What must you never forget when putting the meat into the fridge?
Meat is part of the diet of many people, and in most cases it is purchased and then stored in the refrigerator to be cooked at the appropriate time. Other times, the leftovers of some meal ends up in the fridge. Taking advantage of the fridge is something we usually do, but are we sure we are doing it in the right way, that is, without running the risk of eating meat that has not been stored correctly?
We all know that raw meat needs to be cooked or frozen in good time, but even with cooked meat, there is always a need to take precautions and observe a number of other important factors.
- Cooked meat should always be divided into smaller slices or portions and preferably all the same, and not put away into large chunks.
- The ideal temperature for refrigerating cooked meat is 4 degrees C (30 degrees F).
- You need to put meat into the fridge within two hours of cooking it. This prevents bacteria from growing. However, if the cooked meat has been exposed to temperatures above 30 °C (86 °F) - perhaps because it was served on a hot day, outdoors (picnics, lunches and dinners in the garden, etc.) - then it must be refrigerated within an hour of cooking.
- In any case, avoid keeping the meat in the fridge for too long: the maximum time varies from type to type, but its appearance and smell will tell us when it is too late to consume it. Generally it is recommended that it be consumed within a few days, and in the case of sausages or bacon, the maximum should be a week. But these are indicative times only: the quicker you eat it, the less risk there will be to your health. Therefore, it is better not to go beyond storing cooked meat more than one or two days in the fridge.
The risks: Consuming meat that hasn't been refrigerated at the right time and in the right way can cause harmful bacteria to grow, such as E. coli and Salmonella. These are bacteria that can cause very serious health conditions in some categories of people most at risk, such as children up to five years of age, adults over 65, immunosuppressed people and pregnant women.
Did you also know that the safest way to defrost meat is by keeping it in the fridge (after moving it out of the freezer)?
Image credit: Wooden Earth - Wood Plates
