On special occasions like holidays or birthdays, many people love to eat hearty meals like roast beef.
But it can be challenging to determine precisely how long you should consume roast beef before it spoils.
Reading this article and taking our quiz are the two best ways to learn how long roast beef keeps.
We’ll give you a rough idea of how long roast beef stays fresh so you can decide whether you should eat it more quickly than you had anticipated.
BEEF ROAST, ALL CUTS (INCLUDING CHUCK, RIB, FLANK, TENDERLOIN, ROUND, SHOULDER, BLADE) – COOKED
- The precise response to the question of how long cooked beef roast keeps in the refrigerator depends in large part on storage conditions; beef roast should be refrigerated within two hours of cooking.
- Cooked beef roast should be refrigerated in shallow airtight containers to extend its shelf life and maintain its quality, or it can be tightly wrapped in heavy-duty aluminum foil or plastic wrap.
- Beef roast cooked properly can be kept in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
- Cooked beef roast can be frozen, then wrapped tightly in heavy-duty aluminum foil or freezer wrap, covered airtight containers, or both to further extend its shelf life.
- When stored properly, cooked beef roast will maintain its best quality for approximately 2 to 3 months, but it will continue to be secure after that period of time.
- The indicated freezer time is only for best quality; cooked beef roast kept frozen at 0°F continuously will keep safe indefinitely.
- After being frozen and thawed, cooked beef roast can be stored for an additional three to four days in the refrigerator before cooking; however, beef roast that was thawed in the microwave or in cold water should be consumed right away.
- Bacteria grow quickly between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit, so cooked beef roast should be thrown away if left at room temperature for longer than two hours.
- The best way to determine whether a cooked beef roast is bad is to smell it and examine it. Bad beef roast will have a sour smell and a slimy texture; discard any such beef roast without first tasting it.
Sources: For more information on the informational data sources used for food storage, please click here.
Ask the Test Kitchen: How Long Will Meat Last in the Fridge?
FAQ
Can you eat cooked meat after 7 days?
In the refrigerator, leftovers can be stored for three to four days. After that, the risk of food poisoning goes up. Freeze leftovers right away if you don’t think you’ll be able to consume them within four days. Frozen leftovers will stay safe for a long time.
How long does roast last in fridge?
Roasts, steaks, and chops made of beef, veal, lamb, and pork can be kept for 3 to 5 days. Meat, poultry, and seafood can be safely kept in the refrigerator for three to four days after cooking.
How long does sliced roast beef last in the fridge?
After opening, store roast beef deli meat in the refrigerator in airtight containers or tightly wrapped in plastic wrap or aluminum foil to extend shelf life. Sliced roast beef deli meat kept properly in the fridge will keep for 3 to 5 days.