Have you ever ordered classic beef sticks to enjoy a beautiful Sunday afternoon? Of course, you know that if you store food for a long time, it will spoil, what about beef sticks, will beef sticks spoil, how long does it last and how to store it properly. This is important so that you can enjoy it in a fresh and delicious condition.
Here we will explain many things about beef sticks to you. Among them is how long the shelf life of beef sticks is, how long does it last, how long does beef sticks that opened last and those unopened. We will also explain the indications and how to find out if beef sticks are damaged, and lastly we will talk about what happens if you eat expired beef sticks. Haven’t we heard that about 48 million Americans experience food poisoning every year.
How Long Do Beef Sticks Last?
Table of Contents
First we’ll see how long the beef sticks last. In this case there are 3 scenarios that must be known, all three are inseparable from unopened beef sticks, opened, and homemade beef sticks. Let’s see one by one.
1. Unopened beef sticks
If you have unopened beef sticks, they will last for one year after the production date.
But you have to remember that temperature, storage method, and sunlight can affect it and even make your beef sticks spoil.
You can simply judge your food by using your five senses. You will know whether your beef sticks are still good or not. Only by looking at the meat we can judge, but that doesn’t mean that this is a broken verdict.
So, to be sure, you can check the texture, taste and smell.
2. Opened beef sticks
Opened beef sticks are not the same as unopened ones. Packages of beef sticks that have been opened certainly have a much shorter shelf life.
This is logical because meat can never be stored long after it has been opened. This also applies equally to beef sticks. Once you open it, it won’t last long, you have to eat it as soon as possible or you will lose your delicious meal.
If you have opened the beef sticks, then the rest must be stored in the refrigerator, and this can last for three days. but it’s best to spend it as soon as possible and not risk it at all.
If it’s more than three days, even if you keep it in the fridge, it still changes taste and isn’t as good. For you who don’t like the change in taste, then don’t store it for more than 3 days in the fridge.
3. Homemade beef sticks
These are the healthiest beef sticks in my opinion, but they certainly have a shorter shelf life. Homemade beef sticks are more natural and do not use preservatives, so they tend to spoil quickly.
In general, homemade beef sticks are good to eat within 1 to 2 weeks, and if stored in the refrigerator they can last up to one month (unopened beef sticks).
How to Tell If Your Beef Stick Has Gone Bad?
If you want to know whether your beef sticks are damaged or not, you can try some of the following simple methods.
– Appearance and Texture
Bad beef sticks are easy to spot. You can see a white moldy layer on your beef sticks. But this white color can also be salt or fat.
So, how do we differentiate between them? Ok, let’s see now!
Beef sticks that are damaged or stale will be sticky or slimy. The mushroom layer will have a white or gray cobweb-like texture.
Some mushrooms can appear fuzzy and dusty, with green or white patches on the flesh of the sticks.
If you can tell from one of these signs, then your beef sticks are stale, then throw them away!
– Smell
If the beef sticks are broken, then you will smell bad or bad smell on them. You can also see easily if your stick meat is loose.
Before throwing it away, you must pay attention to all aspects that point to spoilage of the meat.
– Taste
If you are still not sure about the condition of your beef sticks, then do a small taste test with your tongue. If your tongue finds an unusual taste, then make sure that your beef sticks have expired. Possible taste of stale meat is rancid, bitter or sour or some other unusual taste.
Important to note: If your meat spoils, then it should not be eaten because it can cause food poisoning.
Check out:
– Can Hams Go Bad? How To Tell If Ham Is Spoilered
– Do Pistachios Go Bad? How Long Do Pistachio Last?
What Happens If You Eat Expired Beef Sticks?
What if you’ve done something you don’t want, like eating expired beef sticks. It is important for you to know that stale meat in any way is still not good for health.
Rotten meat can cause food poisoning as a result of the bad bacteria present. Some people will get sick after eating it, and some others may not because it depends on the body’s immunity.
If you eat expired beef sticks, chances are you will experience some of the symptoms you will experience, including:
- Nauseous
- Headache
- Stomach ache, and
- Fever
In fact, if you don’t experience these bad symptoms but you honestly have eaten stale food or rotten beef sticks, you should contact your doctor to tell him about your situation.
Can You Freeze Beef Sticks? Refrigerated beef stick Vs. Shelf-Stable Beef Sticks
Maybe you don’t want to immediately cool your beef steak, but is this a stick that has already been packaged or not.
If you have opened the package of Beef Sticks, then you have no choice but to cool them in the fridge for storage tomorrow or a few days later.
But if you haven’t opened the Beef Sticks package, then you don’t need to store it in the fridge. You can store it in a cool and dry place, the most important thing is to avoid storing it in a place with high temperatures.
If stored at high temperatures, this will potentially against the growth of fungi, bacteria. Beef Sticks also should not be stored unless they are raw and unopened.
The Best Way to Store Beef Sticks
You may ask, is refrigeration the only way to store beef sticks? No, there is another way but with coolers, it’s no doubt at all. Let’s look at the best ways to store beef sticks to extend their shelf life.
1. Pantries
If you want to keep the taste of meat delicious, then you can store it in the pantry. But make sure that the temperature is cool and dry.
Why is that?
Cool place does not mean the temperature is the same as the refrigerator. This means that your room has a temperature between 20 C to 25 C.
Usually, all cabinets have this temperature, but if exposed to heat, whether direct sunlight or not, the pantry temperature will rise. Then, dry places have lower humidity, so there’s no such thing as moisture buildup.
2. Vacuum sealing
Can you store beef sticks in a box and then store them in the kitchen cupboard? It doesn’t look so good!
You, if you want to store beef sticks in plastic, then take airtight plastic or other airtight containers. Then expel all the air from the container. You can do this by using a vacuum sealer. However, if you don’t have a vacuum cleaner such as a vacuum sealer, then you can follow the steps below.
Check out more:
– Does Barley Go Bad? How Long Does Barley Last?
– How Long Do Pecans Last? Is It Going Bad?
DIY for Sealing your Beef Sticks
- Prepare a container and fill it with water
- Take a plastic bag and put the beef in it
- There will be a sealer at the top which will close the bag, press it and leave the corner slightly open
- Bring the bag close to the container and gently dip into it, then the water pressure will push the air in the bag out
- Keep the mouth of the pouch (opening of the pouch) away from water so that water does not get on your meat. Close the bag!
Tips
We all want the beef sticks we store to last a long time and can be enjoyed for a long time. So, let’s look at some of the tips below to extend the life of your beef sticks.
Before packing them in an airtight container, let your sticks sit at room temperature for a while. This is to avoid moisture buildup
Keep your beef sticks away from direct or indirect sunlight, this is to reduce the risk of spoilage due to humidity
Before placing in a container, store your beef sticks in paper, this is to remove excess moisture and to dry them
Now you can freeze your beef sticks for you to use for the next few months. but you need to note that the texture will still change even though this is not significant.
