Beef and 'use by' dates.

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zodiac
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Beef and 'use by' dates.

Post by zodiac »

I've just had a clear out of the fridge..its a big fridge.. getting rid of the tired veg or old cheese etc that hides in corners. Found a vac packed steak that was weeks out of date. I know that sounds bogging but I feed an army every week and the fridge and freezers are always full, it's easy for something to get lost! Anyway, I was binning the old food, I opened the steak to recycle the packaging, there didn't seem anything wrong with it. In fact, I it looked and smelled delicious. It was dated early April, so 2 months out of date. Of course, chicken goes rancid within a day or of its date, but good beef is hung and stored for several weeks before packing off for sale. I was tempted to fry it and taste it but it went in the bin. Does anyone know how long you can store beef and still eat it?
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Re: Beef and 'use by' dates.

Post by juttle »

If the vac pack was undamaged, still tightly sealed to the meat, and it’s been kept in a constant temperature, it was probably fine. The ageing of beef is normally done whilst the beef is hanging in ‘sides’, just split in two and before any other cuts were made. It’s possible to further age large cuts like full sets of ribs or a full rump and loin, but when you’re down to individual pieces like your steak, ageing further wouldn’t work.
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Re: Beef and 'use by' dates.

Post by stubbojo »

juttle wrote: Fri Jun 18 2021 06:53 -
If the vac pack was undamaged, still tightly sealed to the meat, and it’s been kept in a constant temperature, it was probably fine. The ageing of beef is normally done whilst the beef is hanging in ‘sides’, just split in two and before any other cuts were made. It’s possible to further age large cuts like full sets of ribs or a full rump and loin, but when you’re down to individual pieces like your steak, ageing further wouldn’t work.
better of freezing your beef , not ideal but saves wasting it , 12 months in the freezer and your ok to eat .......
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Re: Beef and 'use by' dates.

Post by Mike J »

zodiac wrote: Thu Jun 17 2021 23:00 -
I've just had a clear out of the fridge..its a big fridge.. getting rid of the tired veg or old cheese etc that hides in corners. Found a vac packed steak that was weeks out of date. I know that sounds bogging but I feed an army every week and the fridge and freezers are always full, it's easy for something to get lost! Anyway, I was binning the old food, I opened the steak to recycle the packaging, there didn't seem anything wrong with it. In fact, I it looked and smelled delicious. It was dated early April, so 2 months out of date. Of course, chicken goes rancid within a day or of its date, but good beef is hung and stored for several weeks before packing off for sale. I was tempted to fry it and taste it but it went in the bin. Does anyone know how long you can store beef and still eat it?



I would eat it without any concerns.
In fact I will eat any meat if it doesn't smell off, with the exception of bird.
Ive even eaten road casualty venison* that had just been skinned and jointed and hung in my garden for dog food. Under the outer membrane the meat was always dry with no smell, it looked so good I tried a piece and it tasted good and when fried was superb.
I think modern life takes us too far away from reality, as a country kid I have tried most things that grow in the countryside, gutted a rabbit with the same knife I would dig a thorn from my hand.

The Italians and Spanish both eat air dried beef that is many months old and its simply delicious (as is their dried tuna and octopus eggs)


* Part of my work involved dealing with deer after they were hit by vehicles.

.
'No Man Ever Fishes The Same River Twice, .... For It Is Not The Same River, .... And He Is Not The Same Man' Heraclitus of Ephesus
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John Milford
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Re: Beef and 'use by' dates.

Post by John Milford »

I have absolutely no issue at all with eating stuff that is a few days 'out of date' - especially anything marked 'best before' rather than 'use by'.

My thoughts are that there is bound to be a margin of safety built into the dates, plus I have the constitution of an ox when it comes to food. I've lost count of the times when I've eaten with others who have had dodgy guts the next day - while I've been fine.

However, I wouldn't touch anything much beyond it's 'use by' date especially anything that comes in an airtight package.

This is due to the risk of botulism which is caused by an anaerobic bacterium, meaning it can only grow in the absence of oxygen.

Botulism is mostly an issue with cold meats as the toxin the bacteria produce is destroyed by heat. To be sure of this, anything must be cooked to a core temperature of 85°C minimum for at least five minutes, so a rare or blue steak might still pose a significant risk.
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Re: Beef and 'use by' dates.

Post by Happy Hayes »

I must admit,if it didn’t smell and looked good I’d probably eat it
Remember back in the day ( before my day ) most things didn’t have dates ,
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Re: Beef and 'use by' dates.

Post by zodiac »

Mike J wrote: Fri Jun 18 2021 09:50 -
zodiac wrote: Thu Jun 17 2021 23:00 -
I've just had a clear out of the fridge..its a big fridge.. getting rid of the tired veg or old cheese etc that hides in corners. Found a vac packed steak that was weeks out of date. I know that sounds bogging but I feed an army every week and the fridge and freezers are always full, it's easy for something to get lost! Anyway, I was binning the old food, I opened the steak to recycle the packaging, there didn't seem anything wrong with it. In fact, I it looked and smelled delicious. It was dated early April, so 2 months out of date. Of course, chicken goes rancid within a day or of its date, but good beef is hung and stored for several weeks before packing off for sale. I was tempted to fry it and taste it but it went in the bin. Does anyone know how long you can store beef and still eat it?



I would eat it without any concerns.
In fact I will eat any meat if it doesn't smell off, with the exception of bird.
Ive even eaten road casualty venison* that had just been skinned and jointed and hung in my garden for dog food. Under the outer membrane the meat was always dry with no smell, it looked so good I tried a piece and it tasted good and when fried was superb.
I think modern life takes us too far away from reality, as a country kid I have tried most things that grow in the countryside, gutted a rabbit with the same knife I would dig a thorn from my hand.

The Italians and Spanish both eat air dried beef that is many months old and its simply delicious (as is their dried tuna and octopus eggs)


* Part of my work involved dealing with deer after they were hit by vehicles.

.
Octopus eggs??
'Politicians. Don't vote, it just encourages them. The desire to be a politician should bar you from life from ever being one' Billy Connoly
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Re: Beef and 'use by' dates.

Post by Mike J »

zodiac wrote: Fri Jun 18 2021 17:32 -
Mike J wrote: Fri Jun 18 2021 09:50 -
zodiac wrote: Thu Jun 17 2021 23:00 -
I've just had a clear out of the fridge..its a big fridge.. getting rid of the tired veg or old cheese etc that hides in corners. Found a vac packed steak that was weeks out of date. I know that sounds bogging but I feed an army every week and the fridge and freezers are always full, it's easy for something to get lost! Anyway, I was binning the old food, I opened the steak to recycle the packaging, there didn't seem anything wrong with it. In fact, I it looked and smelled delicious. It was dated early April, so 2 months out of date. Of course, chicken goes rancid within a day or of its date, but good beef is hung and stored for several weeks before packing off for sale. I was tempted to fry it and taste it but it went in the bin. Does anyone know how long you can store beef and still eat it?



I would eat it without any concerns.
In fact I will eat any meat if it doesn't smell off, with the exception of bird.
Ive even eaten road casualty venison* that had just been skinned and jointed and hung in my garden for dog food. Under the outer membrane the meat was always dry with no smell, it looked so good I tried a piece and it tasted good and when fried was superb.
I think modern life takes us too far away from reality, as a country kid I have tried most things that grow in the countryside, gutted a rabbit with the same knife I would dig a thorn from my hand.

The Italians and Spanish both eat air dried beef that is many months old and its simply delicious (as is their dried tuna and octopus eggs)


* Part of my work involved dealing with deer after they were hit by vehicles.

.
Octopus eggs??

Yes.
If you ever go to Algarve region of Portugal go into a local fish market and look for items that look like a slightly beige coloured hamburger about the same shape and size, they are the egg sack of an octopus (ovas de polvo) that has been compressed and dried in the sun. You can eat it in a salad or better still sliced thinly and shared with fellow fishermen while drinking beer.

The other delicacy enjoyed by groups of anglers is the dried loin of a tuna (Mojama) mostly Yellowfin, and found in the coastal regions of Andalusia and occasionally just over the border.

The above favourites plus some smoked cheese and local chorizo is a popular way to end a days fishing after the boat and tackles been cleaned.

.
'No Man Ever Fishes The Same River Twice, .... For It Is Not The Same River, .... And He Is Not The Same Man' Heraclitus of Ephesus
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Re: Beef and 'use by' dates.

Post by zodiac »

Mike J wrote: Sat Jun 19 2021 01:12 -
zodiac wrote: Fri Jun 18 2021 17:32 -
Mike J wrote: Fri Jun 18 2021 09:50 -
zodiac wrote: Thu Jun 17 2021 23:00 -
I've just had a clear out of the fridge..its a big fridge.. getting rid of the tired veg or old cheese etc that hides in corners. Found a vac packed steak that was weeks out of date. I know that sounds bogging but I feed an army every week and the fridge and freezers are always full, it's easy for something to get lost! Anyway, I was binning the old food, I opened the steak to recycle the packaging, there didn't seem anything wrong with it. In fact, I it looked and smelled delicious. It was dated early April, so 2 months out of date. Of course, chicken goes rancid within a day or of its date, but good beef is hung and stored for several weeks before packing off for sale. I was tempted to fry it and taste it but it went in the bin. Does anyone know how long you can store beef and still eat it?



I would eat it without any concerns.
In fact I will eat any meat if it doesn't smell off, with the exception of bird.
Ive even eaten road casualty venison* that had just been skinned and jointed and hung in my garden for dog food. Under the outer membrane the meat was always dry with no smell, it looked so good I tried a piece and it tasted good and when fried was superb.
I think modern life takes us too far away from reality, as a country kid I have tried most things that grow in the countryside, gutted a rabbit with the same knife I would dig a thorn from my hand.

The Italians and Spanish both eat air dried beef that is many months old and its simply delicious (as is their dried tuna and octopus eggs)


* Part of my work involved dealing with deer after they were hit by vehicles.

.
Octopus eggs??

Yes.
If you ever go to Algarve region of Portugal go into a local fish market and look for items that look like a slightly beige coloured hamburger about the same shape and size, they are the egg sack of an octopus (ovas de polvo) that has been compressed and dried in the sun. You can eat it in a salad or better still sliced thinly and shared with fellow fishermen while drinking beer.

The other delicacy enjoyed by groups of anglers is the dried loin of a tuna (Mojama) mostly Yellowfin, and found in the coastal regions of Andalusia and occasionally just over the border.

The above favourites plus some smoked cheese and local chorizo is a popular way to end a days fishing after the boat and tackles been cleaned.

.
Mike that sounds disgusting. Except for the beer and fishing bit!
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Mike J
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Re: Beef and 'use by' dates.

Post by Mike J »

zodiac wrote: Sat Jun 19 2021 01:26 -
Mike J wrote: Sat Jun 19 2021 01:12 -
zodiac wrote: Fri Jun 18 2021 17:32 -
Mike J wrote: Fri Jun 18 2021 09:50 -
zodiac wrote: Thu Jun 17 2021 23:00 -
I've just had a clear out of the fridge..its a big fridge.. getting rid of the tired veg or old cheese etc that hides in corners. Found a vac packed steak that was weeks out of date. I know that sounds bogging but I feed an army every week and the fridge and freezers are always full, it's easy for something to get lost! Anyway, I was binning the old food, I opened the steak to recycle the packaging, there didn't seem anything wrong with it. In fact, I it looked and smelled delicious. It was dated early April, so 2 months out of date. Of course, chicken goes rancid within a day or of its date, but good beef is hung and stored for several weeks before packing off for sale. I was tempted to fry it and taste it but it went in the bin. Does anyone know how long you can store beef and still eat it?



I would eat it without any concerns.
In fact I will eat any meat if it doesn't smell off, with the exception of bird.
Ive even eaten road casualty venison* that had just been skinned and jointed and hung in my garden for dog food. Under the outer membrane the meat was always dry with no smell, it looked so good I tried a piece and it tasted good and when fried was superb.
I think modern life takes us too far away from reality, as a country kid I have tried most things that grow in the countryside, gutted a rabbit with the same knife I would dig a thorn from my hand.

The Italians and Spanish both eat air dried beef that is many months old and its simply delicious (as is their dried tuna and octopus eggs)


* Part of my work involved dealing with deer after they were hit by vehicles.

.
Octopus eggs??

Yes.
If you ever go to Algarve region of Portugal go into a local fish market and look for items that look like a slightly beige coloured hamburger about the same shape and size, they are the egg sack of an octopus (ovas de polvo) that has been compressed and dried in the sun. You can eat it in a salad or better still sliced thinly and shared with fellow fishermen while drinking beer.

The other delicacy enjoyed by groups of anglers is the dried loin of a tuna (Mojama) mostly Yellowfin, and found in the coastal regions of Andalusia and occasionally just over the border.

The above favourites plus some smoked cheese and local chorizo is a popular way to end a days fishing after the boat and tackles been cleaned.

.
Mike that sounds disgusting. Except for the beer and fishing bit!

Thats what I thought until I tasted it :grin:

🍻🍻🍻🍻🍻


.
'No Man Ever Fishes The Same River Twice, .... For It Is Not The Same River, .... And He Is Not The Same Man' Heraclitus of Ephesus
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Re: Beef and 'use by' dates.

Post by Happy Hayes »

zodiac wrote: Sat Jun 19 2021 01:26 -
Mike J wrote: Sat Jun 19 2021 01:12 -
zodiac wrote: Fri Jun 18 2021 17:32 -
Mike J wrote: Fri Jun 18 2021 09:50 -
zodiac wrote: Thu Jun 17 2021 23:00 -
I've just had a clear out of the fridge..its a big fridge.. getting rid of the tired veg or old cheese etc that hides in corners. Found a vac packed steak that was weeks out of date. I know that sounds bogging but I feed an army every week and the fridge and freezers are always full, it's easy for something to get lost! Anyway, I was binning the old food, I opened the steak to recycle the packaging, there didn't seem anything wrong with it. In fact, I it looked and smelled delicious. It was dated early April, so 2 months out of date. Of course, chicken goes rancid within a day or of its date, but good beef is hung and stored for several weeks before packing off for sale. I was tempted to fry it and taste it but it went in the bin. Does anyone know how long you can store beef and still eat it?



I would eat it without any concerns.
In fact I will eat any meat if it doesn't smell off, with the exception of bird.
Ive even eaten road casualty venison* that had just been skinned and jointed and hung in my garden for dog food. Under the outer membrane the meat was always dry with no smell, it looked so good I tried a piece and it tasted good and when fried was superb.
I think modern life takes us too far away from reality, as a country kid I have tried most things that grow in the countryside, gutted a rabbit with the same knife I would dig a thorn from my hand.

The Italians and Spanish both eat air dried beef that is many months old and its simply delicious (as is their dried tuna and octopus eggs)


* Part of my work involved dealing with deer after they were hit by vehicles.

.
Octopus eggs??

Yes.
If you ever go to Algarve region of Portugal go into a local fish market and look for items that look like a slightly beige coloured hamburger about the same shape and size, they are the egg sack of an octopus (ovas de polvo) that has been compressed and dried in the sun. You can eat it in a salad or better still sliced thinly and shared with fellow fishermen while drinking beer.

The other delicacy enjoyed by groups of anglers is the dried loin of a tuna (Mojama) mostly Yellowfin, and found in the coastal regions of Andalusia and occasionally just over the border.

The above favourites plus some smoked cheese and local chorizo is a popular way to end a days fishing after the boat and tackles been cleaned.

.
Mike that sounds disgusting. Except for the beer and fishing bit!
:laughs: :laughs: :laughs: +1
Regards
Tom
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Re: Beef and 'use by' date

Post by Mike J »

The worse smelling but most delicious seafood Ive ever eaten is air dried Octopus tentacles that have been grilled over charcoal.
For years I kept away as the fumes as it is grilling are really obnoxious, then one day I succumbed and tried it, and wow what a surprise, it was so tastey, juicy and quite unlike anything Ive ever eaten before.
As with mojama and ovas de polvo it is sliced with the knife most fishermen in Iberia habitually carry.

I have also been offered and refused beef of the sea aka Dolphin.

.
'No Man Ever Fishes The Same River Twice, .... For It Is Not The Same River, .... And He Is Not The Same Man' Heraclitus of Ephesus
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