Refrigeration
Without any refrigeration meat should be used on the day of purchase. In a refrigerator, cooked and fresh meat should be covered and kept strictly separated, with fresh meat stored on shelves below those that are used for the storage of cooked foods.
Taking notice of the labelling of you meat is vital and if you buy it from a butcher, you should label it yourself as a reminder. Use the first in, first out rule so that food with a shorter shelf life is used first and never use after the date has passed.
Avoid overloading your fridge when storing meat. An overstocked fridge has to work hard to keep food at the right temperature.
Fresh meat should keep 3-5 days at between 2°C and 5°C.
Freezer Storage
Meat storage times are determined by the rate at which the fat turns rancid. Even in such low temperature storage this is a gradual process. The presence of salt further accelerates these changes. Stored at a constant temperature of -18°C or below, meat has a reasonably long storage life with imperceptible deterioration in quality. Whilst meat kept longer than recommended storage times may still be considered safe to eat, it's taste will deteriorate
progressively the longer it is kept.
Unless meat is adequately protected from the intense cold of the freezer, it will deteriorate rapidly. It should be wrapped tightly in tough, moisture and vapour proof packaging. Dehydration (freezer burn) causes changes in colour, texture and flavour. The surface of the meat develops greyish-white marks and may become rather dry and unpalatable when eaten. Any consideration to maturation of the meat should be addressed before freezing, as meat does not mature in frozen storage.
Chart: Approximate maximum storage times for meat in the home.
Uncooked Meat Refrigerator (No of days) Freezer (Months)
Uncooked Meat
|
Refrigerator (no. of days)
|
Freezer (no. of months)
|
Beef
|
3-5
|
12
|
Lamb
|
3-5
|
9
|
Mince
|
1-2
|
3
|
Offal
|
1-2
|
3
|
Sausages
|
3
|
3
|
Meat Safety and Hygiene
Knowledgeable handling and responsible preparation of meat are vital stages even before cooking commences. This section tells you how to look after your meat in the best possible way.
Whole cuts or joints?
Whole cuts or joints of lamb and beef are traditionally served pink or rare.
Reheating meat
When reheating meat, it needs to be piping hot all through and reach a core temperature of 82°C. It should not be reheated a second time.
Cooling Meat
Once cooked, meat that is not going to be served should not be forced to cool in a refrigeration as this could warm up other food in the fridge. The safest way is to divide it into smaller amounts in shallow dishes.
Storing food (hot and chilled)
Hot
Hot food must be kept above 63°C.
Chilled
Chilled food must be kept at or below 5°C: the coldest part of your fridge should be between 0°C and 4°C.