Grey ground beef?

The friendliest place on the web for anyone that enjoys cooking.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

Mrs. Cuillo

Sous Chef
Joined
Dec 16, 2006
Messages
717
Location
Virginia
I bought 5 1/2 lbs of ground beef a week ago today (though I froze it Monday) and had it sitting in the fridge. When I went to freeze it Monday, it had turned greyish-brown. Upon opening it, I smelled it and it was fine. Is the meat still ok to use?
 
you had it in the fridge from last thursday until monday? Five days?

Throw it away... that would be the best..
you may use it and take care that it will be cooked through, but you never know about endotoxine...
 
Assuming the sell by or use by dates are in order, don't go by color. Properly refrigerated/frozen, it should be fine.
 
Andy,
I don't know any ground beef that keeps allright for five days??
Is there something different over there?
In the old world ground meat must be used within two days....
 
Mrs. C, around here you could break open a pack of ground beef the day you bought it and it might be gray inside. Stores used to be accused of wrapping fresh meat around older meat, but I think now it is blamed on lighting, preservatives or something on that order.
 
Andy,
I don't know any ground beef that keeps allright for five days??
Is there something different over there?
In the old world ground meat must be used within two days....

Thursday to Monday is actually four days, not five. Ground beef is fine for four days. I've probably even stretched it to five, on occasion. Exposure to air causes it to turn from red to grayish, but that's no indication of quality.
 
I thought I had heard that it was due to light exposure as well but I just wanted to ask the experts!;) Thank you for your help everyone!
 
Open the package....break it into several pieces....watch it 'bloom" ( turn red) it may take a few minutes...

And like Andy said....if the dates are in order...and it has been properly refrigerated...you are good to go.
 
I'm stunned - I never ever heard about keeping ground meat over that long! :shock:

I may keep it in the fridge für two days, maybe 2,5...but only if coldchain wasn't broken... but never for longer (if you count in the thursday, it is five days ;) )..

what do they do with the meat to keep it "fresh" that long?
 
I'm stunned - I never ever heard about keeping ground meat over that long! :shock:

I may keep it in the fridge für two days, maybe 2,5...but only if coldchain wasn't broken... but never for longer (if you count in the thursday, it is five days ;) )..

What do you mean by cold chain?

I count Thursday to Friday = 1 day, Friday to Saturday = 2 days, etc.

what do they do with the meat to keep it "fresh" that long?

They don't do anything special, I'm just not obsessive about following gov't guidelines. I eat sushi and ceviche, have eaten beef carpaccio, and I don't always cook my burgers to 180 degrees (although if I'm using beef I've had more than a few days, I generally use it in a sauce, not burgers). And since I have a compromised immune system due to medications I'm taking, if anyone were to get sick from these practices, it would be me :) Guess I'm walking on the wild side.
 
Last edited:
What do you mean by cold chain?


cold chain = take care the meat won't get warmer than 2°C/36°F

I count Thursday to Friday = 1 day, Friday to Saturday = 2 days, etc.

okay, I counted every day as one.. ;o)


They don't do anything special, I'm just not obsessive about following gov't guidelines. I eat sushi and ceviche, have eaten beef carpaccio, and I don't always cook my burgers to 180 degrees (although if I'm using beef I've had more than a few days, I generally use it in a sauce, not burgers). And since I have a compromised immune system due to medications I'm taking, if anyone were to get sick from these practices, it would be me :) Guess I'm walking on the wild side.

I do the same, welldone beef is *brrr*, but here in G/europe it's only allowed to sell ground meat the day it is produced and if you have no packed meat it's recommended to work with it the same day, if they packed it with same special gas (I think it's CO2) you can keep it another day.. but only if the cold chain wasn't broken.. wich is very hard to manage..
 
Back
Top Bottom