Learn How Long does Vacuum Sealed Meat Last in the Fridge

Most of us love meat. Well, then, how long vacuum sealed meat last in the fridge? It depends a lot on the meat freshness and other conditions of it. For example- do you want to seal raw or cooked meat? Well, whatever it is the way you want to seal, we’re going to analyze all the scenarios.

In general, if you vacuum seal and freeze the meat, it’s better to use the meat within the first two weeks. However, you can store for years as well. In that case, you’ll require to store the meat at a constant temperature of below 0 degrees Fahrenheit. However, there’re other scenarios as well. We’re going to discuss each of them accordingly.

Vacuumed Sealed Meat Storing For 2 Years

So, let us consider storing vacuum sealed meat in the freezer for 2 years. Will the meat last for such a long time? It’ll, but there’s a condition in this case. Meat, after 14 days can have bacteria growth in them even if you freeze them. However, if you can store them at a constant temperature less than 0 degrees, there won;t be chances of bacteria infestation.

So, it’s better if you use the meat within the first few weeks of freezing. Maintaining meat under 0 degrees Fahrenheit can be troublesome at times. Manufacturers can store meat for 2 years because they’ve the capacity to maintain meat items under 0 degrees for a long time.

Vacuum Seal Cooked Meals

Well, you might not want to eat or use all the cooked meal at once, right? In that case, it’s important to preserve the rest of the food accordingly. But how? Simply, you can vacuum seal the leftovers and continue to eat even after an week.

But, the condition is that you will need to allow the food to return to the room temperature before sealing. If you seal while the food is hot, it can have bacteria accumulation soon.

Shelf Time of Vacuum Sealed Meat in the Fridge

Well, the shelf time in general is 2 weeks. Know that, even when you freeze, bacteria, yeast, and molds can grow on the meat after 10-14 days. That’s why experts recommend that you use the meat within the first 10 days. However, you can wait a bit long and use the meat within 2 weeks.

But, the shelf time won’t last even for 2 weeks if your meat quality was originally bad. Moreover, while packaging the meat, if your hands were dirty, there’ll be meat decaying within the first 2 days. On the top of that if the vacuum pack was dirty, the shelf time will decrease in an alarming rate.

So, always keep in mind that you should keep the packaging process neat and clean. Also, ensure that you don’t allow any space or air while packing the meat. Vacuum sealing machine can let you do the meat packaging with ultimate efficiency.

Knowing If Vacuum Sealed Meat is Bad or Not

If you can see visible discoloration of the meat, with a dark brown or black spots, understand that the meat has gone bad.
Decaying the meat release gas and there’s the combination of air and moisture. It cause freezing crystals and thus, results in the freezer burn. But, it can be alarming when you defrost the meat item. The melting of the ice crystals will result in the liquidity of the meat. That means, the liquid amount will be high in the meat. It can lead to the meat poisoning as well. At that time, don’t eat the meat.
Bad odor is another potential sign of a bad meat. If you find bad odor or foul smell coming from the meat at any stage of the storage time, understand that the meat is beyond using. It means the meat has fully or partially decayed. Under no circumstances, you should consume the meat.

There’re lots of vacuum sealer bags. Well, sometimes, the cheap ones can have tears. At that time, there’ll be air inside of the packaging. It’ll lead to the perfect situation where bacteria can grow easily. So, the presence of air in the meat packet is also a sign of bad meat. Ensure, you properly seal the meat leaving no gap.
Next time you thaw your meat, try to press the surface of the meat. If you find that the meat is sticky and the texture isn’t looking good, understand that the meat isn’t fresh anymore. At that point, the best practice is to remove the meat from other pieces. Sometimes, people want to use the sticky meat for cooking. But, it isn’t recommended at all.

Final Thoughts

Well, we’ve seen that meat can last frozen for 2 weeks. But, that is in case if you store it over 3 degrees F to below 40 degrees F. But, two weeks is not a long time. We’ve heard about meat lasting for a couple of years in the refrigerator. How is it then possible? For years to last, you need to store the meat under 0 degrees Fahrenheit.

Vacuum sealing and freezing doesn’t mean your meat is all safe. You need to ensure that the original quality of the meat was good before sealing. Moreover, the sealer bag should not have gap inside of it. A gap means the presence of air and the presence of air means the presence of bacteria. So, always use quality vacuum sealer bags.

The best way to vacuum seal meat or any food is to use a vacuum sealer machine. The sealer machines work fast and with the ultimate precision. You just need to hold the sealer bag at the top of the sealer machine, and it’ll do the rest. However, one of the important factor is sealing meat is to know when you’ve sealed to keep the expiry date in mind.