Learn how to know if steak is bad as your favorite food can make you sick! Steak is a slice of meat that is cut from the fleshy part of beef. It can be grilled, fried, diced, or cooked in a sauce. In today’s post, I will discuss how to know if steak is bad. It is very important to know if your steak is as good as when you bought them. There are a few general methods using which you can tell if steak is bad or not. You can keep on reading to learn how to know if steak is bad.

How To Know If Steak Is Bad?

In this section, you will learn how to know if steak is bad. It is not safe to store raw/cooked steak in the fridge or at room temperature for too long. Therefore, knowing the signs of spoiled steak meat is extremely important for those who regularly eat steaks.

You can use these methods to learn how to know if steak is bad.

1. Expiry Date

When your steak passes the expiry date, it is no longer safer to eat. This is the easiest way to tell if a steak has gone bad. Do not get confused between the sell-by date and the use-by date. The sell-by date is for stores so that they know when to remove the items from the shelves. While the use-by date lets you know how long you can store or use the item. Before cooking steak, make sure you check the use-by date.

However, a butcher doesn’t give you a use-by date on its packaging. In this case, you can keep your steak in the fridge for 3 to 5 days before use. Make sure you write the date of purchase on its outer packaging if you want to freeze it.

2. Smell

You can easily distinguish between a fresh and a bad steak by just smelling the meat. But do you know what does spoiled steak smell like? A spoiled or rotten steak will give a potent odor and have an intense ammonia-like aroma. The smell of fresh raw beef shouldn’t be offensive. If your steak smells pungent, you must immediately throw it away.

You can even check the other signs listed below to learn how to know if raw steak is bad.

3. Texture

Have a look at its overall appearance to determine if your steak is bad. A good steak will have enough moisture without being slimy. You can easily spot a spoiled steak if it’s slimy or dry. It is a clear sign of bacterial growth that makes steak unsafe to eat or cook. Make sure you examine your steak and check if it looks dehydrated or shriveled.

You will see a yellowish or clear-colored slime covering your steak clearly indicating that it is spoiled. It will give you a sticky or slippery feel when you touch the slime. When you consume this type of steak, it will be chewier and have less of a beef taste.

4. Mold

Mold is a definite sign that your steak is spoiled and should be thrown away. Generally, steak starts developing slime a few days before it begins growing mold. Make sure you thoroughly inspect the entire steak and check if there are any molds or slime all over the steak.

You can keep on reading to learn how to know if steak is bad color.

5. Discoloration

The color of the steak also tells you whether it is safe or bad. All rotten meat products always suffer from discoloration. You must be wondering how to know if steak is bad brown. Generally, a fresh raw steak is lovely bright red in color. The discoloration will turn it into a dull brown, yellow, or even green color. Apart from discoloration, you might notice some patches too.

Is brown steak bad? No, brown steak is not always bad as the color can change due to the natural oxidation process. Your steak can turn brown if it is sitting in the refrigerator for a few days.

You can keep on reading further to learn more about how to know if steak is bad after cooking.

Spoilage Signs Of Cooked Steak

Most people prefer to keep their leftover steak in the fridge for later use. It is important to learn how to tell if steak is bad after cooking to avoid getting sick. Cooked steak shouldn’t be left in the fridge for more than 3 to 4 days.

You can consider the following spoilage signs to learn how to tell if a steak is bad after cooking.

1. A slimy surface film will appear if your steak is spoiled.
2. It will have a strange color like more brown, yellow, or green than the bright, purplish, red meat color.
3. You may even see a few patches of discoloration on the steak slab.
4. A spoiled cooked steak will have a potent odor like ammonia-clad aroma.

Make sure you check its overall appearance or else you’ll end up eating spoiled steak. You can consider these spoilage signs if also want to learn how to know if tuna steak is bad.

Side Effects Of Eating Bad Steak

I hope now you’ve understood how to know if steak is bad. Steak that is spoiled may contain harmful bacterias. But what happens if you eat bad steak? There is always a risk of becoming sick if you eat any kind of spoiled food. It can cause stomach upset, stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or fever.

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FAQ

How Do You Know If A Steak Has Gone Bad?

Rotten meat will be discolored and might have a greenish or brownish tint. You can also check for slime on the surface of the steak. If the texture is slimy, it is most likely foul. Another sign that the steak might be spoiled is its foul odor.

Is Steak Safe To Eat If It Turns Brown?

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.

What Happens If You Cook Bad Steak?

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.

How can you tell if a steak is good quality?

What To Look For When Buying Steak

1. The meat should have good color and appear moist but not wet.
2. Any cut edges should be even, not ragged.
3. When buying packaged meats, avoid those with tears or with liquid in the bottom of the tray.
4. The meat should feel firm and cold to the touch.

Conclusion

In the above post, I’ve discussed how to know if frozen steak is bad. Your steak is bad when it looks dehydrated and is dry to the touch. By looking at the color of your steak, you can determine the safety and quality of the meat. Fresh raw steak has a bright red color while spoiled steak will appear brown. Also look at the best by date and smell to check if it is still in a good condition. Once you learn how to know if steak is bad, you can check if your raw steak is good and make mouth-watering meals.