Different Kinds Of Meat And How Long They Keep For In the Refrigerator
Amid the battle against coronavirus, the government has prompted people to stay indoors for as long as they can to limit the spread of the virus. This is, however, only possible when they have enough food stored for consumption. For non-vegetarians, meat is an essential part of daily eating. If you are one such person, then you want to know just how long you can keep different meats in your fridge or freezer.
1. Red meat and pork
Red meat and pork can be stored in the fridge for about five days. However, they last longer when frozen.
Keep these in the freezer, and you'll find that they can last for averagely eight months! If already cooked, red meat and pork last for three to four days in the refrigerator and only about two to six months in the freezer.
2. Bacon and sausage
Bacon is always processed to an extent and so, usually lasts longer than raw sausage. They are safe to eat for up to seven days when kept in the fridge, while fresh sausages must be consumed within two days!
Expectedly, bacon and raw sausage last for about a month in freezers, with some staying fresh for even longer than that.
3. Lunch meats and hot dogs
Lunch meats are the go-to when you want to make a quick and yet filling sandwich or salad, so they are essential if you are looking to stock your home in preparation for quarantine.
Alongside hot dogs, lunch meats last two weeks in the fridge when they haven't been opened at all. If opened, they must be eaten within three to five days. When stored in the freezer, they'll last one to two months.
4. Raw poultry
Raw poultry includes meats of chicken, turkey, quail, and just about any other you can think of. They generally last just a day or two in the fridge (at a temperature of 40 degrees Fahrenheit or colder).
Like the others mentioned above, they last much longer in the freezer (at about 0 degrees Fahrenheit or colder). When cooked, poultry meat can be refrigerated for a few days longer, but they should not be frozen for any longer than two to six months.
5. Ground meats
Last but not least is ground meats. This means any meat (beef, pork, lamb, whichever) that has been finely minced —these last a shorter time than their whole and unprocessed counterparts.
They can be stored in the fridge for one to two days and in the freezer for about three to four months.
Overall, you will observe that no matter what kind, meats generally last longer in the freezer. This partly owes to the fact that refrigerating them is only meant to keep them fresh for a few days or at most weeks.
If you know, you won't need them anytime soon and want them to stay fresh for as long as possible, keeping them in the freezer is a good option.
