What type of meat lasts the longest after cooking?

[imported_Tomato]

I was thinking about going to Costco, buying a package of those boneless/skinless chicken breasts, and cooking them all one in shot on my little George Foreman Grill.

I think there are about 15-20 in a package, so after cooking I would eat one and then put the rest in the fridge. Do you know how long they'd stay good for?

What type of meat lasts the longest after cooking, or are they all pretty much the same (beef, pork, etc.)?

 

[HomeBrewerDude]

freeze in indiviudual packages, and cook as needed.

freezer burn is caused by the fact that your freezer thaws out slightly to prevent frost build up, which will eventually dehydrate things (makes ice cream yucky).

Some frozen bulk foods are coated with a layer of ice, which minimizes freezer burn for a while.

 

[Lola]

dont do that. take them out, put them in freezer bags (about 3-4 in each bag.

only cook as many as you can eat in 2 or 3 days. nothing more.

when you want more, take a bag outta the freezer and let it thaw in a marinade over night.

I may be too freaked out about e.coli and stuff, but i like to cook safe.

 

[yukichigai]

The oilier the better. If it's salty that also helps.

As far as what specific type I really can't say. I've never had poultry really go bad on me, but then again I've never let it last for very long.

 

[imported_Tomato]

Originally posted by: HomeBrewerDude
freeze in indiviudual packages, and cook as needed.

freezer burn is caused by the fact that your freezer thaws out slightly to prevent frost build up, which will eventually dehydrate things (makes ice cream yucky).

Some frozen bulk foods are coated with a layer of ice, which minimizes freezer burn for a while.

I did that the last time, and all the chicken breasts were freezer burned.

Would cooking them all at once be a really bad idea, then?

 

[Ausm]

I buy a huge picnic ham and cook it. The best bang for the buck When I get down to the bone, I make a mean batch of ham and split pea soup

Sysadmin

 

[imported_Tomato]

Originally posted by: Lola
dont do that. take them out, put them in freezer bags (about 3-4 in each bag.

only cook as many as you can eat in 2 or 3 days. nothing more.

when you want more, take a bag outta the freezer and let it thaw in a marinade over night.

I may be too freaked out about e.coli and stuff, but i like to cook safe.

Only 2-3 days? Gah. Thanks for the info, Lola. Better safe than sorry...

 

[imported_Tomato]

Originally posted by: Sysadmin
I buy a huge picnic ham and cook it. The best bang for the buck When I get down to the bone, I make a mean batch of ham and split pea soup

Sysadmin

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, huge picnic ham...

EDIT: Sysadmin, how long does it last you?

 

[shopbruin]

i used to buy those bags of chicken. i'd always just let them freeze until i needed them - it only takes about 20 mins to cook one of those things (and i didn't defrost either, which was probably my bad but whatever, i didn't plan far enough in advance.)

if you cook it all, i'd think it'd only last a few days at most. if you cook all of them at once you're going to get sick of chicken REALLY fast.

most meat when cooked, if only sitting in the fridge, would probably only last a week at MOST. if you MUST cook in advance, you might want to try freezing it and then putting it in an oven to reheat quickly. don't foreman grill it again, it'll get that lovely foreman cooking crust all over it.

 

[KK]

beef jerky

 

[Eli]

It doesen't matter. What matters is your storage method.

If you take it while its still piping hot and put it into a very clean container in a clean, cold frige.. it should last a while. Avoid opening the container more than necessary.

I've kept cooked chicken breasts for a week easy just wrapped in tinfoil.

 

[gururu]

chicken breasts are one of the longer-lived meat products when refrigerated. Even though I wouldn't eat them after a week and a half in the fridge. I disagree with some about oily foods lasting longer but agree that the saltier the better. If possible, spice them up while cooking. Oily foods IMO tend to attract more bacteria and start smelling rancid faster (like fish, chicken dark meat, some pork cuts).

In my experience beef cuts last a LONG time, then white chicken, then certain pork cuts, etc.

I'd cook half, freeze half (use proper freezing bags to avoid freezer burn).

 

[DT4K]

Why would you want to cook them all at once?

Those bags of frozen chicken breasts from Costco should be fine in the freezer for at least a month without any freezer burn. That's the whole point. Just put the whole bag in the freezer and take out what you need when you need it.

Unless maybe you have a crappy freezer that causes food to go bad.

 

[Lola]

yea, you cannot compare a ham with chicken breasts though. there is a lot of salt in cured ham usually. that will last for a good long time.

Maybe i am overly paranoid, but i am really careful about how i store cooked food and how long to keep it. i am sure if you REALLY wnated to know what was safe, you could go to the FDA or CDC website or something.

 

[notfred]

Beef Jerky.

 

[Ausm]

Originally posted by: Dezign

Originally posted by: Sysadmin
I buy a huge picnic ham and cook it. The best bang for the buck When I get down to the bone, I make a mean batch of ham and split pea soup

Sysadmin

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, huge picnic ham...

EDIT: Sysadmin, how long does it last you?

It lasts me and my cat about 2 weeks.

Sysadmin

 

[Eli]

Originally posted by: Lola
yea, you cannot compare a ham with chicken breasts though. there is a lot of salt in cured ham usually. that will last for a good long time.

Maybe i am overly paranoid, but i am really careful about how i store cooked food and how long to keep it. i am sure if you REALLY wnated to know what was safe, you could go to the FDA or CDC website or something.

There are far too many variables for them to put anything in concrete.

A piece of meat might last 2 weeks in one frige, but only a week in another.

Remember, when you cook meat.. most/all of the bacteria on it are dead. So if you avoid re-contaminating it, it could last for quite a while.

Put it in a part of your fridge that sees the least temperature swings, like in the crispers, or at least in the rear of the fridge. Keep your fridge clean, and make sure the container you're storing the meat in seals reasonably well and is clean.

 

[Klixxer]

A simple way to prevent freezer burn is to put them in a freezer bag, inhale excess air and close it properly, cool it down in fridge overnight before storing it in the freezer.

Works fine with bread, meat, whatever.

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: Dezign

Originally posted by: HomeBrewerDude
freeze in indiviudual packages, and cook as needed.

freezer burn is caused by the fact that your freezer thaws out slightly to prevent frost build up, which will eventually dehydrate things (makes ice cream yucky).

Some frozen bulk foods are coated with a layer of ice, which minimizes freezer burn for a while.

I did that the last time, and all the chicken breasts were freezer burned.

Would cooking them all at once be a really bad idea, then?

wrap in waxpaper/aluminum foil, then place in freezer bag.

I've kept stuff for half a year this way - never burned.

 

[shimsham]

Originally posted by: Shanti
Why would you want to cook them all at once?

Those bags of frozen chicken breasts from Costco should be fine in the freezer for at least a month without any freezer burn. That's the whole point. Just put the whole bag in the freezer and take out what you need when you need it.

Unless maybe you have a crappy freezer that causes food to go bad.

thats what we do. weve never had a problem with freezer burn.

 

[shopbruin]

Originally posted by: Shanti
Why would you want to cook them all at once?

Those bags of frozen chicken breasts from Costco should be fine in the freezer for at least a month without any freezer burn. That's the whole point. Just put the whole bag in the freezer and take out what you need when you need it.

Unless maybe you have a crappy freezer that causes food to go bad.

yeah i remember that bag lasting me over a month, and it would be fine. i always made sure i sealed the bag tight. if you want to be super paranoid, get those freezer bags from ziploc, in the smaller quart size and a gallon size. freeze individual servings in each individual quart bag, and then put the individual servings into a larger gallon bag. just make sure everything is shut and you squeeze out as much excess air as possible.

tupperware doesn't necessarily keep things from getting freezer burn - i have a frozen (cooked) lasagna in my freezer right now and it does have a little layer of ice on it. its almost unavoidable. but the item isn't freezer burned at least. (i also keep my freezer really cold. i have a freezer/fridge thermometer so i can monitor the temp.)

 

[DT4K]

Three to four days seems to be the consensus for leftover chicken.

"Chicken leftovers should be cooled and refrigerated as soon as possible, limiting the amount of time it is exposed to room temperatures. Never leave the chicken at room temperature for more than two hours. Cooked chicken can be stored for up to three or four days in a refrigerator at 40°F or less."

 

[Eli]

Originally posted by: Klixxer
A simple way to prevent freezer burn is to put them in a freezer bag, inhale excess air and close it properly, cool it down in fridge overnight before storing it in the freezer.

Works fine with bread, meat, whatever.

That isn't going to do anything to prevent freezer burn. Freezer burn is caused by dry air.

The only way to completely prevent freezer burn is to remove all the air from the bag. The only way to do that is with a vacuum sealer.

Contrary to popular belief, ziploc bags are about as air tight as chicken wire.. on a molecular level.

Using bags meant for the freezer is better, but it is still the air inside that causes freezer burn.

 

[KEV1N]

FOODSAVER!

 

[yukichigai]

I once made some Goulash and forgot about it for a week. When I found it I was a little wary, but it was no worse for the wear. Tasted damn good too. If you're interested:

2 pound of beef cubes
1 white or yellow onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced or finely chopped

Brown all the above in a pan with some oil. (Use Olive Oil for extra tastetacularness) Then put in a large pan or pressure cooker with:

3 cups water
3/4 cup Catsup (or Ketchup if you're out of Catsup )
2 tablespoons Worchestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon Mustard powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1 assload Brown Sugar (Somewhere around 3/4 cup)
Few shakes of Tobasco if you want it to be "warm" (I think it's better without)

Mix all that up and then bring it to a boil. Once it's boiling reduce it to a simmer and cover. Let sit for 1 1/2 ~ 2 hours, checking every 15 minutes or so to make sure there's still water. (Pressure cooker is different: Lock the lid on, bring it to a boil at medium heat and leave for 40 minutes) In the meantime you'll need:

3 pounds Gemelli (They look like twisted double-macaroni)

You can substitute whatever other noodles you like. Macaroni or Penne would work. Cook 'em in the usual fashion. (Boil water, put noodles in, drain when al dente)

Once the Goulash has simmered sufficiently (the meat should be fairly tender and may just come apart when you poke it) remove it from heat. Then stir in:

1 cup flour

You may need more or less depending on how much water is left. You'll want to get a not thick, not thin consistency, sort of like marinara sauce. Once you've mixed it up properly serve it with equal amounts of noodles in a bowl.

Oh yes, expect to have leftovers. And expect to enjoy them thoroughly.