Beef keeps for about 3-5 days in the fridge, and 6-12 months in the freezer. The table below splits those times by opened and unopened โ and a date still in range never overrides what your nose tells you.
Vacuum-packed beef holds to its printed date, but two or three days once the pack is open. Darkening to deep brown on the surface is ordinary oxidation, not spoilage โ sliminess and smell are the signals that matter.
Storage times
| Unopened | Opened | |
|---|---|---|
| Room temperature | Not recommended | Within 2 hours |
| Fridge | 3-5 days | 2-3 days |
| Freezer | 6-12 months | 4 months (mince 3) |
Throw it out if you see this
- Sticky, stringy surface
- Grey-green discolouration
- A sour smell
Storage tips
- Freeze on the day of purchase if you will not cook it soon
- Wrap steaks individually before freezing
- Keep the freezer at -18ยฐC or below
Thawing
Sell-by and use-by are not the same date
A sell-by date tells the shop how long it may display the product; a use-by date tells you how long it stays safe to eat. They are not interchangeable, and a use-by date is usually later than the sell-by date printed on the same product.
Every printed date assumes the package is unopened and stored at the labelled temperature. Once opened, follow the "opened" column below instead of the printed date โ and if the smell, colour or texture is off, throw it out regardless of what the date says.