If You Absolutely Must Freeze Deli Meat, Here's How To Do It Right

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Deli meats (also known as lunch meats, sandwich meats, and cold cuts) are great to have on hand, but unfortunately they don't last too long. Even unopened packages of deli meats have a shelf life of around 2 weeks in the fridge per the FDA. Once opened, you're only looking at 3 to 5 days generally, although wrapping it in aluminum foil can keep your deli meat fresh for a few extra days in the fridge after opening. Even cured meats and hard and dry sausages such as pepperoni and salami, which are the deli meats that last the longest in your fridge, only last up to 3 weeks in the fridge after opening. So you may be wondering if you can freeze deli meat.

According to Owen Han, a self-taught chef, content creator, and author of "Stacked: The Art of the Perfect Sandwich," you can definitely freeze deli meat, "but the texture may change a bit when it thaws," warns Han. He recommends wrapping your deli meat tightly in plastic or aluminum foil, then sealing it in a freezer-safe bag and squeezing as much of the air out as you can before putting it in the freezer.

What to keep in mind when freezing deli meats

Although frozen foods, including deli meats, can technically be kept safe indefinitely in the freezer, the quality will suffer after a certain point. For the best results, you should use your frozen deli meat within 1 to 2 months. "After that, it can dry out or lose flavor," Han warns. To thaw out your deli meat, Han says, "Stick it in the fridge overnight. It'll thaw slowly and stay safe to eat."

Before consuming any of your thawed-out deli meat, it's important to check if your deli meat has gone bad. Signs of spoilage to look for include changes in color or appearance, any indications of mold growth, any unusual, sour, or foul smell, or a slimy texture. If you see any of these signs on your deli meat, it's best to throw it out rather than risk getting sick. If everything looks good though, go ahead and use that deli meat to make a sandwich, or switch it up with one of these 15 recipes to use up a package of deli meat without having to make sandwiches.

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