Steak Turned Brown in Freezer

If you often store meat in the freezer, you may be wondering why your steak turned brown in the freezer. This is a common concern amongst people who freeze meat as they do not know whether or not this is a bad sign.

You have to be very careful when it comes to storing meat, as meat can easily spoil and become very harmful. You do not want to eat meat that has gone bad, as this will make you very sick.

Because of this, it is good to understand how meat should and shouldn’t look when it has been stored for a while. So that you will know what signs to look for to know if it is still good to eat or if it should be thrown out.

Keep reading to find out why steak turned brown in the freezer and if this means it has gone bad or it is still safe to eat.

Why Did My Steak Turn Brown in the Freezer?

If you had steak stored in the freezer, you may be wondering why it turned a shade of brown. This is something that commonly occurs when the chemicals change due to the oxygen content, creating a darker color on the meat.

Medium Ribeye steak.

This is very normal and does not signify that the steak has gone bad. Unless it has been in the freezer for a very long time or has other signs of having gone bad.

There are many types of food that will change colors once they are put in the freezer or the fridge. For instance, potatoes and apples both change color after they have been cut up and exposed to the air.

This change in color does not usually mean that the food has necessarily gone bad. It is just a reaction to the exterior temperatures and oxygen coming into contact with the surface of the food.

So even steak that has turned brown in the freezer is usually safe to eat as long as you know that it is still fresh. If it has been in there for a very long time and has turned a dark brown, you may want to throw it out just to be safe.

How to Tell When Steak Has Gone Bad?

If you are storing meat in the fridge or freezer, you should understand how to tell when steak has gone bad. This is very important so that you do not accidentally eat meat that is not safe to eat anymore.

Barbecue Rib Eye Steak

Meat does not have an extremely long shelf life, which is why it is important to carefully store it until you consume it. Many times people prefer to do this in the freezer as it lengthens its life span and much more.

But you still need to be able to tell when steak has gone bad even if it has been in the freezer as it could still spoil.

Slimy Texture

If your steak has a slimy texture, this is a very bad sign and means that it has started to spoil. This is often a sign of rotting, which means that the meat is definitely not safe to eat in any way.

You should not wash it and try to cook it anyway, as the meat has already spoiled and is not safe to eat.

Abnormal Color

When storing steak, you need to make sure that you are keeping an eye on the color. Meat of any kind should never turn any shade of yellow, orange, or green before you eat it.

Raw Steak Meat with Spices

These colors signify that the meat is spoiled and should not be consumed, as it is going to be unsafe. You also should not try to cut off discolored areas and still eat the rest, as there is no way to know how much of the meat is spoiled.

Rancid Smell

If your steak has a rancid smell, this is a very good sign that it is not good to eat anymore. Meat may not necessarily smell fresh, but it should not smell bad like it is rotting or has gone off.

So if this is how your steak smells, you should throw it out, just to be safe.

Final Thoughts

If you are storing steak in your freezer, you may be wondering why it turned brown in the freezer. This happens when the outside of the state has a chemical reaction with the oxygen that it is exposed to.

The good news is that this typically does not mean that the steak has gone bad, it is just a little bit darker than it originally was.