to store meat, the shelf life is extended by several months. Pork keeps for between two and seven months, beef can be stored frozen for up to ten months. Make sure to freeze the meat as soon as possible after purchase and pack the product airtight in a freezer bag. Otherwise, it can happen that the meat dries out and a so-called freezer burn occurs. If you finally want to use the meat, thaw it slowly – preferably in the refrigerator so that the product is not exposed to extreme temperature fluctuations. To do this, it is best to place the meat on a sieve over a bowl that can absorb the meat juices that appear during defrosting.