Should You Remove Raw Meat From Its Packaging Before Storing?

Knowing whether or not to remove raw meat from its packaging before storing is essential for safe food handling and lasting freshness, but it's something many home cooks are iffy on. Because of the many variables to consider, it all depends on how soon you plan to use your meat. 

A good start is knowing how many days raw meat can last in your fridge. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), all ground meat, as well as poultry (even those with longer expiration dates) should be used or frozen within the first 48 hours of coming home from the store. Raw steaks, pork chops, and roasts can go a bit longer, at three to five days. But some meat purveyors recommend this simple rule: Cooking it in one to two days? Leave it in its original, unopened package in the refrigerator. Longer than that? Transfer it to a dated, airtight container or freezer bag (with all of the air pushed out) and then store it in the freezer. 

More importantly, properly refrigerate meat at a minimum of 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below, placing it on the bottom shelf where the temperature is coldest and there's no chance of juices dripping onto other food. Even better, use a clear, designated meat bin or tray on that bottom shelf, as this allows you to see if there are any leaks. Best of all, if any leaking occurs, it's easily contained, allowing you to simply pick up the tray and carry it to your sink.

While some chefs, such as Gordon Ramsay in his book, "Ultimate Cookery Course," recommend storing raw meat unwrapped and loosely covered to allow it to breathe, commenters on Reddit debated the safety of this practice (especially when it's employed by untrained chefs whose home kitchens are not held to food inspector standards). If you want to err on the side of caution, the USDA clearly states, "Raw meat, poultry, and seafood should be in a sealed container or wrapped securely."

If, like Ramsay, you'd like to allow your meat to breathe, you can do so without increasing your risk with air-exposed meat in the fridge. Instead, remove it from the refrigerator and open its packaging just prior to cooking time — a temperature tip to remember before roasting meat — which takes the chill off before cooking. 

Beef, which many recipes advise be brought to room temperature before cooking, should sit for no longer than two hours in "the danger zone" (between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit or for less than an hour if it's 90 degrees Fahrenheit or above).  For chicken and pork, it's 15 to 30 minutes maximum, while prepping other foods. (Though, in the case of pork, if the size of the cut is a large roast, it could take up to an hour.) Still, the National Pork Board states, "Never let raw meat sit at room temperature for more than two hours." Whatever you do, always check the best-by or freeze-by dates on the meat's packaging.