A perishable product, or how long can boiled meat be stored in the refrigerator and without
Boiled meat is a perishable product. Therefore, it is recommended to eat it immediately after preparation. However, if necessary, you can resort to storing boiled products.
An important condition for this is compliance with the norms and rules provided for by sanitary rules. Ignoring them leads to rapid spoilage of the product, and its consumption becomes hazardous to health.
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How to preserve boiled meat longer?
The shelf life of cooked meat depends on many factors.. It is important to consider the conditions in which it will be stored - in the refrigerator, freezer or at room temperature.
What is the temperature at the location of the product, how is it packaged and what containers are used. The type of meat (poultry, beef, pork), whether it is fatty or lean, also matters.
In the refrigerator compartment
The refrigerator compartment is the ideal place for storage. Optimal temperature conditions are maintained here, which is about 4-6°C.
It is advisable to place the boiled product at the back wall. But under no circumstances at the door. In this zone, the temperature is variable, and the meat dish will spoil quickly.
Boiled meat products in the refrigerator will remain suitable for 2 days. An important condition is that the meat must remain in the broth. Without broth, storage time will be halved - up to 24 hours.
A piece of beef or pork remains suitable for up to three days if it is slightly dried first.. A prerequisite is that the product should be stored in a hermetically sealed container.
In the freezer
Cooked products last longer in the freezer. Its shelf life is more than 6 months.
To preserve the beneficial and gastronomic properties of boiled meat products, you can use simple methods:
Freezing in broth
Boiled meat, frozen along with broth, is perfectly preserved in the freezer. Just cook it without adding garlic and onions. Their presence will spoil the taste of both the broth and the pulp.
Hermetically sealed containers are suitable for freezing as containers.. If you wrap them in cling film before placing them in the freezer, this will eliminate the possibility of the broth absorbing foreign odors. The broth must be cooled before freezing.
Any type of meat product must be defrosted gradually. The best place for this is the bottom shelf of the refrigerator.
Freezing boiled meat in broth, video instructions:
Freezing in a container
Plastic containers with a tight-fitting lid are the best container option for freezing the product.
The sequence of actions is as follows:
- Cool the boiled pulp;
- before sending for freezing, cut into portions, taking into account what is intended to be prepared from it;
- It is advisable to place large quantities in separate containers;
- each serving is no more than the amount required for one dish.
Can it be kept at room temperature?
It is not recommended to store boiled meat without placing it in the refrigerator. Its suitability at room temperature is no more than 2 hours.
After this time, the product loses its appetizing appearance, putrefactive bacteria rapidly develop in it, and a sour taste appears.
Eating such a product is dangerous. This is fraught with the development of serious food poisoning, threatening not only health, but also life.
How to store?
Knowing some subtleties allows you to keep a boiled meat product suitable for consumption. They are useful to know and must be taken into account:
- Fatty boiled meat spoils much faster than lean meat.
- When re-frozen and subsequently defrosted, the product loses almost all its beneficial and taste qualities.
This can be avoided by storing meat in small portions, packaged in separate bags or wrapped in cling film.
- A piece of meat that is salted during cooking will last longer.
- Prolonged cooking significantly affects the shelf life of cooked meat. A well-cooked product can be stored longer.
- A striking example of this is meat in jellied meat. Without freezing, it stays good for 4-5 days in the refrigerator.
- However, when boiled eggs and herbs are added to jellied meat, the shelf life is reduced to 2-3 days.
- Boiled beef on a shelf in the refrigerator lasts longer than pork.
- A whole boiled chicken carcass can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three days if wrapped in film. Whereas ready-made chicken cut into pieces can spoil in just 2 days.
It is recommended to take note of these storage features. Taking into account the described nuances, you can avoid product spoilage and prevent the possibility of food poisoning.
How to extend the shelf life?
In the collection of folk wisdom there is a lot of advice about the real possibility of extending the life of a boiled meat product. Here are some of them:
- Wrap the meat in a cloth previously soaked in saline solution. To prepare it, you will need to dilute 1 tbsp in 1 liter of chilled boiled water. l. salt. You should not tightly wrap the piece of meat in the treated cloth to prevent the appearance of an unpleasant odor. The meat must breathe. The method ensures the safety of the product for up to 3-4 days.
- Using lemon juice. Meat soaked in lemon juice will remain good for 15 hours longer. It is recommended to place it in a glass or ceramic dish and cover with a lid.
- Apple cider vinegar treatment. Pieces of meat sprayed with this product will remain in good condition for 2-3 days. At the same time, boiled meat will not lose its beneficial properties, taste and aroma.
- Nettle or horseradish leaves. Wrap the product in them and place in a container with a lid. The shelf life of the product will increase by 12 hours.
- Use of ice. This is a proven method that allows you to extend the shelf life even without refrigeration. After covering the meat with ice in a glass or ceramic container, cover it with a lid and wrap it in a towel. The ice must be changed every 3-4 hours.
Conclusion
There are many ways to preserve the nutritional value and suitability of cooked meat for safe consumption. The main thing is to strictly observe the acceptable deadlines and strictly follow the rules for storing perishable products.