Is Beef Jerky Safe to Eat Past Expiration Date
You lot establish a beef jerky packet that's a couple of months past its appointment, and you lot desire to know if you can eat it. How long does beef jerky last?
Or you've simply opened yours, and you lot're wondering if you should refrigerate the leftovers or how long they are proficient for. The label doesn't mention any of that, so you decided to practice a bit of research.
Sounds familiar? If so, this article is for yous. In it, we're going to encompass:
- shelf life – how long does this stale meat terminal, and how many days can you store the leftovers?
- storage – should you air-condition beef jerky after opening the bundle?
- going bad – how to tell if yours is still okay to consume or not
Permit's get right into information technology.
How Long Does Beef Hasty Concluding?
As long as your beef jerky parcel is unopened, it should retain quality forat least a couple of months past the all-time-by date on the label.
Once you open it, it tastes all-time for well-nigh iii days if yous store information technology at room temperature or more than a calendar week if you refrigerate it. Of course, it stays safe to consume much longer, bold you take good care of it.
How come information technology lasts so long? Beef jerky is dehydrated meat, so its wet content is very low. And, as you likely know, no moisture means bacteria tin't grow on information technology. Plus, the bags are vacuum-sealed then that nothing can get inside the handbag.
This articel is well-nigh store-bought hasty. Please annotation that homemade beef jerky doesn't last nearly as long. Bank check the recipe you're following for homemade hasty to acquire how long y'all tin can store yours.
Beefiness jerky packets come with a best-by appointment printed on the label that's normally betwixt 12 and 24 months of packaging.
That date informs y'all how long the manufacturer expects the meat to retain optimal quality. It has nothing to do with food safety, and past no means it's an expiration date.
Even the producers often say that their jerky should be fine after that date:
When we produce beef jerky nosotros print a "Best By" engagement of 18 months. Jerky stored under nigh circumstances will exist just fine after 18 months.
Jack Link'southward
Of form, information technology'southward impossible to say how long past that date the meat will be fine. The best advice I can requite y'all is: open that out-of-date bundle, and if it doesn't have whatsoever signs of spoilage, give it a effort.
When it comes to leftover jerky, nigh producers recommend finishing the purse inside a couple of days (unremarkably 3 to five) of opening the package. Of course, as long as you store the meat well, it keeps for much longer, like even a couple of weeks.
By and large, you volition throw out onetime hasty considering its quality is non good enough anymore, non considering it's spoiled in the traditional pregnant of the give-and-take.
How To Store Beef Hasty
Store unopened jerky in a cool, dry, and dark place, like a cupboard in the pantry or kitchen.
One time you open the packet, feel complimentary to get out it in the aforementioned place if you're going to finish the meat within ii to iii days. If you need more than time, refrigerate it in a resealable bag.
While jerky packages that haven't been open yet don't require much in terms of storage, it'due south important to go along them away from hot and sunny places ([LBJ]).
Of course, we're talking about long-term storage here. A couple of hours on the counter won't cause the quality of the meat to deteriorate.
When it comes to storing open up jerky, it all depends on when yous're going to finish the stale meat.
If within a couple of days, room temperature storage is fine. But make sure the packet is sealed, or transfer yours into a freezer bag.
If you might demand more that, refrigeration is a much better option to retain jerky's quality. Once once more, seal that packet if it'south one of those resealable ones, or use a food bag.
As long as you don't expose jerky to moisture (east.yard., via condensation), it should keep decent quality for even a couple of weeks of opening.
Does Beef Jerky Go Bad? How To Tell If Beef Jerky Is Bad?
Unless yous betrayal beefiness jerky to moisture and bacteria, it won't get bad in a mode that it grows mold or starts to rot. The worst that's probable to happen is that the quality of the meat deteriorates, and it'due south no longer good enough for your liking.
Nevertheless, if your beef jerky smells off or at that place'due south whatsoever fuzzy mold on the surface, throw it out.
Other than that, it'south really up to you whether you're going to eat it or not.
If the meat is slightly darker or seems a fleck tougher, it'due south still 99 percent fine to eat. Maybe your eating feel won't be every bit great as it used to, only that's about it.
There's one more than thing to embrace earlier nosotros wrap upward:white "stuff" on beef jerky.
At that place are at least three reasons why in that location might be a patch of white on your hasty:
- Mold. If it'south white and fuzzy, it's mold, and you should discard it.
- Fatty. If information technology's greasy, it's most likely fat from the meat, and it's fine to swallow. You can scrape it off if it grosses you out.
- Table salt. If information technology looks similar salt crystals, well, it'south most probable table salt from the meat that crystallized. Perfectly okay to swallow.
Want to learn more than nearly the white coating on jerky? Hither's a smashing article well-nigh that, along with some photos.
Summary
- Unopened beefiness jerky lasts for months by its engagement in a cool and dark cupboard.
- Once you open the packet, air-condition it if you aren't going to finish the leftovers within a couple of days. Otherwise, it'due south fine for it to sit down at room temperature.
- Beef jerky doesn't easily go bad. Generally you're going to discard information technology for quality reasons, not spoilage.
References
- JL – FAQ's | Beefiness Snacks, Turkey Jerky, Smoked Sausage | Jack Link's
- LBJ – FAQ | Lucky Beefiness Jerky
Source: https://www.canitgobad.net/how-long-does-beef-jerky-last/
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