In a hour and a half, I'll be cooking some beef that's sat in the fridge for almost a week.

I'm going to make it well done, but wish me luck. :scared:

Edit: Should I be worried about botulism or food poisoning? It hasn't been packed in Tupperware or anything.

Edit #2: I checked the fridge temp. Says it's at coldest, but it doesn't feel like <40. Guess we'll see.

All of the best steakhouses do it, and for much longer.

My fridge is only about 40-50.

Edit: I suck at judging temperature, too, so this is just a guess. It's enough to keep milk and eggs from going bad before their sell-by dates, but...

and make sure you keep it below 40 or everything will be at risk of spoiling very quickly.

I might be wrong-like the edit said, I suck at judging temps.

:hug:

My fridge is a lot colder than that (about 35 degrees) so leaving it the fridge to "age" a little is never a problem for me.

I absolutely love beef that's been sitting in the fridge for a week. It has a terrific flavor. Enjoy!

just reading that made me queasy. But then I don't eat red meat.

toss it, because it will taste "off" also. Chef for many years speaking here.

But I'll take your advice and do my best. Thanks!

as an aging process for good steaks anyway (also tenderizes the meat).

Un-eaten beef doesn't last a week! :D

I polished off over half a gallon last night/this morning.

:scared:

No sense taking chances.

Hope it hasn't, though.

So...why worry.

Right?

Sorry, buddy, I had to. I sincerely hope that whatever your dinner fare is, it doesn't make you sick in any way at all. Cook it thoroughly and you should be okay.

We may be omnivores, but we're not capable of downing rotting meat like most natural omnivores.

I'm about to go check and see if the meat's good.

Some meat was frozen on the surface. Some of the veggies had ice crystals.
Now we have it turned to the middle. Nothing seems frozen, but the Italian dressing needs to thaw before using.

if you are unaccustomed to meat it may smell a little gross, but trust me if it is really rotten you will know.

If it is a chunk of meat like a roast, you might be able to trim it, hell even if it is a pile of hamburger you might be able to "trim" the outside and the inside would be fine.

The whole spice trade that led to the discovery of America myth, had to do with rotten meat and the need to flavor it. Try a nice curry!

You can't 'trim' hamburger. Part of the reason ground meats are far more likely to go bad or have issues is that they are, well, ground. A steak or roast is a dense, solid piece of meat so very little penetrates it (like a hard cheese), ground beef is loose, trimming the top layers does nothing as any bacteria or mold can circulate freely throughout the product (like soft cheese).

Better than 50% of it had gone black, and it smelled like it was starting to rot.

It had been sitting in there for 5 days.

a fresh cut should be ok pretty cold for 5 days, but maybe it got warm or was already sitting around at the store for a week.

Usually when it goes bad it turns a sickly greenish pinkish grey though, not black.

;)

but if it was good hamburger to start with (questionable, but not the point I was making) and it was just a little grody on the outside from sitting in the fridge for a few days, then what I said stands. In general yeah, no way to separate the crud if if was already mixed in.

Not that you 'Um yeah raise beef' and know about the things I said.

i don't take chances like that because i absolutely HATE to puke! keep this old saw in mind: IF IN DOUBT, THROW IT OUT.

toss it out...........
Carly

if it's fresh, cook it...if you defrost it, cook it. and fuck no, don't let it sit around forever....jeebus...

But a good hot curry can cover a few of those days.:evilgrin: :puke:

Types of Bacteria in Refrigerated Foods
There are two completely different families of bacteria: pathogenic bacteria, the kind that cause foodborne illness, and spoilage bacteria, the kind of bacteria that cause foods to deteriorate and develop unpleasant odors, tastes, and textures.

Pathogenic bacteria can grow rapidly in the "Danger Zone," the temperature range between 40 and 140 °F, but they do not generally affect the taste, smell, or appearance of a food. In other words, one cannot tell that a pathogen is present.

On the other hand, spoilage bacteria can grow at low temperatures, such as in the refrigerator. Eventually they cause food to develop off or bad tastes and smells. Most people would not choose to eat spoiled food, but if they did, they probably would not get sick. It comes down to an issue of quality versus safety:

* Food that has been left too long on the counter may be dangerous to eat, but could look fine.
* Food that has been stored too long in the refrigerator or freezer may be of lessened quality, but most likely would not make anyone sick. (However, some bacteria such as Listeria monocytogenes thrive at cold temperatures, and if present, will multiply in the refrigerator and could cause illness.)




RAW ROASTS, STEAKS, CHOPS, SMOKED REFRIGERATE IMMEDIATELY IN RETAIL PACKAGES OR WRAP LOOSELY IN FRESH WAXED PAPER OR ALUMINUM FOIL TO ALLOW FOR AIR CIRCULATION. STORE IN COLDEST PART OF REFRIGERATOR. ROASTS: 2-5 DAYS STEAKS: 2-5 DAYS CHOPS: 3-4 DAYS STEW MEAT: 1-2 DAYS SMOKED HAM: 1 WEEK** FRESH PORK: 3 DAYS

FOR FREEZING, WRAP IN ALUMINUM FOIL OR FREEZER PAPER.** BEEF & LAMB: 6-9 MONTHS. FRESH PORK: 2 MONTHS. VEAL: 3-4 MONTHS. SMOKED HAMS: 1-2 MONTHS.**

(personally I don't like to use foil - freezer paper is best.)

Meat Spoilage

Meat is considered to be spoiled when it is unfit for human consumption. A variety of factors can cause meat to spoil including micro-organisms, exposure to air, and improper freezing techniques. Spoiled meat may be inedible due to unpleasant tastes and odors or may be unsafe for consumption especially when micro-organisms have caused the meat to spoil.

Meat Spoilage by Bacteria, Yeasts, and Molds

Although a number of factors may contribute to meat spoilage, the most common cause of meat spoilage is the deterioration of meat caused by micro-organisms (bacteria, yeasts, and molds). Beware! Foods can contain dangerous bacteria and microorganisms but still have a normal appearance. Food which has not been handled or stored properly should not be eaten even if it has no apparent indications of spoilage. See Food-borne Illnesses for more information.

The table below shows some of the common indications that meat has spoiled.

Indication of Spoilage/Cause

Ammonia or sulfur smell, bad odor, tallow or chalky taste. Degradation of proteins, lipids (fats) and carbohydrates caused by bacteria and/or enzymes naturally present in meat.
Slime formation, bad odor and rancid flavor, color change (such as grey, brown, or green) Bacterial and yeast spoilage
Sticky meat surface Mold spoilage
"Whiskers" Mold spoilage
Surface colorations such as creamy, black or green Growth of mold colonies
Tainting, souring, and putrefacation Anaerobic bacterial spoilage of meat interiors, vacuum packed products, and sealed containers


Other Types of Spoilage

There are factors other than micro-organisms which can cause meat to spoil. They results from improper handling of meat.

Indication of Spoilage/Cause

Oxidative Rancidity (rancid flavor and odor) Oxidation of meat fats due to improperly wrapped meat.
Brown or grey discoloration Protein denaturation caused by heat, salts, ultraviolet light, low pH, and surface dehydration
Dehydration and discoloration during freezing resulting in dryness of cooked meat, nutrient loss, and sometimes a bitter flavor. Freezer burn and drip which occurs during slow freezing.
Absorption of Off-Flavors Storage of meat next to foods such as apples and onions which give off strong odors