Thank you, I was thinking the same.

I agree, especially if it's one of those cyrovac type packages, well sealed. Plus, I'll point out that it's a "sell by" date, not a "use by" date. The grocery/manufacturer will factor in a couple of days for the buyer to use the product, not expecting that you'll take it straight home and cook it.

Annie

Yes...no problem. :-)

I do a smell and color test, and if it passes go for it. In Asia they eat pork thats been left outside in the heat to ferment for a few days with no ill effects. I'm not that bold!

It can go bad before the sell by date too. The date just proves that you deserve your money back. Always inspect and smell the meat. If it's giving off rot liquid, or smells bad, or has mold, ditch it. It could have more bacteria growing happily than before, but so what? Cook it!

So what?!

That is what's known as "dry aged" pork. Gourmet classy food. :-)

dcarch

Thank you, everyone! The tenderloin passed the smell test and looked as fresh as could be so I went ahead and prepared breaded tenderloin for dinner. Absolutely delicious! The rest of it got pounded out and frozen for the future and one small piece for ?. I know I can depend on my Gardenweb "family" when I have a question. Now I'm off to prepping and pickling 17 pounds of beets.

Madonna

"Now I'm off to prepping and pickling 17 pounds of beets."

Yum...love pickled beets! :-)

I hope that the beets are as wonderful as the tenderloin, Madonna.

Since we're on the subject, I just want to confirm. Again, I'm feeding folks with compromised health/health issues, so I have to be ultra careful.

Storage times

https://www.foodsafety.gov/keep/charts/storagetimes.html

https://www.thekitchn.com/how-long-will-raw-chicken-stay-good-in-the-fridge-248178

These storage times supersede sell by, use by dates, right? I think I actually called Bell & Evans (yeah, PA) and spoke with a representative who said you have 1 to 2 days of storage in the refrigerator and then the chicken needs to be cooked or frozen.

Just confirming -- like this would be a great SAT question:)

CathyinSWPA

Cathy, I agree that if you are feeding people with compromised immune systems or other health issues, or the very young or very old, you need to be much more careful. I'd never keep uncooked chicken in the refrigerator more than a day or two anyway, as chicken is something I'm extra careful with. I'm a little more "fast and loose" when playing with beef, as long as it's not ground beef. Those sealed plastic cryovac packages can stretch your storage time, though, when left properly sealed. That's why packagers use it. No air and, ostensibly, no contamination.

Annie

"I'd never keep uncooked chicken in the refrigerator more than a day or
two anyway, as chicken is something I'm extra careful with."

Whew, Annie. Thank you! That's what I do too!

CathyinSWPA

I'm also careful with poultry, especially about cross contamination, but properly packaged, fresh from the butcher, and having no compromised diners, I might go as long as four days. I also have a meat drawer which is colder. And I also cook my chickens much hotter than some of the people around here prefer. I'm confident that the bad buggies get good and dead. I do, at times, buy the hermetically sealed meat/chicken at Trader Joe's specifically because it will last...but then sometimes I forget to cook it and even hermetically sealed it doesn't stay good forever. ;(

" And I also cook my chickens much hotter than some of the people around
here prefer. I'm confident that the bad buggies get good and dead." Yep, plllog. My kids call it "going surgical" when I prep chicken, and I know that you cook for some elders too:) I always do temp checks, and was somewhat dismayed that in Bittman's "How to Grill Everything" cookbook he kept recommending "nick with a small knife and peek inside." Not too sure about that.

CathyinSWPA

I'm OCD about proteins more than most. I've opened cryovac tenderloin before the sell by date and no smell test needed....can't get it out of the house fast enough. That would be market/grocery error before bringing it home.

Quality really does make a difference. I spatchcocked an organic chicken a couple weeks ago, grill/smoked, low and slow, in a parchment lined foil pan over a bed of rhubarb....braise grilled. Excellent even slightly over-cooked. 4 hours at a fluctuating 190-210º. That puppy was 20$ and well worth it. (a big roaster) 3 meals for 2 from it.

Smell test works. If you can't get your nose near it, toss it.