Cooking is an art; the best cook receives a bundle of thanks from the guests. Smoked meat is the favorite dish of almost every one of us. There are hardly any people who do not like smoked meat. Sometimes it is available in abundance and to preserve it a good idea. If you go for preserving meat, then a question suddenly comes into mind: How Long Does Smoked Meat Last? It is a big question and requires a lot of investigation.
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How Long Does Smoked Meat Last
In the ancient era, people used to preserve meat when they intended to travel from one place to another. They eat the preserved meat, during their long journey, which surely remains safe for even several days.
In the modern age, thanks to refrigerator and freezers, we can store the unconsumed meat for the next use. Certain methods and tricks are there to preserve smoked meat.
Read our full review of the best meats to smoke at home here.
How To Preserve Smoked Meat
The best possible manner to preserve meat is the combination of smoking, curing and drying. It saves the meat from spoiling. Unsafely preserved meat can cause you ill surely you can become the victim of food poisoning. So, preserve meat properly so that it can be fruitful for your health.
Types of Food Preservation
The following few types of meat preservation has been described.
Drying Preservation
It is the first and easiest method to safe your unconsumed meat.
Drying preservation means to dry meat so that it may not get rotten. This method consists of smoking the meat in a salt brine for almost a day, then drying out the meat through heat.
In addition to this, heat is the best agent for preserving meat. Once the water gets separate from the meat, it means the meat has dried out, and you can freeze it for a good time at the condition you will keep it dry.
Furthermore, a few people use natural herbs with salt to add flavor in the meat.
Curing Preservation
Curing preservation is very much similar to drying preservation myths. The only difference is that of heat. Herein, the salt is added in large quantities, and heat is not as essential as in the drying method.
Smoking Preservation
It means to put meat on direct fire or smoker so that aldehydes function like salt to suck moisture from the meat.
Canning Preservation
Canning preservation means to seal the meat from getting spoiled.
To add this, the quality of the meat needs to consider for preservation. Poultry meat does not give good results as compared to beef, fish or pork.
However, the below guideline will enable you to prepare safe meat for preserving.
Steaks, roast require an internal temperature of 145F.
Poultry and sausages need 165F.
Beef and pork need 160 F.
To add this, if you want to use the remaining meat within four days, you can refrigerate it. For this,
- Seal the meat in airtight container nicely.
- Use it within four days.
- Before using it, put the meat on the recommended heat to keep it free from bacteria grow.
But if you want not to use it within four days, the best option is to freeze it. For this,
- Seal the meat tightly using double aluminum foil. The lower wrapping will keep the meat-free from bacteria in case of damaging of upper wrapping.
How Long Does Hot Smoked Meat Last
There is a variant time for meat preserving in freezer and refrigerators.
- In a refrigerator, hot smoked meat remains safe for 3-4 days. Provided you keep it refrigerator within two hours after cooking.
- It can last for almost three months on the condition that its wrapping and packing is perfect in freezers.
How Long Will Cold Smoked Meat Last
Cold smoked meat can last for a year almost. But, the whole process requires a lot of expertise on the doer side.
On average level cold smoked meat remains free from bacteria for almost 2 to 3 months.
How Long Does Dehydrated Meat Last
Dehydrated meat in a well-sealed container will not get contaminated for about two weeks for a jerky snack.
- Properly sealed refrigerated jerky can last for three weeks.
- In a vacuum-sealed bag, frozen jerky remains safe for six months at least.
How Long Does Roasted Meat Last
- In freezer roasted meat remains safe for three months approximately.
- In the refrigerator, it can spend 3 to 4 day if refrigerated within 2 hours after cooking.
How To Enhance Smoked Meat Last
If you want to see good results of smoked meat at maximum, then consider the below tips.
- Properly wrapped meat and freeze or refrigerate it.
- Do not consume meat after the time mentioned.
- Before use reheat it to have fun.
When Is Meat Dangerous To Use
The meat is surely dangerous from a health point of view when to use it as spoiled. The server must not use it if it is smelly, or color has changed from red to almost white. In this situation, it is better to discard it.
You can reheat it to clear your doubt. During the heat process, the meat will create water and an unpleasant smell. In this case quality of meat is risky and you will surely fell ill if you use it.
Final Thoughts
Summing up the discussion, we hope that you will essentially follow all the meat preservation steps. The unconsumed meat is usable after preserving it perfectly. The only thing to bear in mind is don’t prolong unused meat.
In the end, our guideline answers in an appropriate way to your question of How Long Does Smoked Meat Last? Don’t forget to check out our review on the Best Pellet Smoker for Beginners Reviews and Buyers Guide
