How Long Can Beef be Frozen and Still Maintain its Quality?

We have been there. You're standing in front of your freezer looking at a plastic bag full of beef, wondering "Is this safe to eat?". So we're here to help answer your frozen meat questions!

Beef can be stored for 9-12 months. Ground beef can be stored for 3-4 months. Most raw meat items can be safely stored for longer periods, but they lose some quality. Long storage periods contribute to freezer burn, dehydration, and broken packages, which results in sacrificing quality and quantity. Shorter storage periods can reduce storage investment costs. Decide whether or not your family can eat a side of beef within a year before you buy.

A good way to make sure you know the storage time next when freeze meat, write the date you put the beef in the freezer, this is a good practice for all types of frozen food, not just meat and poultry.

Source: Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service