It is important that if you wish to store your Salami in the fridge, you ask the question, “Does salami go bad in the fridge?.”
Salami does not go bad in the fridge.
In fact, keeping it in the fridge is one of the best ways to store your salami.
The fridge keeps your Salami at a very low temperature that would keep the spoilage bacteria inactive and stops it from spoiling your food.
So, if you are asking “does salami go bad in the fridge?” read this article till the end to find out.
This answer lies in two ways. No! It can’t go bad when stored properly within the appropriate time frame. And yes! It can go bad when you do not store it properly or it stays longer than it is supposed to stay inside the fridge.
How To Know When Salami Has Gone Bad
If your salami was gotten from a butcher store, you might want to check for the manufacturer’s information on the expiry date.
You definitely do not want to cook or eat expired salami. Just check the packaging body and know the exact date to bin your expired meat.
Also, your salami may be homemade. It could happen that you can no longer ascertain how long you have stored the salami inside the fridge.
To be on the safer side, you are better off throwing it away.
Note: The maximum number of days sliced salami should stay in the fridge is seven days before it becomes unfit for consumption.
Below are listed various ways for you to know when your salami has gone bad.
The Odour
One way of confirming if your salami is still fresh is by smelling the meat to see if the odor has changed to a bad one.
Any salami that brings out a foul smell like rotten eggs or ammonia is a spoilt one.
Bring the meat close to your nose and check if the smell emanating from the meat is still fresh.
Discard it once you are not comfortable with the smell.
Colour Change
Another sign is to check for the edges of the meat and pay attention to changes in color.
Once you detect a brown or grey color on the edges, discard it. Or once you notice white mold on your salami, you have to throw that piece of meat into the trash.
In the case of cut salami, the slicing can expose a part of the salami to oxygen and the oxidation can cause whitening.
This does not mean the whole meat has gone bad.
When you want to cook, you can just slice off the white part and you will be left with the remaining fresh parts.
It is better to discard bad meat than to have to deal with the horrors of food poisoning.
So, whenever you notice your Salami has gone bad, there is no point in salvaging it, just bin the whole meat.
Tip: A bonus tip is if the skin of the salami becomes tough and the surface is showing signs of air pockets, then it has gone bad.
Does Salami Go Bad In The Fridge?
Just like every other meat, salami can go bad. Whether it is a fresh cut or a dried cut it goes bad when it is not stored properly.
Salami refers to some type of raw salted meat. It could be fresh-cut meat or a dried one.
Fresh Salami
Fresh salami goes bad faster than dried salami. This is due to the huge difference in moisture content.
Spoilage bacteria thrive in moist conditions. And this means your fresh salami has to be stored as soon as possible.
The fresh salami has to be refrigerated within a few hours.
It should not be left at room temperature for more than two hours because bacteria grow at a very fast pace at room temperature.
Take note that salami can stay up to three weeks in the fridge before going bad when you store it properly.
Dried Salami
The dried salami can stay unrefrigerated for up to 6 weeks before it starts to get spoilt.
You should store your dry salami in a dark area far from sunlight exposure.
It has been confirmed that sunlight exposure can harden it further and darken your meat.
If you would love to store your salami for a period longer than three weeks, then you should consider freezing it.
This will help maintain its optimal quality for one to two months or even further.
Note: Salami that is constantly frozen at 0” F can stay good for up to a year or later.
When Does Salami Go Bad In The Fridge?
Salami as a whole can stay in the fridge for three weeks before it starts to go bad.
So one may be asking how can salami go bad in the fridge. This is so unless it was not stored properly.
The fridge remains the best option for storing fresh uncut and cut salami.
When salami has been cut into pieces, the maximum period for refrigeration is seven days.
Salami starts to go bad once the meat has stayed longer than three weeks inside the fridge.
When you slice your salami, you have introduced bacteria into the meat, hence, it should be eaten as soon as possible.
The longer Salami stays in the fridge, it continues to dry out and this can lead to tough and hardened meat.
Salami is a cured meat and it dehydrates over time. You have to store your salami inside a porous bag to allow it to breathe well.
How To Store Your Salami In The Fridge
Your fresh-cut salami is best stored in a fridge for preservation.
It helps control the risk of Listeria and so many other bacteria that live inside contaminated meat.
These bacteria can lead to food poisoning. So you have to take extra caution when storing your Salami in the fridge.
Below are steps to follow to store your salami:
Wrap With A Butcher Paper
Store your salami by wrapping it tightly using butcher paper. Recall that this is cured and raw meat that dehydrates fast.
It will help prevent contact with other items in the fridge that can cause odor contamination.
The fact that the bag is airtight will prevent oxygen from reacting too much with your meat.
It will also help it stay fresh for a long period.
Store In Small Portions
Store your salami in small portions.
Do not pack a whole lot of meat together inside the same bag before refrigerating.
This will allow adequate air circulation and keep your meat fresh.
Label The Bags
Labeling the bags will help you figure out which one is the oldest whenever you want to take out your salami for cooking.
It will also help you keep a tab on the expiry date.
Adjust The Temperature Of Your Refrigerator
Make sure that your fridge is at 40’F or below. Any temperature that is above this can make your salami go bad.
A cold fridge would keep your meat fresh and keep the growth of bacteria at bay.
Store it in the coldest part of the fridge. This will keep the temperature of your meat at a stable point.
Your meat should not be getting warm while inside the fridge.
Tip: Your salami can go bad in the fridge if it is not cold enough.
Conclusion
In this blog post, I have answered the question, “Does Salami go bad in the fridge?”.
Storing your salami the right way in the fridge would stop it from going bad.
I have also shown you how to store your Salami properly in the fridge to prevent it from going bad.
I have also itemized how to recognize Salami that has gone bad in the fridge.
So, whenever you want to store your Salami, follow the instructions that I have highlighted to increase the shelf life of your Salami.
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