How long does beef last?
Beef keeps for 3 to 5 days in the fridge, up to 4 to 12 months in the freezer. USDA lists 10 kinds of beef; the first is shown here and all are in the table below.
rib roast, bone-in
No guideline
3 to 5 days
from the package date
4 to 12 months
best quality within
All kinds of beef, side by side
| Kind | Pantry | Fridge | After opening | Freezer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| rib roast, bone-in | no guideline | 3 to 5 days | no guideline | 4 to 12 months |
| rib roast; boneless, rolled | no guideline | 3 to 5 days | no guideline | 4 to 12 months |
| round or rump roast | no guideline | 3 to 5 days | no guideline | 4 to 12 months |
| tenderloin, whole | no guideline | 3 to 5 days | no guideline | 4 to 12 months |
| tenderloin, half | no guideline | 3 to 5 days | no guideline | 4 to 12 months |
| chuck roast, brisket | no guideline | 3 to 5 days | no guideline | 4 to 12 months |
| steaks | no guideline | 3 to 5 days | no guideline | 4 to 12 months |
| stew, cubes | no guideline | 3 to 5 days | no guideline | 4 to 12 months |
| short ribs | no guideline | 3 to 5 days | no guideline | 4 to 12 months |
| ground | no guideline | 1 to 2 days | no guideline | 3 to 4 months |
No guideline: USDA gives no time for that place, usually because the food is not stored that way.
How to tell beef has gone bad
- Fresh beef is bright cherry-red on the surface. The inside of ground beef is often greyish-brown because oxygen has not reached it, and USDA says that is normal.
- After about 5 days in the fridge beef may turn brown throughout. Brown beef that also smells off or feels tacky to the touch has spoiled and should not be used.
- A sticky, tacky or slimy surface, or a sour or off odour, means spoilage bacteria have grown. Throw it out.
- Ground beef keeps 1 to 2 days in the fridge, steaks and roasts 3 to 5 days, and cooked beef 3 to 4 days.
Sources: Ground Beef and Food Safety (USDA FSIS); Beef from Farm to Table (USDA FSIS); The Color of Meat and Poultry (USDA FSIS). The times on this page are quality guidelines, not safety limits; food that shows these signs goes out regardless of the date.
Storage habits that make the difference
Keep raw meat in the coldest part of the fridge, ideally on a tray to catch drips, and use within a few days of purchase. Freeze anything you will not use in time, wrapped tightly to prevent freezer burn. Thaw in the fridge, not on the counter, and never refreeze raw meat that has fully thawed.
More in meat: fresh
Source: USDA FSIS FoodKeeper dataset (public domain). Times assume a fridge at 40 F (4 C) and a freezer at 0 F (-18 C). How we decode the data.