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How long does Beef last in the fridge?

10 kinds · each with its own window

Beef, ground · From purchase · in the fridge

Use by1 day to 2 days

Counted from the day you bought it

USDA FoodKeeper figure · as published

How this date is worked out

From KeepsUntilIt is past the dateThe FDA and USDA FSIS rules, and where to ask when a date runs out Where these numbers come fromThe USDA source, the parse rules and what this site cannot tell you Every food on the siteOne page, every product, longest first

Turning the range into a date

Beef (ground) keeps 1–2 days in the fridge from purchase. Enter a day and each row becomes a calendar date, worked out in your browser.

Beef, rib roast, bone-in

From purchase · in the freezerBest quality by4 months to 12 months after the day you bought it
From purchase · in the fridgeUse by3 days to 5 days after the day you bought it

Beef, rib roast; boneless, rolled

From purchase · in the freezerBest quality by4 months to 12 months after the day you bought it
From purchase · in the fridgeUse by3 days to 5 days after the day you bought it

Beef, round or rump roast

From purchase · in the freezerBest quality by4 months to 12 months after the day you bought it
From purchase · in the fridgeUse by3 days to 5 days after the day you bought it

Beef, tenderloin, whole

From purchase · in the freezerBest quality by4 months to 12 months after the day you bought it
From purchase · in the fridgeUse by3 days to 5 days after the day you bought it

Beef, tenderloin, half

From purchase · in the freezerBest quality by4 months to 12 months after the day you bought it
From purchase · in the fridgeUse by3 days to 5 days after the day you bought it

Beef, chuck roast, brisket

From purchase · in the freezerBest quality by4 months to 12 months after the day you bought it
From purchase · in the fridgeUse by3 days to 5 days after the day you bought it

Beef, steaks

From purchase · in the freezerBest quality by4 months to 12 months after the day you bought it
From purchase · in the fridgeUse by3 days to 5 days after the day you bought it

Beef, stew, cubes

From purchase · in the freezerBest quality by4 months to 12 months after the day you bought it
From purchase · in the fridgeUse by3 days to 5 days after the day you bought it

Beef, short ribs

From purchase · in the freezerBest quality by4 months to 12 months after the day you bought it
From purchase · in the fridgeUse by3 days to 5 days after the day you bought it

Beef, ground

From purchase · in the freezerBest quality by3 months to 4 months after the day you bought it
From purchase · in the fridgeUse by1 day to 2 days after the day you bought it

Beef, ground · From purchase · in the freezer

3 months to 4 months

Counted from the day you bought it

Every storage figure the USDA publishes for this item

USDA FoodKeeper lists 10 kinds under Beef.

Beef, rib roast, bone-in

From purchase · in the freezer4 months to 12 months
From purchase · in the fridge3 days to 5 days

Beef, rib roast; boneless, rolled

From purchase · in the freezer4 months to 12 months
From purchase · in the fridge3 days to 5 days

Beef, round or rump roast

From purchase · in the freezer4 months to 12 months
From purchase · in the fridge3 days to 5 days

Beef, tenderloin, whole

From purchase · in the freezer4 months to 12 months
From purchase · in the fridge3 days to 5 days

Beef, tenderloin, half

From purchase · in the freezer4 months to 12 months
From purchase · in the fridge3 days to 5 days

Beef, chuck roast, brisket

From purchase · in the freezer4 months to 12 months
From purchase · in the fridge3 days to 5 days

Beef, steaks

From purchase · in the freezer4 months to 12 months
From purchase · in the fridge3 days to 5 days

Beef, stew, cubes

From purchase · in the freezer4 months to 12 months
From purchase · in the fridge3 days to 5 days

Beef, short ribs

From purchase · in the freezer4 months to 12 months
From purchase · in the fridge3 days to 5 days

Beef, ground

From purchase · in the freezer3 months to 4 months
From purchase · in the fridge1 day to 2 days

What USDA FSIS and the FDA say about this food

For: Beef, ground

Ground Meat, Ground Poultry, and Stew Meat
Ground beef, turkey, veal, pork, lamb1-2 days

USDA FSIS, Refrigeration & Food Safety, retrieved 4 November 2026. Quoted word for word.

For: Beef, rib roast, bone-in · Beef, rib roast; boneless, rolled · Beef, round or rump roast · Beef, tenderloin, whole · Beef, tenderloin, half · Beef, chuck roast, brisket · Beef, steaks · Beef, short ribs

Fresh Meat (Beef, Veal, Lamb, and Pork)
Steaks, chops, roasts3-5 days

USDA FSIS, Refrigeration & Food Safety, retrieved 4 November 2026. Quoted word for word.

Refrigerator Thawing
After thawing in the refrigerator, items such as ground meat, stew meat, poultry, seafood, should remain safe and good quality for an additional day or two before cooking; red meat cuts (such as beef, pork or lamb roasts, chops and steaks) 3 to 5 days. Food thawed in the refrigerator can be refrozen without cooking, although there may be some loss of quality.

USDA FSIS, The Big Thaw — Safe Defrosting Methods, retrieved 4 November 2026. Quoted word for word.

From KeepsUntilWhere these numbers come fromThe USDA source, the parse rules and what this site cannot tell you

Other foods on the same USDA shelf

Food safety rules that apply to every food

Keep the refrigerator temperature at or below 40° F (4° C). The freezer temperature should be 0° F (-18° C).
Never allow meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, or produce or other foods that require refrigeration to sit at room temperature for more than two hours—one hour if the air temperature is above 90° F.
Though food will be safe indefinitely at 0° F, quality will decrease the longer the food is in the freezer.
Never thaw food at room temperature, such as on the counter top. There are three safe ways to defrost food: in the refrigerator, in cold water, and in the microwave. Food thawed in cold water or in the microwave should be cooked immediately.
Perishable foods should never be thawed on the counter, or in hot water and must not be left at room temperature for more than two hours.
If you're not sure or if the food looks questionable, throw it out.

Sources: FDA: are you storing food safely · FDA: safe food handling · USDA FSIS: safe defrosting.

Where these numbers come from

Every figure and note on this page is reproduced from USDA FoodKeeper as published; the calendar date is the only arithmetic, and it runs in your browser.

Source: USDA FoodKeeper, retrieved 1 September 2026. A figure that does not match the source? Tell us. How the site is built.

The answer at the top is for Beef, ground, the kind this site shows first; every kind the USDA lists under this name is printed with its own figures.

Also searched as: hamburger, ground beef

USDA index terms: bone, bone-in, boneless, brisket, chuck roast, cube, cubes, ground, half, rib, rib roast, ribs, roast, rolled, round, rump roast, short ribs, steak, steaks, stew, tenderloin, whole

KeepsUntil is an independent reference built on public USDA data. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the U.S. Department of Agriculture or the Food and Drug Administration. Storage times are reproduced from USDA FoodKeeper as published; when in doubt, follow the FDA and USDA FSIS guidance linked on every food page.