Ground Beef in Fridge: How Long?

Cooking Discussions Cooking, Cookbooks, Ingredients
1

Just got back from Safeway and grabbed a pack of their “fresh, 100% angus brisket, chuck, short rib” burgers… and am puzzled.

I have been taught that refrigerated, fresh ground beef is good for only a few days at best, yet this package is labeled “use or freeze by 10-08-2023”… that’s TWO WEEKS! WTF? I checked the ingredients to see if preservatives were present but it only lists “beef”.

So how is this possible?

2

Have you considered calling Safeway?

1 Like
3

The use of meat diapers has greatly increased the longevity of packaged meat.

4

it says:
use or freeze

“use” implies you cook the ground beef to 160’-165’F.
“freeze by” implies the time when the quality declines.

there are zero comma zip comma NO Federal rules/guidelines/regulations about labeling “use by” dates on ground beef.
go with your gut. safer is always less painful than “out of safer”

5

Is this one of the 1 lb packaged ground meats “cubes” ? - Those are vacuum sealed and with nitrogen, so no oxygen exposure which is one of the key issues for short term storage

6

Nevermind… as this was complete crap and is going back. The grind is way too fine/dense, and the final texture came out like I don’t know what… but nothing like a burger. Two bites and then into the trash.