How Long Can You Keep Sous Vide Meat? (To Be Safe? Explained)

Sous vide meat is thoroughly-cooked meat. Thus, its shelf life is the same as any cooked meat. Still, the preservation time of this meat depends on the way you store it. Since it’s already cooked, you’ll also want to make sure it remains safe for consumption if you’re not eating it immediately. So, you may ask:

How long can you keep sous vide meat? You can keep sous vide meat for around ten days to six weeks if you store it properly. If you have opened the sous vide bags, their shelf life will be as long as any cooked meat.

The advantages of sous vide when it comes to shelf life is that it’s vacuum-sealed and airtight. Thus, as long as you have the meat sealed in the plastic bag, you can always enjoy the meat for a longer time if you’re not consuming it immediately.

In this article, we’ll walk you through some of the basic things you need to know about keeping your sous vide meat. This way, you can enjoy your sous vide meat while avoiding it from going to waste. 

Without further ado, let’s get into it!

How Long Can You Keep Sous Vide MeatPin

How long can I keep meat after sous vide?

You can keep your meat after sous vide for as long as six weeks if you freeze it. But, now, if you only put it in the refrigerator, it will only be ideal for 48 hours. 

Keeping the meat after sous vide is ideal if you want to tenderize your meat in advance for a specific occasion. You can let the meat cook in sous vide for two days in advance and finish it off with a sear or browning on the day you need it.

This way, you can keep your meat safe while letting you be efficient in cooking. You can also freeze your sous vide meat for as long as 6 weeks. 

Thus, if you’re making large amounts of sous vide meat, you can prepare separate bags for each serving. This way, you can take it out whenever you need it.

Does sous vide meat go bad?

Yes, sous vide meat go bad. But, like all other types of meat, this one can also spoil and go to waste. The best way to understand this one is to see sous vide meat as a cooked one.

Since sous-vide meat is already cooked, you should know that its shelf life is the same as other regular-cooked meat.

What makes sous vide meat different is its packaging. Since the plastic bag where it rests is vacuum-sealed and airtight, you can preserve it longer when you put it in the fridge or freeze it.

Now, if you have opened the plastic bag, your sous vide meat will then be exposed, decreasing its shelf-life exponentially. Thus, if you plan on preserving your sous vide meat longer, don’t open the plastic bag until you need it.

Can you store meat after sous vide?

Yes, you can store meat after sous vide. However, since sous vide takes a long time, you may want to do it in advance if you’re preparing for an occasion.

In general, you can cook your meat in sous vide two to four days in advance. If you want a longer time, you can even store it for up to six weeks (as long as you freeze it).

This way, you cook your meat in advance and allow it to tenderize for a long time in the water bath. Then, you simply finish it off by browning it in the oven, pan, or grill.

Can you refrigerate meat after sous vide?

Yes, you can refrigerate meat after sous vide. This method works well if you’re preparing for an occasion and you want to tenderize your meat in advance.

If you will refrigerate sous vide, make sure you have it airtight and vacuum-sealed. This way, you can ensure that the meat stays safe for consumption. Further, it will help you avoid spoilage.

Can you sous vide and finish later?

Yes, you can always cook sous vide and finish later. If you think of cooking in sous vide then storing your meat in the fridge so you can finish the cooking by searing it for flavor, it works well.

The only thing to ensure is that you complete the sous vide cooking time and follow the correct temperature. If you fail to do so, you may end up freezing undercooked meat, which can lead to bacterial growth. 

In short, make sure your meat is already thoroughly cooked before placing it in the fridge or freezing it. 

What we mean by finishing it later is just a quick browning at a high temperature for flavor and caramelization of the outside. However, make sure that the meat you will store is thoroughly-cooked even without the browning.

How far in advance can you sous vide a steak?

If you’re cooking a steak, you can cook it sous vide for as long as four days in advance. The only thing you need to ensure is that the steak is correctly sealed in the bag.

Further, you’ll need to place it in the fridge at a freezing temperature. You can always take it out when you need it by placing it in the sous vide again and finishing it by searing.

Summary

So, how long can you keep sous vide meat? You can keep your sous vide meat for as long as ten days to six weeks. But, of course, the preservation time will depend on how you store it. As long as you vacuum seal the meat in an airtight plastic bag, you can always enjoy it for a longer time if you plan on using it later.

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Image credits – Canva

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