Freezing raw meat can be a real time-saving move, and we all have our freezers stacked with steak. You can also save some money by buying it in bulk, individualizing it, and using it whenever you need it. It stays fresh for up to one year if it’s properly deposited, and you won’t encounter too many problems.

However, there are some cases when the quality can deteriorate, even if it should be good for one year if you keep it at zero degrees Fahrenheit. Some situations can happen with the freezer or the way you wrap that steak that can alter your meat.

So how can you know when your frozen meat is NOT safe to eat anymore?

These are the signs you should follow:

1. The meat has changed color

The first hint of the steak’s freshness is the color. The ones that went bad will have a different color than the fresh version. The reason they change color resides in oxidation and the fact that myoglobin alters the structure. What you may consider to be blood on your meat is actually myoglobin.

Gone bad meat is going to have a darker color than usual, and it’s possible to turn from a known red to a dark brown. When it has a weird color that you can associate with grey or even green, be sure that it’s not safe to eat it anymore and throw it away.

It’s important to know the right color of frozen meat because the way you deposit it makes it hard to detect smells and textures, so appearance is the first contact in knowing if you can eat it or not.

A change of color may also be possible in beef steaks, but it can still be safe to eat them. This type of meat naturally turns a darker tinge, even if it doesn’t necessarily go bad. From here, you need to use other clues to see if your meat is going to create an enjoyable meal.

2. It smells strange

Using your smell sense in these situations may not be your favorite thing to do, but you will need to. If you can sense a sulfuric nuance in your meat or any other unusual smell, you will know it’s not good anymore. Fresh, raw meat smells a little bit metallic and sweet.

There is a struggle here: the fact that frozen meat is not obvious when the meat is frozen is because there is less enzymatic and molecular activity. It’s normal for an ice-cold steak to not smell as much as a straight-from-the-bakery loaf.

However, as you thaw it, you will notice if it’s starting to smell bad, and you should immediately throw it out. Also, try to check all the meat you deposit from time to time and throw away any frozen meat that has developed a rotten appearance or a weird smell that you can detect.

3. You see ice crystals on it

It’s common to think the ice crystals on the meat are just part of the freezing process. Well, not really. Ice crystals indicate freezer burn, which causes your meat to deteriorate and alter by losing texture and flavor.

Freezer burn occurs when food comes into contact with frigid air stagnating in your freezer. In time, this highly dried air will dehydrate your food by taking away the moisture on the outer parts. This generally happens in packaging that allows air to enter and touch the surface of the meat. You will recognize when your meat is going to have a patchy appearance of ice crystals.

This deterioration doesn’t compare with the one coming from microbial activity, and technically you can still eat it, but be aware that freezer-burned meat has a different taste and texture that can be described as dry and tough. For example, the fatty cuts can taste a little rancid, so if you want to enjoy a tasty meal, we recommend you throw freezer-burned steak out, get new stock, and pay more attention to wrapping it right.

You can use these Cleanomic Compostable Food Storage Bags which will keep the air away from your food. You can order them from Amazon and save some money by not adding food to the trash anymore.

4. Slimy texture

Use all your senses to detect if your food went bad and get your hand involved. An alarming side of food that went bad is the changed texture. Spoiled meat develops a slimy surface that feels different from the regular moist surface. This process is related to bacterial activity on the outside part of the meat, resulting in spoilage. Make sure you throw it away because cooking it will give you a full plate of bacteria.

The process your meat is going through may also give it an unpleasant smell. Even in these types of low temperatures, it’s hard for the bacteria to grow, and spoilage can still occur in a freezer. There are situations when the machine is not working or there is an electricity disfunction that gives time for bacteria to develop, which you may not realize at the moment. However, make sure you clean your freezer properly after you put the bad food away. You should unplug it, let it defrost, and disinfect it before adding new food to it.

5. More than a year old frozen meat

Yes, it happens to stack food in your freezer and totally forget about it. Steak can stay fresh for up to 12 months in the freezer, and if you find an old stack in the back of your freezer, it’s most likely inedible. If it was stored securely at a temperature of 0 degrees Fahrenheit, it was less likely for it to develop bacteria, so it cannot be described as unsafe to eat.

Even if it was wrapped securely with a vacuum-sealed bag, meat stored for more than a year in the freezer will probably result in a bad-tasting meal. It’s a good idea to attach labels with the date of storage and try to rotate stocks in the freezer, making sure you can use up all the food you store.

6. It tastes bad when you cook it

Let’s assume we are at the point when your meat passes all the tests and you start to cook it. There is still one last test—the ultimate: how does it taste? When you try it, you won’t feel any of the savory taste you expected. If it gives off a rancid, sickly taste and makes you reach for a glass of water, your dinner is ruined. You can also detect a weird texture and get a sort of gross sensation from it.

Another fact to keep in mind is this: if your frozen steak goes bad, it won’t get better by magic when you cook it. Some people have the impression that it’s alright to cook it at a high temperature because it kills bacteria. Indeed, it may kill bacteria, but there is not so much to do about the taste or texture after it has already been altered.

If you liked our article, you can also read this one about 20 Foods You Should NEVER Refrigerate (Although You Do).