Why You Should Toss Raw Beef That Smells Sweet

When cooking any type of meat-based dish, whether it's quesadilla burgers or grilled hanger steaks, it's best to use raw beef that's as fresh as possible. But sometimes time gets away from all of us, and the ground beef, ribeye, or skirt steaks in the back of the fridge might move past their prime (no pun intended) before it's time to cook and eat them. But how do you know whether or not your meat has gone bad? One of the many ways you can easily tell if raw beef has spoiled is if it has a sweet aroma.

At first, the thought of raw beef that smells sweet might sound strange, but it's a telltale sign that the meat has spoiled — and should be tossed out immediately. As any variety of raw beef sits in your fridge, the amino acids in the meat start to break down. When this happens and the beef starts to go bad, its mild smell can turn sweet, sour, or slightly metallic. Strange, we know. This will likely happen if you bought old raw beef from the grocery store or butcher, or if it's been in the fridge for more than three to five days, according to health guidelines.

A sweet aroma is certainly not the only odor that signals when beef has spoiled. If your raw beef smells rancid, sour, metallic, or has any other foul smell, then it's time to toss it out. Similarly, cooked beef is also spoiled if it emits any of these strange smells. There are many other ways to tell if your meat is spoiled that go beyond the smell test. If the raw beef appears brown or gray on the outside, instead of pink or red, then it's also bad. More obvious things, such as a slimy or sticky texture and signs of mold, also mean that it should not be consumed.

To avoid any of these mishaps with your raw beef, check the best-by date on the package before you purchase it. When you get home, place it in your fridge and make sure it's set at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below for safe storage. Then, use it as soon as possible, preferably within five days. If you need to store it longer, use our guide covering everything you need to know about freezing meat and review the biggest mistakes people make when freezing ground beef. And if you need a way to use that raw beef up, give our loaded beef enchilada or our best steak recipes a try.