Eating meat that has been stored for a long time under vacuum but not frozen

[tdatta]

So every now and then I buy more meat than I can eat in a a reasonable time frame. I often vacuum seal the meat, for example ribeye or tenderloin steaks, and then place them in a a drawer in my refrigerator. Then I indubitably forget about them, and only re-discover them after significantly past the normal time that is generally recommended for storage in a fridge. In some cases Ive stored them for 6 weeks or longer.

 

The meat generally retains pretty good color. I've found that if the meat is slightly browning when sealed, it is possible that it will be a bit more brown when eventually find it. Otherwise, if it is red going in, its generally just a bit more purple coming out. With regard to smell the meat usually smells OK, not without smell at all, but with a slightly lets say "developed" odor, but not particularly unpleasant, and certainly not rotten.

 

My fridge is at about 3 C, sometimes a few items get frozen depending on their location (usually things closest to the top, I assume this is because that is where the cold air enters), but the meat drawer is at the bottom of the fridge and the 3 degree is accurate to within a degree (over long duration).

 

On occasion I have eaten this extremely old meat, sometimes using a sashimi knife to remove the outer 3 mm or so, but only if its brown (its mostly a visual thing). I then proceed to cook it to medium rare internal temp with a seared outside. It has a mild noticeably "different" taste, but otherwise tastes pretty good.

 

Is this unsafe? I know I am keeping the meat way past the normally suggested duration. I'm not doing anything special, or using any special handling practices while bagging it, so there is opportunity for contaminants to be vacuumed in with the meat.

 

Oddly enough, my stomach is easily perturbed by many things. But never by this meat, in fact never by any type of meat raw or cured or cooked.

[Anna N]

I am quite prepared to nominate you for the luckiest person on the earth.

[Shel_B]

So every now and then I buy more meat than I can eat in a a reasonable time frame.

 

Just curious ... if you're not planning to freeze it, why buy more than you can eat in a reasonable time?

[tdatta]

Just curious ... if you're not planning to freeze it, why buy more than you can eat in a reasonable time?

This is usually accidental. This is not something that I do intentionally. Its just something that has happened. Im just curious as to why it appears to be safe (as in I did not get sick). I suspect that the method is not reliably safe, but rather that I have just managed to (luckily) not contaminate the meat these few times.

[gfweb]

Not sure that in principle this is very different than the shrink-wrapped tenderloin that Costco has refrigerators full of. But they are sold after a couple weeks.

 

Or "wet-aged" beef which I understand can be done up to a month.

 

The worry of course is food poisoning in its various forms.  Which in a solid piece of meat is not so common.

 

You could probably do it dozens of times before rolling the dice once time too many.

[_john]

Botulism toxin is rapidly denatured at temperatures over 80°C. I don't know if botulism toxin can penetrate intact muscle more than a few millimeters but I doubt it. If the bag isn't puffed and it smells fine I don't think there should be any problem if you cook and eat it. I think you should handle the meat following proper food safety procedures if for nothing else other than to reduce loss.

[GlorifiedRice]

I really thought this post was gonna be about FROZEN vacpacked meats....I still have the frozen vacpacked lobster that I asked you guys about years ago. its still vaccumed and fresh looking and it has been taken to 3 different houses...One of these days ill eat it

[Martin Fisher]

Bad idea!

You're playing Russian roulette, there's no way to know the pathogen load of the meat when you purchase it.

3° C is close to the minimum temperature at which Staphylococcus Aureus can grow.....some of the toxins produced by Staphylococcus Aureus are heat resistant and not denatured during cooking.

Yersinia Enterocolitica, a pathogen commonly associated with meat, can grow down to 0° C.

Listeria Monocytogenes can grow at a temperature as low as 1° C and thrives in anaerobic and microaerophilic conditions.

I've seen death by Listeriosis.
It's a very, very painful death!

[tdatta]

Bad idea!

You're playing Russian roulette, there's no way to know the pathogen load of the meat when you purchase it.

3° C is close to the minimum temperature at which Staphylococcus Aureus can grow.....some of the toxins produced by Staphylococcus Aureus are heat resistant and not denatured during cooking.

Yersinia Enterocolitica, a pathogen commonly associated with meat, can grow down to 0° C.

Listeria Monocytogenes can grow at a temperature as low as 1° C and thrives in anaerobic and microaerophilic conditions.

I've seen death by Listeriosis.

It's a very, very painful death!

 

That is very useful information, thank you.

 

Although I do have training in, and regularly do practice, aseptic tissue handling techniques at my work. It is quite apparent that recreating the vacuum bagged meat found at grocery stores is not something that can be done at home without the proper equipment. I imagine that one would need either some sort of irradiation or gas sterilization equipment in addition to the facilities required to maintain an aseptic environment during bagging. 

 

It looks like I will be freezing meat from now on.

[FeChef]

Theres alot of worry worts on this forum. I have cooked steaks to rare, let them sit out for an hour or two and put in the fridge and eat cold the next day. I had the $hits all day but i survived. If your fridge is that cold it partially freezes food, then i wouldnt worry about 6 weeks, heck, if it was vacuum sealed i would still eat it 8 weeks later.

[btbyrd]

Theres alot of worry worts on this forum. I have cooked steaks to rare, let them sit out for an hour or two and put in the fridge and eat cold the next day. I had the $hits all day but i survived. If your fridge is that cold it partially freezes food, then i wouldnt worry about 6 weeks, heck, if it was vacuum sealed i would still eat it 8 weeks later.

 

I'd rather be a worry wart than give myself "the $hits all day."  Or worse.

Edited February 4, 2015 by btbyrd (log)

[btbyrd]

Also, who eats steak cold? Seriously...

[FeChef]

Also, who eats steak cold? Seriously...

Apparently some people that like to waste a good steak on a salad. Me, I was just too lazy to reheat it. To be honest, i did not realize the steak was rare when i put it in the fridge. The part i ate the night before was medium. As far as having the $hits all day, some people pay for that kinda cleansing therapy

 

I suppose i payed for it aswell....all day.

Edited February 4, 2015 by FeChef (log)

[hski7]

I think you should head to the store asap and buy 52 portions of identical cuts and seal them all. Put them in your fridge and eat one per week until something happens.  Make sure a stool sample is provided at that time, and then we will all know the answer to this intriguing question 

[FeChef]

I think you should head to the store asap and buy 52 portions of identical cuts and seal them all. Put them in your fridge and eat one per week until something happens.  Make sure a stool sample is provided at that time, and then we will all know the answer to this intriguing question 

No a better test would be to buy a whole loin, cut and trim the ends and edges and seal them all.

[Taveren]

you couldn't pay me to eat 6 week old meat, no matter the storage conditions or appearance

Edited February 8, 2015 by Taveren (log)