Food Preservation

How Long Do Hot Dogs Last in the Fridge?

Last Updated on June 23, 2022 by Simply Healthy Family - Team

Hot dogs are a trendy food in America, consumed anywhere from backyard barbeques to packed stadiums. This iconic food is made by adding a sausage — made from various meats — to a bun, but the term hot dog can also refer to the sausage on its own. Hot dog meat is processed with preservatives, which may create the misconception that this food can last a long time.

Hotdogs last for up to two weeks in the fridge if the package is unopened. The storage time decreases to one week when the package is opened and kept in a sealed container in the refrigerator.

The signs that a hot dog has gone bad include a slimy or gooey casing, brown or grayish color, vinegary or sour smell, and milky liquid if the meat is water-packed.

Hot Dog Shelf Life

Although hot dogs contain preservatives, they have a short shelf life because the meat has been pre-cooked. Even though hot dogs are already cooked, they should be heated again before being eaten to avoid food poisoning.

The shelf life of all types of hot dogs — Vienna, Wiener, and Frankfurter — is the same and depends on the preparation method and how the food is stored. It’s recommended to consume hot dogs within the expiration date on the package. The expiration date defines the meat’s shelf life if kept in a sealed package or container. Not all hot dog packages have the same shelf life.

The shelf life of hot dogs is dramatically shortened when they’re kept out of the fridge, and the shelf life increases when food is stored in a freezer.

If the hot dog’s expiration date is not printed on the package, follow general guidelines based on the type of hot dog. Always check for signs that the hot dog has gone bad before eating it, whether the expiration date is shown or not.

How Long Do Hot Dogs Last?

Hot dogs last for up to two weeks in the fridge when left unopened in their original packaging. When opened, hot dogs last up to a week in the refrigerator when resealed in a packet or container.

These products last indefinitely when stored in the freezer. To enjoy the sausage’s optimal quality, only keep them in the freezer for up to two months. When storing hot dogs in the freezer, seal them in an airtight packet or container to avoid freezer burn and meat spoilage.

Hot dogs left out of the fridge — opened, unopened, or cooked — are only safe to eat within two hours, after which they should be thrown away. Reduce this shelf life to one hour when the temperature is above 90°F.

When hot dogs are stored correctly, they are safe to eat for a short time after the best-by or sell-by date. However, always check for signs that the hot dog might have spoiled before eating it. Throw away sausages that have passed their expiration date.

Do Hot Dogs Go Bad?

Hot dogs go bad despite containing preservatives because the sausages are moist and stored in plastic. Spoiled hot dogs taste unpleasant and can carry bacteria, called Listeria monocytogenes, which cause listeriosis if the hot dogs are eaten.

How to Tell if Hot Dogs Are Bad

While it’s easy to tell when the sausage has gone bad by its flavor, there are also several other signs that you should look for before preparing the sausage:

An unpleasant smell is a common sign of a sausage that has gone bad. You will notice a strong vinegar or sour smell
A change in texture, such as a slimy casing and mold growth, also indicates an off hot dog
The color of the meat changes from a pink color to a dull brown or gray color
A hot dog is bad if any liquid in the sausage packaging looks milky
A sausage kept in the freezer may develop freezer burn, which is indicated by icy spots on the meat. The freezer burn isn’t dangerous, but the meat will be unpleasant to eat

How to Freeze Hot Dogs

Freezing hot dogs is the most effective method to prolong their shelf life indefinitely — if the sausages are packaged and stored correctly.

Store unopened hot dogs in the freezer in their original packaging, and wrap the whole package in plastic wrap, wax paper, or aluminum foil.

Before storing hot dogs that have been opened, drain the liquid from opened hot dog package, wrap each sausage in wax paper and seal the sausages tightly in an airtight package or container. Store cooked hot dogs in the same manner, wrapped in wax paper or plastic wrap, and stored for up to four months.

To thaw hot dogs quickly, remove them from the package and defrost them in the microwave for 30 seconds or until thawed. Or, leave them sealed in the fridge for 24 hours or place the sealed sausages in a bowl of cool water for 30 minutes.

Keep these tips in mind when freezing hot dogs:

Label the packaging with the date to keep track of how long the sausages are kept, especially when freezing cooked hot dogs
Open and store sausages in small batches to defrost the amount required for meals. The sausages will stick together when together frozen in a large package, so they’ll need to be thawed before being separated
Don’t thaw sausages by leaving them out on the counter or in hot water — these environments are danger zones that can encourage bacteria growth

FAQs About Hot Dog Shelf Life

For more information on storing hot dogs, look at the common questions below about the shelf life of hot dogs.

Do Hot Dogs Go Bad in the Fridge?

Hots dogs go bad in the fridge after two weeks if left unopened, and after one week if opened. Correctly storing the sausages in a sealed packet or container will prolong the shelf life by a few days. A bad smell, slimy texture, or dull color indicates that the meat is rotten and should be thrown away.

How Long Are Hot Dogs Good for After Opening?

Hot dogs are good for up to one week when opened and stored correctly in a resealable packet or container in the fridge. Once opened, hot dogs keep in the freezer indefinitely when placed in an airtight container or package, and they’re best eaten within two months.

How Long Do Hot Dogs Last After Expiration Date?

Throw hot dogs away after the expiration date because this date indicates when the food is no longer safe to consume. Hot dogs last for up to two weeks past the best-before or sell-by date. Always test whether the sausage smells or tastes sour or is slimy because these signs indicate that the meat has gone bad.

Should Fudge be Refrigerated? How To Store Fudge Properly

Last Updated on June 3, 2022 by Simply Healthy Family - Team

Fudge stays good at room temperature and doesn’t need refrigeration. Unless your kitchen is as hot as the tropics, you can keep fudge out on the counter.

Storing fudge

Keep fudge wrapped in plastic, in a Ziploc bag, or an airtight container. Fudge needs to be protected from moisture, air, and any possible contaminants like fruit flies or foods that have spilled on the counter.

Fudge stored at room temperature should be kept away from light and heat. In other words, keep it far from the stove and sunlight, and in a cool, dark corner of the kitchen.

Plastic containers with lids that snap tightly shut are ideal for keeping fudge in. It will stay fresh for two weeks at room temperature.

Kept too long in plastic, though, your fudge may get mushy. If it becomes a little soft and too moist, take it out of the container and leave it out a few hours to firm up again.

It’s fine to chill fudge in the fridge if you prefer to eat it cold. Just keep it in an air-tight container, to prevent it from drying out in the fridge.

Another danger is that refrigerated fudge may absorb flavors from other foods stored there. Wrap it well and keep it in an air-tight container to prevent off-flavors in your fudge.

Freezing fudge

For longer-term storage, you can freeze fudge. Wrap it first in freezer wrap, then in foil or plastic wrap, and put the whole thing in a zip lock freezer bag.

Before freezing fudge, make sure it’s completely cool. Icing should be completely dry too.

You may freeze the fudge before slicing it, as one whole block. This is optimal, as it dries out faster when sliced.

Still, it might be convenient to slice it, wrap the slices individually, then freeze them all in a freezer bag. Place sheets of wax paper between layers to keep the slices from sticking together.

The advantage of freezing slices is that you can take out one or more slices, as needed to thaw out.

If you bought fudge and brought it home in a box, remove it from the box before freezing it. The fudge may absorb the taste and smell of the cardboard.

The freezer’s door shelves are warmer than the deep inside of the freezer, so don’t store fudge in them.

You got busy and made several flavors of fudge. Store each kind in a separate freezer container for best results.

Label the container(s) with the name of the fudge and the date. You’ll be happy you did.

How to thaw out frozen fudge

Keep the wrapping on the fudge and let it thaw in the refrigerator. Any condensation forming will stay on the wrapper, leaving the fudge fresh.

Let the thawed fudge sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before eating.

Some people simply take it out of the freezer, unwrap it and let it thaw out on the kitchen counter.

That’s not the safest way. It should be thawed overnight in the refrigerator.

Expect a slight change in the texture and flavor of the fudge that was frozen. Once thawed out, the fudge should be eaten within a week.

Thawed-out fudge should not be refrozen. Keep it in the refrigerator.

Can fudge go bad?

Fudge has a high sugar content, which you’d think would preserve it for a very long time. It also has a high-fat content, and that’s what can cause the fudge to spoil eventually.

Homemade and commercially bought fudge kept in an airtight container at room temperature should keep 1-2 weeks.

You can make it last longer by refrigerating it. Chilled fudge will keep for 2-3 weeks.

Frozen fudge will stay good up to 3 months, assuming it’s wrapped tightly and stored in an airtight container.

Signs fudge has gone bad

You can tell that fudge was exposed to the air for too long when the surface cracks and looks dry. A little crumbling doesn’t mean it’s gone bad, just deep cracks.

When the fudge has gone very soft, especially if there’s anything slimy about it, toss it out. It’s been exposed to moisture for too long and has gone bad.

Hard fudge that shows an oily shine on the surface has gone bad. Throw it out.

If a little moisture forms on the surface of thawed-out fudge, it’s still fine. Pools of liquid or anything that looks slimy are not fine and the fudge should be thrown out.

Help! Failed fudge!

Let’s say your fudge is never set. Can you put it in the freezer to make it harden?

No, freezing a messy fudge won’t set it. But there are some tricks you can try to coax it into shape.

Beat powdered sugar into the soft fudge – beat it really well. When the fudge starts firming up, slow down and add more powdered sugar by tablespoons.

Too much-powdered sugar added to soft fudge will make it dry out and crumble.

Another way to rework failed fudge is to reheat it. Add some evaporated milk or water mixed with a little cornstarch, and continue beating, even after it cools.

If nothing works, get creative. Don’t let your delicious, chocolatey stuff go to waste.

You can roll spoonfuls of the mass in cocoa powder to make truffles. Or make luxurious chocolate bark.

To make chocolate bark, beat in the chopped candied peel, chopped walnuts or pistachios, raisins, sunflower seeds, dried fruit chopped fine (apricots are especially special), or whatever you have on hand.

Spread the mass onto a baking sheet lined with baking parchment. It may harden into a stiff layer by itself, or it may need encouragement to harden in the fridge.

Either way, crack the bark into large pieces and set them on a shallow dish. The pieces of dried fruit, etc. look pretty in the bark, and the taste is delicious.

Nothing is wasted, and you have an unusual sweet that everyone will love. No need to tell anyone it came out of a failed fudge!

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What Is the Number One Cause of Spoiled Meat?

Last Updated on June 2, 2022 by Simply Healthy Family - Team

We all have experienced encounters with spoiled meat: whether we walked a questionable piece of meat around to our family members to have them smell and assess; rinsed off the meat and then examined the smell, color, and texture; or gave it a shot and cooked it, only to determine after taking a bite that the meat was, indeed, spoiled.

Determining the main causes of meat spoilage allows us to prevent it from happening. We can explore the major issues without engaging in a full microbiology course. The main cause of spoiled meat is heat, and that is because the presence of heat is a catalyst to all the main reasons that meat spoils.

What happens when an animal is slaughtered for consumption? After death, cells no longer regenerate, so the existing cells begin to break down and the meat begins to spoil. This deterioration is inevitable, but heat and light accelerate the process significantly.

Therefore, one could argue that microorganisms such as bacteria and mold are the main causes of meat spoilage, but since heat is the activator that promotes the growth of the microorganisms, we can also state that heat is the main cause of spoiled meat.

Microorganisms

The growth of microorganisms fundamentally alters the structure and chemical properties of meat. These microorganisms break down fats and proteins, causing changes in the meat’s smell, appearance, and texture. These physical changes are indicators that the meat should not be consumed and are evidence that eating the meat can cause serious health issues.

Foodborne illnesses are nothing to be trifled with; the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that globally, 420,000 humans die from unsafe food every year, and 600 million humans get sick. Spoiled meat contributes to these staggering numbers.

Bacteria and mold are by far the most common microorganisms that cause meat spoilage and heat is the most powerful conductor for both.

Bacteria

Bacteria might have been living in the animal when the animal was still alive. When the meat is exposed to heat, it’s like a lit match and the bacteria grow and spread like wildfire.

Additionally, bacteria can get on the meat after an animal is slaughtered, either from contamination in handling or from knives or surfaces used during the killing of the animal. In this case, the bacteria jump from the contaminated area to the meat.

Again, exposure to heat causes rapid growth of the bacteria that destroys the integrity of the meat and causes it to become rancid.

It should be noted that moisture and dirt can also contribute to the presence of bacteria, but heat encourages moisture and acts as an activator for bacteria caused by both moisture and dirt. Some types of bacteria that cause foodborne illnesses are:

Escherichia coli O157:H7
Salmonella Enteritidis
Staphylococcus aureus
Campylobacter

Signs and Symptoms of Bacteria Spoilage

Bacteria colonies, which can double in number in only 20 minutes when exposed to heat, identify themselves with a sour, sulfur-like smell. If you don’t catch the scent beforehand, you’ll notice when you take a bite that the texture is chalky and you’ll likely be able to tell that the taste is rotten.

Indicators can include the following:

Color change
Slimy surface
Change in fat texture and composition

Mold

Heat creates moisture, especially when meat is packaged in a way that is not airtight (this is why many people prefer food vacuum sealers that remove excess oxygen and moisture.) When there is too much moisture present, mold takes a foothold on your meat, feeling free to grow and multiply across the surface of the meat.

Again, heat is the conductor that allows mold to rapidly multiply and spoil your meat.

Signs and symptoms of mold spoilage
Heat, heat, heat and moisture, moisture, moisture. For mold, it’s all about the warm, moist environment that will colonize your meat faster than you can blink. Mold is super easy to see with its fuzzy greenish texture crawling all over the surface of your meat.

Indicators can include the following:

Change in color under the mold
Gassy or ammonia like smell
Change in fat texture and composition
Sticky surface

Other Types of Spoilage

Oxidation
Oxidation is a chemical reaction that leads to rancid meat. Oxidation occurs when food is not packaged properly and the oxygen and moisture react with the fat naturally present in the meat and then the meat spoils.

Certainly, as we know that higher temperatures create moisture, as heat accelerates the oxidation process.

Signs and symptoms of oxidation spoilage
When meat fat interacts with the oxygen, the resulting alteration will be evident by a sour smell, change in color to greenish-brown, and an obviously spoiled taste. You might notice a slimy film on the meat during oxidation.

Note: Not all oxidation means your meat is spoiled. Meat often starts to turn brown while it’s still good to eat. Make sure you smell it and look for slimy coating. If it smells OK, it could still be edible.

How Hot is Hot?

Amazingly enough, 40 °F (4.44 °C) is the temperature at which meat starts to spoil. The longer the meat is exposed to temperatures above 40 degrees, the faster the meat will spoil. According to the USDA website, the Danger Zone for meat spoilage is between 40 °F to 140 °F (4.4 °C to 60 °C).

Raw meat of any kind (and deli meat) must be kept in the refrigerator, freezer, or on ice
Cooked meat must be kept hot at a minimum of 140 °F (unless you’re putting it back in the fridge after eating)
The maximum time for any meat to be in the USDA’s Danger Zone is two hours (that means that deli sandwich you left in the car overnight is now inedible — throw it out)
If you are in a place with temperatures in excess of 90 °F or a hot car, the Danger Zone is decreased to one hour

Pro tip: Some deli meats, ham, and bacon have nitrites added and the high salt content may allow you to keep them in your refrigerator longer than raw meat, but these meats still are bound to the temperature rule.

Note that many types of deli meats today are uncured or have no nitrates added. While this is a healthier option (sodium nitrate increases your risk of cardiovascular ground beef, lamb, veal, and pork: minimum internal temperature of 160 °F (71.1 °C)disease), uncured meats have no preservatives, so they will spoil more quickly than their cured counterparts.

A Final Note on Heat
While exposure to heat stimulates bacteria and mold growth, heat also helps us eat meat without getting sick. Always cook meat and poultry at a minimum oven temperature of 325 °F (162.8 °C).

Minimum internal temperatures for meats and poultry:

Beef, lamb, pork, veal (roasts, steaks, and chops): minimum internal temperature 145 °F (62.8 °C)
Ground beef, lamb, veal, and pork: minimum internal temperature of 160 °F (71.1 °C)
Poultry: minimum internal temperature of 165 °F (73.9 °C)

Read Related Article: How Can You Tell if Pork is Spoiled?

Conclusion

It’s important to understand why heat is such a superconductor for bacteria, mold, and oxidation which destroys healthy meat faster. With a solid knowledge of safe temperatures for meat preservation, you can make sure your meat stays fresh as long as possible. You not only save money, but you also decrease your carbon footprint by throwing away far less food.

And more importantly, preventing the spread of microorganisms decreases the chance that you or your loved ones will become sick with foodborne illness, which is uncomfortable and painful at the least and in extreme cases fatal.

Keeping our loved ones safe is always our top priority, and being armed with the right information helps us do that.

How Can You Tell if Pork is Spoiled? 4 Signs of Rotten Pork

Last Updated on March 20, 2023 by Simply Healthy Family - Team

Have you ever watched those TV cooking competitions where the judges ridicule the chefs when they serve chicken that is still pink on the inside? and remind them of the dangers of undercooked meat?

Well, there’s something worse than serving or consuming undercooked chicken: serving or consuming spoiled pork! When pork goes bad due to warm temperatures, bacteria, fungus, or packaging, you can get very sick if you eat it.

Here are some key ways to determine if the pork you’re considering cooking is spoiled:

1) Smell

A plain old smell is the best way to determine if the pork is rotten. Fresh pork has very little smell. As meat spoils, it undergoes structural and chemical changes that alter the scent of the meat. A sour or rancid odor indicates that the pork has gone bad.

Bad pork smells like ammonia, fish, gas, or sulfur; the meat is no good. Don’t cook it or eat it. Sometimes the packaging, especially plastic or foam, will add a funny smell to pork. That does not necessarily mean that it’s spoiled.

If you’re unsure, go ahead and rinse the pork, pat it dry, and smell it again. If the pork smell is gone, it might have been the packaging smell. If the smell remains, then it’s spoiled.

Pro Tip: Although everyone’s olfactory senses vary, and what smells sweet to one person smells stinky to another, the particular scent of spoiled pork is pretty easy for your nose to confirm.

At the store: If you’re at the grocery store, you can sometimes smell the rot when you walk back to the meat section. You may want to shop at markets where you’ve purchased quality pork before or at a grocery or butcher where they package the meat to order.

You can, however, ask the butcher to unpack the meat so that you can examine it before buying it.

2) Touch or Texture

Spoiled pork feels slimy to the touch and has a stickiness (sometimes, you can even see the slime). Raw pork that is not spoiled has a particular tender but firm feel; if the meat is soft and squishy, it has started to spoil.

Additionally, the texture of fresh pork will be consistent throughout the cut of the meat. If the texture is inconsistent, that is a sign that the pork is spoiled.

The change in the texture of rotting pork once again results from the presence of bacteria and the chemical and structural alterations that their presence creates.

3) Appearance

Rotten pork experiences color changes that are easily recognizable with a visual examination. It is past its prime if you see a greenish-yellow, shiny, almost opalescent tint to the meat (you can often see this tint illuminating if you turn the pork slightly).

Interesting fact: Sliced deli ham (also a pork product!) also gets that shiny opalescent tint when it’s going rancid.

The yeast that develops on spoiled pork makes the color change. Other changes you might see are a greyish, brownish, or greenish hue. Fresh pork will be pink and the fat white.

Check the underside of the pork, too. Sometimes the bottom part that is sitting next to the packaging changes color, indicating spoilage, even if the top of the meat is still pink.

Mold. If you see mold on a piece of pork, that’s another visual indicator that the meat has spoiled. I know mold makes life-saving penicillin, and most of us have accidentally ingested “homemade” mold on cheese or bread, but meat is another story. Also, your fridge is not a lab, so 1) you can’t create sterile conditions, and 2) you can’t separate the penicillin mold from molds created by other harmful bacteria.

Freezer burn. If you have stored your pork in the freezer for too long, you might see freezer burn, which is another indication that the pork should be thrown out. Freezer burn does not necessarily mean the pork will make you sick, but freezer burn certainly has its particular taste, and it’s not fresh.

4) Check the packaging

This may seem obvious, but all prepackaged meat has a printed expiration date. This might say “Enjoy by…” or “Freshest by…” or “Best before….” or “Expires on…” with the date stamped next to it. Check that date, and toss the pork if it’s past that.

Pro-tip: There are two significant reasons for wanting to keep spoiled meat:
1) No one likes to waste food, especially when nearly 30% of the world’s population is experiencing food shortages; and
2) you might not have anything else to substitute for the meal you’re preparing.

Neither of these reasons will matter at all if you’re writhing in pain from food poisoning. And you don’t want to risk getting your loved ones sick, either.

Can I cook off the bacteria and still eat the meat?

Bacteria spreads quickly, and it also spreads toxins. You may be able to kill the bacteria by cooking the rotten pork, but the toxins will remain despite the cooking process, and you can still become very ill. Please don’t try to cook the rancid off and eat the pork. This is very dangerous.

Cooking spoilt pork will have a distinct off-putting smell and taste. It might also have a weird texture.

If you get food poisoning, you may experience fever, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and severe stomach cramps. Other signs of food poisoning include loss of appetite and weakness; staying hydrated is essential, especially if you have diarrhea and vomiting, which can cause dehydration.

However, the easiest solution is to do your best to package, store, and keep track of your pork’s expiration date to avoid getting sick in the first place.

Packaging and Storing

If you have a grocery or butcher selling sealed, pre-packed raw meat, you can refrigerate it for a day or two. If your butcher packs the pork for you from the meat counter, you might consider repackaging it if you’re not using it the same day.

If it will be uncooked for longer than that, wrap it with freezer-grade foil or plastic. Ground pork will last about 3 months in the freezer; other cuts up to 6 months. Make sure you label and date the meat.

Bottom Shelf

Pork and all meat should always be stored on the bottom shelf of your refrigerator or in one of the bottom drawers. If you store pork on the top and the juice drips down, you risk contaminating the vegetables, fruits, and other staples on the shelves below the pork.

Pro tip: I always put raw meat (well wrapped, of course!) on a silicone mat or towel in the refrigerator to avoid cross-contamination and prevent dirtying the fridge.

Thawing

Always thaw meat in the refrigerator. Don’t leave it on the counter to defrost all day or overnight. Extended time in a warm environment is a breeding ground for bacteria. The USDA outlines the proper handling of raw food. The USDA’s “Danger Zone” is 40 °F to 140 °F (4.44 °C to 60 °C).

Raw food needs to be stored below 40 °F, so keep it in the refrigerator (or on ice in a cooler if you’re going camping) until you are ready to cook it. Food should never be left out of refrigeration for more than 2 hours. If you’re in sweltering weather, above 90 °F (32 °C), reduce that limit to 1 hour.

There are a number of harmful bacteria that flourish on room-temperature meat:

1. - Staphylococcus aureus (you do not want a staph infection)
  - Salmonella Enteritidis
  - Escherichia coli
  - Campylobacter
  - Listeria monocytogenes

These bacteria grow exponentially in a very short period – in just 20 minutes, they can double in number.

Check the temperature of your refrigerator, too, to ensure you’re at 40 °F or less. If you’re barbecuing in the backyard, store your meat in a cooler by the grill or put food containers on ice.

After Cooking. We’ve covered proper storage for raw meat, but you can’t forget about food safety just because pork is cooked. Remember the other end of the USDA’s “Danger Zone:” keep hot food hot.

Cooked food needs to remain hot, above 145 °F (60 °C). Don’t keep a platter of grilled pork chops on the patio in the middle of summer: use a chafing dish, warming tray, or steam table.

Inside, keep things on very low heat in the oven (covered to keep it from drying) in a dutch oven on the stovetop, in the oven, or a slow cooker.

Tip: Put a metal pan on the bottom rack of the oven and put an inch of water in the pan. This will keep the pork that’s heating on the middle rack moist. Be sure to use metal, not glass, as the glass can shatter in the oven. Trust me; you don’t want to have to clean that up.

Also, fill the pan with water after situating the pan in the oven. If you fill it before, water will slosh all over. I usually boil water in the kettle on my stove and then pour it into the pan. Hot water won’t sizzle like cold water, and then the kettle spout controls the direction of the water. I can even pour it through the middle rack.

Our quest to prevent pork spoilage does not end after the meal ends. People often worry about foodborne illness in relation to raw food, but not cooling cooked foods correctly is one of the easiest ways to get food poisoning.

Even if you have cooked pork safely, you can reintroduce bacteria if you don’t cool and store the food properly. Make sure to store cooked pork in shallow containers – if you stack pork pieces on top of each other, they’ll take longer to cool to the safe 40 °F temperature.
Cooling must occur within 2 hours of cooking to ensure safety from bacteria.

Cooking Pork – Internal Temperatures

Guidance from the USDA for cooking pork changed recently – to summarize from their website:

Check the internal temperature of whole cuts of pork, including pork chops and roasts to be 145°F (63 °C); include 3 minutes of rest time so that the pork can be juicy and tender
or cook pork to 160°F (71 °C) without any rest time

You can find some great meat thermometers on Amazon – check here for a couple of suggestions.

Refreezing

Once you have defrosted a package of pork, you have to cook and consume it. Never refreeze meat that has already been frozen. Some pork says “previously frozen” on the packaging. If that’s the case, don’t freeze it again.

Planning

If you plan your meals out for the week, you’re less likely to forget about pork and other meats stored in the fridge, decreasing the chances of the pork spoiling.

You can use your calendar to mark the day you purchased a cut of pork or mark the week that you need to pull some frozen pork out of the freezer so that you can cook it before it goes bad.

Conclusion

Pork must be handled carefully and consistently the whole time it is in your possession. That begins when you choose a cut of pork at the market or butcher and continues until all the pork has been consumed.

Remember these tips:

- Look for pork that is fresh and pink on all sides. Ask the butcher to show you the entire cut. Notice the expiration date on prepackaged meats.
- Use raw meat within two days of purchasing or freeze it according to the above specifications.
- Ensure that packaging is secure at the store and home, both in the refrigerator and the freezer.
- Keep your pork out of the USDA’s “Danger Zone:” keep food temperature cold below 40 °F (4.44 °C) and hot at 140°F (60 °C) or above.
- Prevent bacteria growth by not leaving pork unrefrigerated before or after cooking.
- Check pork at every stage for signs of spoilage: smell (sour, ammonia, sulfur, gas); touch (sticky, slimy, soft); and appearance (any color besides pink), and discard any pork whose freshness you can’t verify.
- Cook pork to a minimum of 145°F (63 °C) and let rest for 3 minutes; or cook to 160°F (71 °C) with no rest period
- Check social media, news outlets, and the USDA website for reports of recalled pork, and make sure you don’t have any recalled products in your refrigerator or freezer.
- Using a tracking system to monitor when you purchase cuts of pork so that you use the meat before it spoils.
- Incorporate meal planning into your food routine to ensure the freshest use of your high-quality pork products.

Can You Freeze Chicken? How Long Will Frozen Chicken Last?

Last Updated on November 30, 2022 by Simply Healthy Family - Team

Chicken is the most popular meat to eat worldwide. In total, Americans eat over 85 pounds of chicken on a yearly basis. Chicken also happens to be the cheapest to purchase at your local butchers or supermarkets as a result of its low cost to farm.

Who Are the World’s Biggest Chicken Eaters?

Australians love their meat and one thing they know better than what meal to make with their chicken is how to farm it. Such a big awareness of farming in a humane manner has been brought to the locals’ attention that it’s extremely normal to run into an animal rights protest or two. This has put pressure on their farmers to farm their meats in better conditions or risk losing business.
America is known for its funky diners and wacky menus so there is no surprise here.
In Argentina, chicken is so popular that the sale of red meat is on a constant decline.
Israel, being such a tiny country has knocked the largest countries to the curb. In 80% of Israeli homes, you will find families eating chicken daily.
In 2013, Great Britain ate 2.2 million chickens every day. Madness!

Read this Article: Does Soy Sauce Go Bad?

Not only does the world’s human population love chicken, but salmonella also loves it even more. That means that all aspects of handling chicken must be done right and hygienically. We will be looking at whether or not chicken can be frozen raw or once cooked and how to store it safely.

But first, we have to find out some weird and wonderful chicken facts of course.

Funny Chicken Facts

If chickens were intelligent beings, they surely would take over the world. Chickens outnumber the human race with an outstanding population of 25 billion.
If you see a chicken cross the road, help it to the other side. Chickens can remember up to 100 faces so beware and treat them nicely or else.
What determines the color of chicken eggs? The hens’ earlobes! A hen with red earlobes will only lay brown eggs and white eggs come only from hens with white lobes.
A ‘chicken gun’ is used to propel dead chickens at aircraft windows during the construction of a plane to test its strength.
South Koreans love their chicken so much that they are home to more fried chicken restaurants than Mcdonald’s restaurants in the entire world.
Two yolks in an egg are considered lucky, but did you know there is an egg holding the world record for nine yolks?
A hen suffering from malnutrition will eat her eggs if she has to.
Hens and chicks converse with one another while the chick is still in the egg.
If you want a hen to lay larger eggs, she must first think a daily cycle is 28 hours, not 24 hours. Some egg farmers do this.

Well, that is a lot of information to take in. Chickens aren’t quite as simple as we thought. Now for the important stuff.

Can Chicken Be Frozen While Still Raw

Freezing chicken raw is a brilliant idea. No one wants to be going to the shops every two or three days just for the protein accompaniment to their meal. The great news is that if stored correctly and frozen at a constant temperature of below 0 Degrees Fahrenheit then the chicken will be edible and safe once defrosted, for as long as you wish to keep it.

Frozen chicken tastes best if it’s only kept in the freezer for up to 9-10 months. This shouldn’t be a problem at home as it’s not likely to be forgotten about for that long anyway.

Those guidelines are more relevant to restaurant owners that purchase meat in bulk and must label with accurate dating when the chicken was purchased and frozen to keep the taste the number one priority.

The longer your chicken is frozen, the less nutrients it will contain over time. The best way to freeze your chicken is to remove it from the original shop or butcher’s packaging and place it in a freezer bag. Label and place flat in a section of the freezer dedicated only to frozen meat.

Can You Freeze Cooked Chicken

Chicken and, in fact, all meats need to be treated a little differently once already cooked. You can keep cooked meat in the fridge for roughly two days. If you think you are not going to eat the chicken within that time limit or there is excess then you can freeze the chicken you cooked.

Cooked chicken should be kept frozen for no longer than three months. Cooking chicken, or any food for that matter, change its texture and consistency. The frozen cooked chicken just isn’t fun to eat once it’s been frozen for longer than 3 months. It becomes rubbery and chewy, a bit like a frozen ready meal.

Make it a household rule to only reheat cooked chicken once. It isn’t advised to cook and then reheat meat multiple times as doing so changes its protein composition and isn’t very healthy for you.

The same storage requirements apply when freezing cooked chicken. Place the chicken in a freezer bag and lay flat in the freezer with other frozen meats.

In Conclusion

Defrosting your meat is another important step that must be done correctly. The best way to defrost frozen meat is to leave it out to thaw naturally. To speed up the process you can place the sealed freezer bag containing the meat in a bowl of water.

Avoid cooking meat straight from frozen, the meat will be tougher due to the dramatic change in temperature that happens. Please cook frozen meat until it is piping hot all the way through.

So there you have it, thank goodness we can freeze our chicken regardless of whether it has been cooked or if it’s raw. Meal preparation for the family is that much easier when you have a frozen option ready to use that’s for sure.

Check this Article: How Many Ounces in a Shot?

Can you Freeze Cream Cheese? Will Frozen Cream Cheese Still Taste Good?

Last Updated on June 2, 2022 by Simply Healthy Family - Team

Cream cheese is a versatile and delicious staple in any kitchen. We love it on our bagels. And who doesn’t enjoy the famous New York-style cheesecake? No one will dispute that the texture and flavor add so much to any recipe. We have so many delicious recipes with cream cheese to choose from.

If you love this product then you might want to stock up, which you can since cream cheese has a long shelf life of 3-4 weeks beyond the printed sale date. If you are a cream cheese lover and want an ample stock of cream cheese on hand you may be asking yourself if you can freeze cream cheese. The simple answer is yes.

The shelf life of cream cheese can be extended by freezing it. Just keep in mind that when you thaw out cream cheese, its texture is typically crumbly. This texture does not interfere with its usability in most recipes. There is even a hack to fix the consistency if you wish.

Before you freeze, a few preparation steps are necessary to prolong its freshness. First, when you go shopping grab the cream cheese last, just before you are ready to check out. The longer it remains in the refrigeration section the longer you preserve its freshness.

Second, when you bring them home you want to immediately store them in the refrigerator at 40°F or lower. Sealed refrigerated cream cheese retains its freshness for up to one month following the indicated sell-by date.

Ideally, you want to freeze the cream cheese right away. If you keep the cream cheese in the refrigerator, letting it remain past the sell-by date, and then freeze it, you will find that the quality of your cream cheese will diminish when it has been thawed later.

When the cream cheese is removed from the freezer and not used immediately, you reset its usual refrigeration shelf life.

It is a valuable skill to know how to freeze cream cheese safely. It is also important to know how to correctly thaw out the frozen cream cheese. When cream cheese is properly frozen you extend its freshness and usability.

Freeze or thaw this product incorrectly and you have an unusable product. All your time, effort, money, as well as freezer space, would be all for nothing.

Refrigerated cream cheese can be stored for several weeks or even months. Frozen cream cheese can last up to 6 months.

We are going to cover, step-by-step, the most efficient and safe manner to freeze and thaw cream cheese. You will find that your thawed cream cheese will be on par with those you buy fresh at the grocery store.

This way you can have even more cream cheese in stock for your baking needs.

Read this Article: Can You Microwave Styrofoam?

How to Freeze Cream Cheese

The airtight packaging that houses cream cheese at the store will give you a head start in achieving the best protection against freezer burn. Keep the cream cheese in both its foil packaging as well as the box.

To maximize protecting the cream cheese while it remains in the freezer you might want to use freezer-safe zipper storage bags or plastic wrap. If you do then remove the cream cheese box, leaving it in the foil wrapping.

When you place the cream cheese in the storage bag or plastic wrap be certain you remove all excess air. You want to prevent ice crystal formation.

Never remove the foil. Its primary function is to protect the cream cheese. It also aids in extending shelf life.

To assure freshness after thawing, you want to label each package with a final use-by date. Put labels on each package. Write down with a marker the date you put the cream cheese into the freezer. Then you can gauge the maximum time period between the day you put it in the freezer and the sell-by date.

Allow only a very small time frame between the day of purchase and when you place the cream cheese into the freezer. This small window will give maximum quality when you thaw the cream cheese to be ready for baking.

All of this preparation will make the difference between a thawed cream cheese that retains its quality and one that is not palatable after it is thawed.

The fact that you can freeze cream cheese is the best news! Now let’s talk about thawing.

How to Thaw and Use Frozen Cream Cheese

If you’re not in a rush to thaw your cream cheese, it can sit in the refrigerator for 24 hours and it will be ready. For an express thaw put it in a sealed storage bag. Place the bag into a bowl of warm water.

Change out the water as it cools. Turn the cream cheese over every time you replace the water to ensure even thawing. A small weight on top will keep the cream cheese submerged in the water.

Remember that thawed cream cheese becomes crumbly. For recipes that call for melted cream cheese, the texture will not matter.

If you need to restore its creamy texture, here is how.

How to Make Frozen Cream Cheese Creamy Again

Don’t feel discouraged when your thawed cream cheese comes out crumbly. You have two options that will bring back that desired creamy consistency.

The Microwave Method
Once your cream cheese is fully thawed put it in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 10 seconds, stir and repeat this process until it is creamy.

Note: If you overheat and/or do not thoroughly mix the cream cheese there may be dried cream cheese along the edges.

Stovetop Method
The stovetop method is preferable to many because there is more control over the heating process. Unlike with the microwave, the sides of the cream cheese will not become dry and hard.

Use a double boiler or a large glass bowl sitting in a medium saucepan. Fill the saucepan with water so the bowl does not touch the bottom.

After boiling the water, unwrap the cream cheese and put it into the double boiler or large glass bowl. Stir constantly until smooth.

The refrigerator shelf life of thawed cream cheese in an airtight container is between 3 to 7 days after opening.

It’s a good practice to place thawed cream cheese in an airtight container immediately after you open the foil wrapping. Once the foil is open it no longer provides an airtight seal.

Remember that bacteria thrive rapidly in moist environments. Your cream cheese should not be kept out at room temperature for more than 1-2 hours maximum.

You might want to read this article: All About Cooking Oil