Fresh meat

[JessicaR]

I'm confused here, not that that's hard to do with me. But I'm used to prepackaged meats, mostly ground beef. But since I've been cooking more I went to this fresh meat market someone recommended to me. I purchased some chuck roast and after a week I hadn't used it so I threw it into the freezer. I thawed it last night and this morning it smelled quite awful. I asked the guy at the meat market today and he said that it's good for a max of 4 days. Does that sound right? I just seem to remember meat lasting longer then that. :thinking:

[ecuzzacrea]

if it wasn't frozen RIGHT AWAY it shouldn't be used after 4 days - he's right.

i get most of my meat from a butcher shop. anything that i'm not using right away gets frozen.

[JessicaR]

Ok, I'm just mixed up.

[nicolethegeek]

A lot of prepackaged meats are either vacuum sealed or put into a carbon dioxide atmostphere. Both of these will extend the shelf life of many meats... but when you think about it, if the fresh doesn't last that long, do you really want to eat something that's been kept fresh artificially?

[Jenelle]

Ack that sounds nasty. I agree with everyone you should have froze it within 4 days or even the day of purchasing. We only buy ground hamburger in the store because we run out of it alot. My mom buys in bulk and splits it up and freezes it the same day or day after.

We did that on accident before and ended up eating the meat and getting sick

When I saw the thread subject, I thought this was a newbie introducing him or herself... FRESH MEAT! :rofling:

I am scared of raw meat. If I can't use it the day I buy it, I don't buy it. Even freezing it makes me nervous; our freezer defrosts waaay to often, and I worry about thawing and the ensuing bacteria party. I never buy chicken anymore because it tastes funny--all of it. I rarely order it out, either. I don't know what the taste is; all I know is that it's off. I guess it's all those steroids and antibiotics and crap. Chicken hasn't always tasted this way.

[Ingrid]

I thought a newbie was being introduced, too! There was a report on one of the more 'newsie' shows about meat. They marked certain packages of meat at the grocery store and noted the expiration date. When they went back after that date, some of the same meat was there, but with a new expiration. Makes you wonder.

Just because a store says it sells 'fresh' meat, it doesn't mean it's fresh. It could have been sitting around for days before you bought it. A week is a bit long to sit in the fridge, though. I'm not overly cautious, but if I'm not using it in a couple of days I freeze it.

Angelia--try organic free range chicken--my daughter swears it tastes so much better that she couldn't stand regular anymore.

That is really scary about the changed dates on meat!!! Gee, after that big bleach stink at...what was the name of that store chain that bleached rotting meat to make it look better?...I thought they'd tightened up consumer safety measures.

I'm going to have to find some organic free-range chicken! I love chicken; in fact, it is my favorite of all the meats because it holds flavors so well and is less fatty than other meats. Thanks Ingrid!

[Jan in CA]

We don't eat anything that's been sitting in the fridge more than a couple days even if it has been cooked. If we can't eat it right away we freeze it.

Please read these guidelines so you don't get sick.