As long as it was stored correctly and hasn’t been freezer burned, meat that is two years old but still frozen is usually safe to eat.

This in-depth guide explains whether it’s safe to eat meat that has been frozen for a significant amount of time—2, 3, or even 5 years.

Is It Safe to Eat 2-Year-Old Frozen Meat?

In accordance with the U.S. According to the Department of Health and Human Services, meat that has been frozen at zero or below-zero temperatures for the entire time is safe to eat if it is two-thirds or even five years old.

Here, it’s crucial to remember that there shouldn’t be any temperature fluctuations throughout the entire time frame.

For instance, a sudden power outage can cause the freezer to get warmer for a few hours, ruining the meat that was stored there.

Therefore, it is best to consume the meat if you have such a break. If you still decide to use it later, make sure to check it first.

How to Safely Store Meat in the Freezer

Making sure your meat is frozen correctly is the first step to maximizing freshness if you’ve already made the decision to do so. You should keep in mind that the condition of your meat in the frozen state depends on the quality of the meat at the time of freezing, according to the USDA. If you can’t use it quickly, freeze items sooner rather than later. Food frozen at peak quality will taste better once thawed than foods “frozen near the end of their useful life,” according to USDA recommendations for food safety.

While lengthy freezer storage can affect the quality of any food, it’s also worth noting that raw meat and poultry maintain their quality longer than cooked meat and poultry do. This is brought on by the moisture that is lost during cooking. In order to preserve the color, vitamin content, texture, and, of course, flavor of all foods once they are in the freezer, it is important to store them at 0°F or lower. Any microbes, which include bacteria, yeasts, and molds, that may be present in food are also rendered inactive by freezing to 0 degrees Fahrenheit.

The question is, how should meat be kept? Can you store it in the original packaging? The simple answer to that is yes, it is safe to freeze your meat and poultry in the original packaging. If you plan to keep your meat or poultry frozen in its original package for a longer period of time (more than two months) or happen to see a tear in its original packaging, however, the FDA notes that you’ll want to overwrap the packages with airtight plastic wrap, freezer paper, or heavy-duty foil, or simply place the package inside of a plastic bag.

Can Meat Go Bad in the Freezer?

Freezing meat is a simple and effective way to stock up on your protein of choice, and meat doesn’t technically “go bad” while in the freezer. As the USDA website states, “Recommendations for storage times only apply to quality because freezing virtually always keeps food safe.” Here are some considerations to make in order to assess the quality of your meat after it has been defrosted.

How to Defrost Meat Safely

Don’t forget that the thawing process has an impact on how fresh the meat is as well. As the USDA cautions, never thaw foods out on the kitchen counter or in your garage, basement, car, outdoors, or on the porch. Any of these techniques can render your food unfit for consumption. Frozen food can be thawed in three secure ways.

The first and most advised method is slow, safe thawing in the refrigerator; depending on the size, this can take place over night or over a few days. The meat can be prepared more quickly by placing it in a leak-proof plastic bag and submerging it completely in cold water. Cook right away after thawing in cold water. Lastly, using the microwave to defrost food is an option, but remember to cook it right away. Additionally, the food may begin to cook in some areas when being defrosted in a microwave.

Is Freezer Burnt Meat Safe to Eat?

Contrary to popular belief, meat that has experienced freezer burn—or any other frozen food—is not harmful to consume. Even though the flavor may not be great, simply remove the freezer-burned portions either before or after cooking, and then enjoy the rest of your meal. However, the quality will probably be diminished if it has been severely freezer-burned, so you might want to discard it.

How Long Does Meat Last in the Freezer?

To reiterate, you can defrost and eat any frozen meats or poultry (that have been properly stored) at any time because freezing food at 0 °F or below keeps it safe for a pretty long time. But that doesn’t guarantee that its quality will endure. For the best quality, the FDA recommends that you consume frozen meats, poultry, and seafood within the following timeframes:

Beef, Lamb, Pork, and Veal

You should be aware that depending on the cut of meat, fresh meats like beef, lamb, pork, or veal can stay in top condition in the freezer for extended periods of time. Steak, particularly, is recommended to stay frozen for six to 12 months, while chops have a recommended freezer life of four to six months. On the other hand, roasts can maintain a high level of flavor even after being frozen for four to twelve months. Only three to four months are necessary for other meats like tongue, liver, and chitterlings to maintain their quality.

For one to two months, processed pork products like bacon, sausage, hot dogs, and lunch meats should be kept frozen for the best flavor; however, raw hamburger, ground meat, and stew meat can be stored at room temperature for three to four months.

Poultry

Similar to the aforementioned, fresh poultry products have an expiration date for their quality of freshness; however, this depends on which part of the poultry you are freezing. Whole chickens or turkeys can be frozen and kept in the freezer for up to a year. Chicken and turkey parts can last for nine months while giblets are suggested to be stored for a shorter time span of three to four months.

Fish and Shellfish

The length of their quality varies as a result of the variety of fish and shellfish available. Lean fish can stay in your freezer for six to eight months, while fatty fish is recommended to stay tucked away for two to three months. Within four to six months, the FDA advises eating cooked fish that has been frozen, and within two months, smoked fish. The quality of fresh shrimp, scallops, crawfish, and squid can last in your freezer for three to six months.

Cooked and Leftover Meats

After a delicious meal, if you have extra cooked meats, don’t worry; those can also be frozen. Additionally, according to the FDA, you can keep any leftover meat in your freezer for two to three months. This includes cooked meat, meat dishes, gravy, and meat broth. On the other hand, how well you’ve cooked the poultry will vary. Fried chicken and cooked chicken pieces can be stored for four months; cooked poultry dishes can be stored for four to six months; meats covered in broth or gravy can be stored for up to six months; and cooked chicken nuggets and patties can be stored for one to three months.

In the end, however, it is safe to refreeze raw meat or poultry after it has thawed in the refrigerator, regardless of the type you chose to freeze. However, as the USDA advises, foods that have been left out of the refrigerator for more than two hours (or one hour in temperatures above 90 °F) should not be frozen again.

Final Thoughts

Meat can technically be frozen indefinitely, but only if specific freezing requirements are met. For this reason, the Foodsafety.gov website has specified the ideal freezing time for meat and other foods. Therefore, you can safely eat 2-year-old frozen meat if you adhere to the freezing conditions exactly and maintain the freezing temperature consistently below zero degrees Fahrenheit.

FAQs