Cooking mince beef past use by date

myonlysunshine

Hi there!

My MIL generously bought me a huge pack of scotch minced beef from Costco on Wednesday that she gave to me yesterday. As I was ill in bed all day I thought I would bag up and freeze this morning to use a later date but was frustrated to find the use by date was yesterday!

It is a little brown in areas but smells fine, would you use it? It was £18.00 worth of beef and I don't want it throw it away!

Thanks in advance

Steve059

Only yesterday? Brown (not green)? Smells OK? I'd freeze and/or cook it.

Fluff15

I agree, if it smells okay I'd just freeze it now and cook later. The brown parts are usually just oxidisation of the meat, nothing to worry about.

kboss2010

I used to throw away heaps of "brown" mince that was just past its use by date until someone pointed out that isn't aged beef that colour and more expensive? I'd freeze it into portions if I were you, it hasn't poisoned me yet!

meg72

Yes I`d just portion up and put in freezer, sometimes when I see reduced mince its brown already.

jackieblack

I'd use it - it doesn't suddenly become bad on the stroke of midnight!

Emm-in-a-pickle

If you bought it at a butcher`s it wouldn`t even have a date on it, you would do as you have done - go by smell! The brown isn`t a problem, as others have said. Trust your nose.

Smudges

I would use it. Where I live most of the meat and fresh produce doesn't even have a use by date, just a 'packed on' date. So if it looks fine and smells fine we eat it!

Butterfly_Brain

I would cook it into a cottage pie, lasagne, savoury mince or spag bol and freeze it

Mint1955

Definitely freeze in portions and use later or bulk cook and freeze.

Midger

I'd put it into portions and freeze it right away. I've done it before with beef from costco and had no problems. I'm more warey with chicken but not so much with beef if it looks and smells fine.