Beef lovers sometimes wonder how long roast beef can sit out before it goes bad. Roast beef is a common go-to meal for a lot of non-vegetarians. Usually, it is pretty hard to say no to this meal as the sight and aroma are enough to stimulate your taste buds.
A roast beef healthy choice that suits some diets as it is packed with a lot of nutritional benefits. It is highly proteinous and contains calcium, fat, vitamins, zinc, and other minerals necessary for body development.
Roast beef can sit out for about 2 hours at room temperature or danger zone. Always ensure your leftover roast beef is refrigerated or stored in the freezer, or it will go bad or rancid.
For a delicious meal such as roast beef, it’s best to know that there are principles that you need to have in mind as long as you do not want it to get spoilt. This post contains all the information you need in regard to this topic.
Can Roast Beef Be Left Out For Long?
Roast beef wouldn’t last long if they are left out. For this reason, it is not a good idea to allow roast beef to sit out at room temperature for long hours.
The best place to store roast beef if you are not ready to consume soon enough is in the refrigerator and for an extended duration, you can properly store roast beef in the freezer.
How Long Can A Roast Beef Sit Out?
Roast beef can sit out for a maximum of 2 hours. This is because cooked beef is usually a perfect surface for bacteria to infest and contaminate.
And when meals especially roast beef are left in the danger zone(temperature between 40 and 140°F) for more than the recommended 2 hours timeframe the bacteria begin rapidly grow and increase.
It is very important that you refrigerate roast beef as fast as possible to avoid health issues like food poisoning.
How To Tell If Roast Beef Has Gone Bad?
It is pretty easy to tell whether roast beef is bad or still good for consumption. For sure the smell wouldn’t be nice anymore, same with the taste. However, it is not advisable to eat bad roast beef as you’ll be at risk of having foodborne-related illnesses.
Bad beef roast always has a foul smell, an odd color, and a slimy texture. Make sure you throw away rancid roast beef as you can not restore them to their initial state and can get sick from eating them.
Do Roast Beef Go Bad In The Fridge?
The fridge is a safe place to store roast beef especially when you plan to eat them after more than 2 hours. What the refrigerator does is that it delays or slows down bacterial growth in roast beef.
USDA endorses that roast beef should be refrigerated for at least 2-4 days as the temperature in the fridge can not exactly stop bacteria from thriving on the surface of roast beef.
However, with the timeframe always ensure that the refrigerator doesn’t stop cooling or lost power as this would ultimately lead to the premature spoilage of roast beef.
Can I Freeze Roast Beef?
Yes, roast beef can be frozen. Freezing leftover meats or meals is a safe practice, however, you shouldn’t freeze roast beef for more than 2-3 months as it is not considered consumable once 3 months of freezing has elapsed.
Do secure roast beef in an airtight container or freezer-safe zip lock bag to protect it from freezer burn.
Conclusion
Roast beef can only last for a maximum of 2 hours when left to sit out. Once the two-hour rule has been exceeded, bacteria will rapidly grow on the surface of the roast beef. Consuming beef toast that has been left out longer than it should, can expose you to food-borne illnesses.
You can tell that a beef roast is bad by the smell, texture, and how it looks. To prevent beef toast from going bad, you should refrigerate it for a maximum of 4 days and freeze it for 2-3 days.
It will be terrible to see those roast beef go to waste, and it is best to strictly adhere to the guidelines recommended in this article.
