Shelf Life Tips
- How long does cooked ground beef last in the fridge or freezer? The precise answer to that question depends to a large extent on storage conditions - refrigerate ground beef (including cooked hamburgers) within two hours of cooking.
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To maximize the shelf life of cooked ground beef for safety and quality, refrigerate the ground beef in shallow airtight containers or wrap tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil or plastic wrap.
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Properly stored, cooked ground beef will last for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator.
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To further extend the shelf life of cooked ground beef, freeze it; freeze in covered airtight containers or heavy-duty freezer bags, or wrap tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil or freezer wrap.
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How long does cooked ground beef last in the freezer? Properly stored, it will maintain best quality for about 2 to 3 months, but will remain safe beyond that time.
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The freezer time shown is for best quality only - cooked ground beef that has been kept constantly frozen at 0°F will keep safe indefinitely.
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How long does cooked ground beef last after being frozen and thawed? Cooked ground beef that has been thawed in the fridge can be kept for an additional 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator before cooking; ground beef that was thawed in the microwave or in cold water should be eaten immediately.
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How long does cooked ground beef last at room temperature? Bacteria grow rapidly at temperatures between 40 °F and 140 °F; cooked ground beef should be discarded if left for more than 2 hours at room temperature.
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How to tell if cooked ground beef is bad? The best way is to smell and look at the ground beef: signs of bad ground beef are a sour smell and a slimy texture; discard any ground beef with an off smell or appearance, do not taste first.
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