Hello - can these still be eaten/given the smell test?

[drew32]

Hi,

So, I bought some beef and some pork sliced meat, weeks ago, wanted to find out your considered opinions.

I bought the pork almost three weeks ago. In vacuum sealed packaging, almost straight from frozen. Stored since then in a v. cold fridge for almost 3 weeks. Do you think still edible/safe to eat?

The beef - same, but 5-6 weeks. photo attached. Curious about the darker coloured parts of the slices...

I've got a strong stomach fyi, lol...

Smell test first? Or should they be thrown?

p.s. ignore the best before date, as was frozen...

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Hi,

So, I bought some beef and some pork sliced meat, weeks ago, wanted to find out your considered opinions.

I bought the pork almost three weeks ago. In vacuum sealed packaging, almost straight from frozen. Stored since then in a v. cold fridge for almost 3 weeks. Do you think still edible/safe to eat?

The beef - same, but 5-6 weeks. photo attached. Curious about the darker coloured parts of the slices...

I've got a strong stomach fyi, lol...
Smell test first? Or should they be thrown?

p.s. ignore the best before date, as was frozen...

If the temp was kept at 40' F. or less, and they are vacuum sealed, they will be ok. The darker beef color is do to aging. Letting the meat sit at 40' F., in vacuum sealed bags is called wet aging, and makes the meat more tender. Of Couse, iif you open the package, and there is a rancid odor, discard the meat. Rancid meat has a strong, and disguising smell, at least to us. Catfish, on the other hand, love it.

Seeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

 

[dragnlaw]

Ditto the Chief,

the vacuum sealing, aka removing the air, and keeping the low temperature should be enough.

when you open, as said, if there is a disgusting smell, you will not question it.

You will, of your own accord, just walk to the garbage and dump it. Your body will just do it.

However, once opened, I would try to use it up rather quickly. I have found the shelf life is lessened by a bit, not a lot, but a bit.

 

[summer57]

I agree that if something smells rancid, throw it away.
However. Vacuum-packed meat can have a bad smell and colour and still be perfectly ok.


From https://yourmeatguide.com/vacuum-sealed-meat-smells-bad/


Why does vacuum sealed meat smell strange once opened? Vacuum packed meat is sealed in a pouch that has had the oxygen removed. The natural juices within the meat can start to discolor and develop a tangy odor during storage. This odor is released when the pouch is opened, but provided the meat has been stored correctly and is within its use by date, the odor is unlikely to be caused by spoilage.
I've experienced this, and after a bit of a rinse in cold water and patting dry, the meat's been perfectly ok.

If it's really bad and rancid after a wash, then throw it away. Your choice, your gastrointestinal system.

 

[jennyema]

Food goes bad before it starts to smell. So even if it doesn’t smell it can still make you sick.