Ground, ribs, flank, shank — there are just about as many cuts of beef as there are ways to prepare it. No matter what your favorite cut is, though, or whether you prefer it rare, medium, or well done, one thing is true for all beef. Eventually, it’s going to go bad if not consumed. 

Just how quickly that happens depends on whether the beef is cooked or not. Like raw meat, cooked beef can also become a hotbed for dangerous bacteria. But, before you go running to your fridge to toss out last night’s hamburger, keep reading. You’ll discover everything you need to know about how long you can store beef in the refrigerator. 

How long will cooked beef last in the fridge?

Leftovers are one of life’s greatest gifts — your past self, making sure future you has something good to eat when you don’t feel like cooking. However, when it comes to beef, you’ve got a short window of time to make sure what you’re eating is still fresh-tasting and safe to eat. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), that window of time is three to four days. 

After three to four days, beef is more likely to become susceptible to spoilage bacteria, which can grow at cold temperatures. Spoilage bacteria causes beef to develop bad tastes and smells, but it will most likely not make you sick. Still, it will make beef unpleasant to eat, so it’s best to toss it after four days. 

How to store cooked beef in the fridge

Whether it’s sous vide or grilled, the best way to store cooked beef in the fridge is to wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, or to store it in an airtight container. This helps leftovers stay moist, keeps bacteria out, and prevents them from picking up odors or flavors from other things in the fridge. 

The USDA recommends storing cooked beef in the refrigerator within two hours of cooking. This is to keep cooked beef out of the “danger zone.” The danger zone is a temperature range of 40-140 degrees Fahrenheit, where bacteria can grow quickly. So, although it may be tempting to plop down on the couch after eating a steak dinner, make sure to get leftovers in the fridge first (that said, you’re free to leave the dishes for tomorrow). 

Can you freeze cooked beef?

Yes! Cooked beef can be stored indefinitely in the freezer, according to the USDA. However, just because something can be frozen forever doesn’t mean it should. You should aim to use cooked beef within two to three months of freezing. 

No matter the preparation, to get the most out of your cooked beef, wrap it tightly in heavy duty plastic wrap and then put that little meat package into a freezer bag or another airtight container before freezing. This will help keep air and moisture away from the beef and reduce the risk of freezer burn. 

How to reheat cooked beef

Reheating methods will vary based on the type of beef you’re reheating and how it was prepared. The oven is the most consistent method and will work for all preparations, although it is best suited for things like cooked ground beef casseroles, pot pies, meatloaf and braised beef. Preheat your oven to 250° Fahrenheit, place your beef in an oven-safe container, and heat until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°.

Leftover steaks and hamburgers can be reheated in a skillet on the stove with a little bit of neutral oil. For safety purposes, the USDA recommends reheating all beef to 165°. However, if your steak was originally cooked rare, it should be fine to reheat leftover steak to the same temperature. 

If you are reheating cooked beef after freezing it, it’s best to let it thaw in the refrigerator until it’s fully defrosted. Once defrosted, you can reheat your protein just as you would any other leftover beef dish. 

How long will raw beef stay in the fridge?

When meat is ground, it creates more surface area for air and bacteria to come into contact with, meaning ground meats, although budget friendly, are likely to spoil more quickly than in-tact pieces of meat like steaks, chops, or ribs. This means that while whole pieces of raw beef have a shelf life of three to five days in the refrigerator, ground beef should be used within one to two days. 

Whether ground or in whole pieces, raw beef is safe to be stored in the packaging it was purchased in. However, it’s best practice to place it on a plate and store it on the lowest shelf in the refrigerator. This way, you can ensure that any accidental drippings won't contaminate other items in the fridge. 

If you don’t plan on using raw ground beef within one to two days or whole pieces of raw beef within three to five, consider freezing the raw beef. It can still be kept in its original packaging, but it’s best to wrap it in another layer of plastic wrap and place it in a freezer-safe zipper bag. Like raw poultry, raw beef will last indefinitely in the freezer. Still, for optimal quality, ground beef should be used within four months, and other cuts within four to twelve. 

How to know when beef has gone bad

There are two types of bacteria that can affect food: pathogenic bacteria and spoilage bacteria. Spoilage bacteria is relatively harmless. It’s what causes food to start to look and smell like it’s gone bad, but spoilage bacteria generally won’t make you sick. 

Pathogenic bacteria, on the other hand, cause foodborne illness. Beef is most susceptible to pathogenic bacteria when it spends more than two hours sitting in the danger zone (40-140 degrees Fahrenheit). Unlike spoilage bacteria, pathogenic bacteria don't have any telltale signs that you can see, smell, or taste, so it’s best to err on the side of caution and toss anything that might have been in the danger zone too long. 

Whether cooked or raw, beef that has started to take on a strange color, smell, or mushy texture is likely past its prime and shouldn’t be eaten. If you ever have questions, trust your gut and your senses, and don’t take any risks. 

Can you compost cooked beef?

If you live in an area that has a municipal composting program, there’s a good chance you can add cooked beef to your collection bin — bones and all. Of course, always check with local services before throwing it in there. 

If you compost at home, good for you! However, unless you’re a composting pro, it is generally not recommended that you compost beef in your pile or tumbler. Home compost setups usually don’t reach the internal temperatures necessary to break down meat and bones, and those items will likely attract unwanted pathogens and critters that may be hard to get rid of. 

However, there’s one big exception to this rule of thumb: Mill. The Mill food recycler can break down beef and other meats so that they can be layered into your home compost pile

Sources:

1. U.S. Department of Agriculture: “How long can you keep cooked beef?” May 2, 2024. https://ask.usda.gov/s/article/How-long-can-you-keep-cooked-beef

2. Food Safety and Inspection Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture: “Leftovers and Food Safety.” July 31, 2020. https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/food-safety-basics/leftovers-and-food-safety

3. U.S. Department of Agriculture: “How long can you freeze beef?” September 22, 2023. https://ask.usda.gov/s/article/How-long-can-you-freeze-beef

4. Sustainable Packaging Coalition: “Composting Maps: Urban Access.” https://sustainablepackaging.org/our-work/public-resources/mapping-urban-access-to-composting-programs/