Buying Pork
When buying fresh pork check the grading and then the freshness label to buy the freshest best cut. When buying frozen pork do not buy frozen pork that has any excess ice crystallization or ice chunks crusted over it, because it could mean that the meat was defrosted and refrozen.
Pork Freshness
Let’s now discuss how to determine if the pork that you have in your fridge is still safe to eat. I will cover the time frame, visual and physical inspection.
Besides the “use by” label on your package of pork, there are general time frames that pork should be used by.
- Ground pork should be used within 1-2 days of purchasing.
- Fresh pork should be used within 3-4 days.
- Cooked pork should be used within 4 days.
- Pork can be frozen for 4 months.
- Cooked pork can be frozen for 2 months.
There are two ways to check if the pork in your fridge is fresh: doing a visual and physical inspection.
First is the visual inspection. Discoloration is a sign that the meat is getting older and should be used soon. If the meat is turning a bit gray but does not smell or is not slimy it should be okay to eat but always use caution! Pork should be light pink in color. Any discoloration on the fat such as brown or green should not be eaten. Any graying or yellowing of the fat on the meat is a sign that the meat may not be fresh.
Second is the physical inspection. Meat that is slimy should not be eaten. Push your finger onto the meat and if it leaves an imprint then that is a sign that it is no longer fresh. Meat that has any kind of bad odor should not be eaten.
Storing Pork
Now that you purchased the best freshest cut of pork, let’s cover how to store that pork. When storing pork in the freezer, keep the air from touching the pork by wrapping it in plastic wrap or wax paper and then placing it in a freezer bag. When storing pork in the fridge, store it in plastic wrap or in an airtight container.
