Store mince correctly If a package of minced meat or other meat is a brown-grey colour on the surface and all the way through, then it may be spoiled. Spoiled meat will have off an obvious 'sour' or 'off' smell and feel tacky to the touch. Don't take any chances with spoiled meat. If in doubt, throw it out.
Smelling it – Fresh meat will generally give off a mild iron-like aroma, but if it's off it will definitely smell bad. As the saying goes, if you're in doubt, throw it out. Touching it – The texture of fresh mince should feel cool, smooth and slightly damp to touch. If it's off, it can feel slimy or sticky.
This may be the first thing you notice if your beef has gone bad, even before you open the fridge. Spoiled beef will develop a scent to it similar to ammonia or sulfur. In short, it won't smell good. Occasionally ground beef will develop a light smell if it's been in airtight packaging, and that's alright.
If your leftover cooked beef smells or looks off, throw it out rather than eating it—it's just not worth the risk! The meat should have a similar texture and smell as the day you cooked it. A slimy or mushy feel, a green tint, or a sour or rotten-egg smell are all signs that your meat is probably spoiled.
“If you open the package and the meat feels or looks slimy, that's a problem,” states Dr. Craggs-Dino. “Fresh ground beef should be a little firm to the touch and crumbly. But if it's sticky and looks wet, that's not so good.
Normally, fresh ground beef has the smell of iron. If the meat has been bad for a while, it will probably feature a strong rotten scent. Most bad meat smells rancid and/or pungent, but you should be wary of any and all strange smells. Rotten meat can even smell sweet at times.
Store mince correctly
If a package of minced meat or other meat is a brown-grey colour on the surface and all the way through, then it may be spoiled. Spoiled meat will have off an obvious 'sour' or 'off' smell and feel tacky to the touch. Don't take any chances with spoiled meat. If in doubt, throw it out.
Like many foods, ground beef starts to smell sour and disgusting when it's no longer safe to eat. Before you start cooking, open up the package and take a quick sniff—if you don't smell anything weird or off-putting, you're good to go! Cooked beef also smells sour and foul when it's no longer good to eat.
Oven Via clarifies that although cooking spoiled meat can kill germs, mold, and other kinds of bacteria, it's still not safe to eat as it will not get rid of harmful toxins.
You should always make a point to smell meat before you cook it, since the smell can indicate whether it's safe to eat or not. Bad meat will have a sour smell, almost like spoiled milk. It will also turn from its red color to a murky brown shade.
Good rule of thumb to follow: if in doubt, throw it out. So the next time you open a package of steaks and there's some odor, take the steaks out and let them rest for a bit…the odor should disappear. If the odor is quite bad, odor doesn't disappear, is slimy or quite sticky, then throw away your package.
Raw meat is good for around 5 days in the fridge, while mince will only last from between 1-2 days. The freezer is a completely different story. Mince will keep for around 4 months, while whole cuts of beef or lamb can happily last for up to a year.
Beef is usually ok to use a couple of days past its use-by date. Just cook it, and you will know if it is ok, because if it is off it will smell odd when you cook it. Im sure it will be fine though, I have done this a few times.
The Bottom Line. If the ground beef is gray on the exterior or has another indicator of spoilage, it's best to discard it. But, if your ground beef looks, smells and feels OK, then you're set to use it.
Beef safety
The optimum temperature is 33°F for meats in your refrigerator. Generally, you can expect to be able to use ground beef one to three days after the sell-by date depending on how it has been handled.
A good rule of thumb is two days past the sell-by date as a cutoff. Also, if you find yourself with ground meat that has gone past the sell by date by more than a day or two, just cook it (but never cook it if it smells bad).
It will take on a slight odor if it's been in the package for a while and is close to reaching its expiration date. But, if the smell is strong enough to make you wrinkle your nose, you know it's time to toss it. Be on the lookout for ground beef that smells rotten or sour. When in doubt, it's best to throw it out.
Beef that's gone bad has a sour smell. Sometimes with an aroma like milk that has gone off. Eating meat that has gone off, or is slimy, can cause food poisoning.
It is safe for people to consume refrigerated ground beef up to 2 days past this date. If freezing, it is advisable to eat ground beef within 4 months .
This darkening is due to oxidation, the chemical changes in myoglobin due to the oxygen content. This is a normal change during refrigerator storage. Beef that has turned brown during extended storage may be spoiled, have an off-odor, and be tacky to the touch and should not be used.
Simple rest is one way to help your body heal from food poisoning. Take it easy until you are feeling better. Additionally, do not eat or drink for a few hours after the onset of symptoms. Once you do start eating and drinking again, try gentle and bland foods, like crackers, and sports drinks.
A spoiled steak will have a potent odor that no longer smells like raw steak but instead has an ammonia-clad aroma. You'll definitely know the odor when you smell it, and it's a sure-fire sign that you should not plan to eat it! It's important to note that your nose may not also be the best thing to use.
Fresh red meat has a light bloody, or metallic smell. This scent isn't overpowering and you will usually have to place your nose very close to smell it. On the other hand, if your steak has gone bad, it will have a definitive odor that smells sour, or a little like eggs or ammonia.
Beef should have a faintly sweet meaty smell. An acidic or vinegary smell is never good. I'd chuck it and/or take it back and get a refund, providing it was still supposed to be in date.