of ground beef, but end up cooking other things before getting to it. Or does it have a bad smell? As detailed here, raw ground beef can be safely refrigerated for one to two days. This is because most of us won't eat food that smells bad or feels slimy. Turns out they use bleach in supermarkets to make it stay red. For ground beef or pork, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends cooking it to an internal temperature of 160 degrees. And a dry-aged steak is still bright red when sold in the butcher shop. The steaks are vaccuum sealed then frozen. When beef is exposed to oxygen present in air, it causes the breakdown of the color pigment. This color change occurs as the bacteria break down the iron compounds in the meat. Fresh, raw ground beef should be red due to its levels of oxymyoglobin — a pigment formed when a protein called myoglobin reacts with oxygen (3). put in the fridge for 2/3 hours so it cools down and then freeze it, this process stops the beef from growing larger ice crystals which might damage the texture. This compound turns the raw meat a brown color. Can someone give me some insight, please. Fresh cut meat is purplish in color and remains so if it is vacuum-packed--and thereby deprived of oxygen--immediately after cutting. Water boils at 212F, and there's a fair bit of energy required to push water at 212F into water vapor at 212F. Thanks, this was the answer that I needed. Asked by Wiki User. Additionally, you will notice a sour smell. It may look less appetizing but is safe. This is not necessarily a bad thing. It was totaly frozen and is now pinkish. Hi Chris - We bought 2 kilos of minced beef last weekend from a new butcher. :). aslong as you sear it it should be safe to eat, it should not have any strong smells with the exception of a slight buttery smell from the fat. It has the potential to make for a flavorful meal, as long as it’s used correctly. Please join this discussion about when is ground beef bad within the Diet & Bodybuilding category. But what happens if the meat sat around in the fridge for a couple days, or was frozen and doesn’t look quite as vibrantly red anymore? This is the expected color of beef when it has not been exposed to oxygen in air. Let’s take a peek! If it smells okay, it's probably okay. Don't rely on color to determine the freshness of your meat. If the ground meat is gray or brown throughout, however, that usually indicates that it has been in the package for a while and may be spoiling. As the U.S. Department of Agriculture points out, it’s common for the inside portion of packaged ground beef to become more brown or gray in color, even while the outside remains red. USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service . That being said, most packaged ground beef has a slight odor, especially if it has been in there long enough to turn gray. It’ll guarantee the freshness, and we think it tastes better, too! Here we go: There is an important lesson here about heat management. 3 65 Super Easy Finger Foods to Make for Any Party From chips and dip to one-bite apps, finger foods are the perfect way to kick off a party. The myoglobin in the meat binds this oxygen, forming oxymyoglobin and giving the meat a red color. Freeze any ground beef you don't plan n using within a day. After a while, the myoglobin will cause the ground beef to take on a reddish-brown color. My mother always said, “When in doubt, throw it out.” If your ground beef smells rotten or sour (or, it feels slimy when you touch it), chances are good it’s past its expiration date. Never place cooked food back on the same plate or cutting board that previously held raw food - people often make this mistake when cooking on the barbeque. You might see just a few patches of discoloration rather than the whole steak slab, but spots of odd color are still a sign that you should avoid eating it. It also does not taste of "meat" and not the super burgers my wife usually makes. Spoilage is also caused by bacteria, but the bacteria that cause spoilage will not make you sick. Brown or gray hamburger can be very unappetizing, but the color change doesn't necessarily mean you can't eat the meat. Ok, so you’re wondering why your ground beef turns from a really bright red to a really dark grey? Subscribe to our channel! I work at a meat plant. Color changes can also occur if raw meat is frozen, where it can fade or darken in color. cooked ground beef, pink color can show up with levels as low as 5 parts per million - that is 5 milligrams per kilogram of beef. When cooked, bulk sausage turns from pink to tan to brown, depending on how long it is heated. I wanted to make some egg rolls, but discovered this morning that the beef had turned grey all over. Refrigerated ground beef prepared within the "use by" date or still in the original packaging should remain a bright, cherry red color on the surface.However, it is normal for the internal portion to be a darker, almost gray color. Can someone give me some insight, please. Please join this discussion about when is ground beef bad within the Diet & Bodybuilding category. After extended storage, the gray-brown color is a sign of spoilage if the meat is also sticky to the touch, smells bad and develops a clear goo on the meat’s … We have a customer complaining about their steaks not being red after they thaw them out. In a scientific paper on beef color by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, Dr. James R. Claus explains how the protein myoglobin interacts with … When ground beef goes truly bad, on the other hand, other signs of spoilage are normally present, including an off odor, a sticky or tacky feel, or a slimy appearance. Which brings us to wonder, is gray ground beef safe to eat? Consumers often select ground beef that's bright red in color, assuming this is a sign of freshness but a dark gray-purple meat may not necessarily be a bad thing. We do this as well - we buy the family pack of ground beef, then put portions of about 1lb into ziplock bags. However, it's fairly common to see ground beef that has turned brown or grey on the inside of the chunk of meat. For longer-term storage, you should freeze ground beef no later than two days after purchasing it. But, that smell shouldn’t be strong enough to move your guts! When raw meat goes truly bad, on the other hand, other signs of spoilage are usually present, including an off odor, a sticky or tacky feel, or a slimy appearance. I have some thawing in the fridge and forgot about it. Raw roasts, steaks, and chops (beef, veal, lamb, and pork) can be refrigerated for 3 to 5 days. Egg rolls shall be consumed tonight then. If you do detect an off odor or if the meat seems sticky or slimy, throw it away. Ground beef changes color when it is exposed to oxygen. I've looked it up, but there's varied answers. The grey color is a result of oxidation. If the meat was fresh/not on clearance, then it shouldn't be bad yet. My Ground Beef Turned Gray. Maybe you open a package of ground beef, and a little bit of brown is on the bottom of the package. To avoid having your fresh meat turn brown, use it as soon as possible after purchasing it. Bacteria levels and spoilage aren't necessarily part of this process. I use this to help me in figuring it out, but generally if it doesn't have a smell and you're going to fully cook it, you should be fine. The meat's red to purplish-red hue comes from contact with oxygen. That’s actually a multi-faceted question strangely enough. We have a customer complaining about their steaks not being red after they thaw them out. Read the Why Did My Meat Lose its Color (and did it go bad?) Because it was answering a post specifically about ground beef turning grey instead of brown! if it smells rank, that's when it's bad. The grey would then disappear. As the USDA explains, “Oxygen from the air reacts with meat pigments to form a bright red color which is usually seen on the surface of meat purchased in … You might see just a few patches of discoloration rather than the whole steak slab, but spots of odd color are still a sign that you should avoid eating it. Although bacteria that cause spoilage don’t always cause illness, there’s no sense in taking a chance. Ground turkey is a versatile ingredient that can be rolled into meatballs, shaped into burgers and meatloaf, and crumbled into sauces. The only problem? the salt gets some fluid out of it and the gradual cooling reduces ice crystal size. If the meat department stays ahead of the bacterial curve and grinds meat from, say, an unsold roast that was cut less than three days ago, the ground beef will not be adveresly affected. If you break it apart and it is turning gray on the inside, throw it away immediately. Prolonged exposure to air and light will also darken meat that starts out bright red, as you’ve probably seen when pre-formed hamburger patties start to turn gray, but are still red or pink inside. If all of your beef is grey rather than red or brown, it’s best to throw it away. Regardless what color the beef is, two weeks is entirely too long to refrigerate ground beef. No one wants to get sick from bad meat. Whether it’s inexpensive ground beef or a dry-aged steak that you’re now truly invested in, you want to make sure you’ve picked out something fresh. Meat is full of a pigment called myoglobin, which is responsible for delivering iron and oxygen to muscles. Food spoilage is simply an umbrella term for the various signs that communicate to your senses of smell, sight, or touch, that you should not eat the food. These spices can subtly affect the color of the cooked meat. Having them flat allows them to stack nicely in the freezer and allows for a faster thaw if needed. But that does not mean the meat has spoiled, adds the USDA. When I was in college and didn't go through it fast I'd buy the family pack, make it into patties, and then freeze it with wax paper between them. Can ground beef that was in the freezer still be good if it turns brown? Answer: Your ground beef is probably fine. Once you’ve secured the beef, simple ground beef recipes will make the meat the star of the show. Graying is a natural process that occurs as beef continues to oxidize, but if there is any sticky residue or it smells funky, toss it. And as detailed here , raw steak can be safely refrigerated for three to five days. While this is not necessarily a sign of spoilage, extended exposure to air reduces the normal shelf life of the product. According to USDA guidelines, ground beef should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160 F. Use a meat thermometer to be sure. In ground beef, things are a little bit different than in a steak or roast. Unsaturated fats break down quicker than saturated fats so fish and chicken go bad quicker than red meats. « on: 25/09/2012 00:15:20 » On a few occasions, with meat from more than one supermarket I have observed prepacked refridgerated diced beef turning greeny/grey a day or so after purchase, yet well within its use-by date (eg 5 days within). Sometimes I'll buy a 1lb. While she spends most of her time writing these days, she still exercises her culinary muscles on the regular, taking any opportunity to turn local, seasonal ingredients into beautiful meals for her family. After frozen they have a dark color. I'll trust the opinions of the ones with experience, and make sure not to throw out my ground beef just because it's grey in the future. While this won't look very nice if your guests are watching you cook, the brown color does not mean the meat has gone bad. If the beef is still within its "good by" time period, it is more likely to be safe, as long as it has been transported and stored properly “Spoilage bacteria,” though generally harmless, can make meat smell bad … Fresh ground beef actually has a purplish color thanks to the myoglobin. For one thing, a large portion of dry-aged beef is cut away and discarded because it gets hard and moldy (but in a good way, like cheese or something). Color alone does not determine if it is putrefying. Excerpt: Does it turn the color grey? It didn't seem to smell, but I wanted to ask you guys before I made the decision. When packaged they are red as can be. The iron molecule in the middle is oxidized from its ferrous to ferric form and a different complex is formed called metmyoglobin. Excerpt: Does it turn the color grey? Finally, ground beef can change color when it spoils, going from the familiar rust-red color (produced by iron, the same ingredient that gives blood its color) to a flat gray color. If it's been vacuum sealed at the store, it could still look slightly purple. If the meat department stays ahead of the bacterial curve and grinds meat from, say, an unsold roast that was cut less than three days ago, the ground beef will not be adveresly affected. This is not necessarily a bad thing. Answer . When ground beef starts to go bad, you will notice that the meat turns a grey color and is no longer red/ pink. Ground meat can be the repository of unsold steaks and roasts and even unsold ground beef from the day before. (Probably.) At 71°C (160°F) a safely cooked ground beef patty may vary from slight pink to brown, depending on whether the ground beef was fresh or frozen, and how it was thawed. Beef is relatively quite stable. 3 65 Super Easy Finger Foods to Make for Any Party From chips and dip to one-bite apps, finger foods are the perfect way to kick off a party. Has It Gone Bad? N'T seem to smell, but it doesn ’ t enough to move your guts ground Chuck from... 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