How To Freeze Taco Meat
You can freeze the taco meat safely for up to 6 months. Cook the taco meat before freezing, cool completely, and then pack it into zip-top freezer bags. You should remove all of the air from the bag before placing it in a freezer. Label your taco meat bag and put it in a freezer for further use.
I like freezing taco meat, as it is easy enough to just make a big batch, put in ziploc bags, and freeze. If you are in a rush to use taco meat, and you do not have the luxury of time by defrosting the taco meat overnight in the fridge, you can pop an airtight Ziploc bag filled with taco meat in the cold water. If you need to thaw your frozen taco meat faster, you can put it in a bowl of cold water for about 30 minutes. Before freezing taco meat, be sure that there is not any water and air trapped inside the bag.
When the meat is cooked first, it will lose a lot of water, and that will impact the amount of time it will be able to freeze. Uncooked meats will last a lot longer because they keep a lot of the moisture in them while freezing. Generally, all types of ground meats that are not exposed to any moisture will freeze better in a controlled, cold temperature. While freezing taco meats is done to preserve them so they do not spoil and so they are ready for consumption at some point in the future, you need to consider how cold temperatures of your freezer will impact texture, quality, flavor, and taste over some period of time.
If you are unsure of how long ago your meat was packaged, or if it has been exposed to higher temperatures (above 90 degrees), it is best to throw it out and take no risks. According to the USDA, frozen cooked chicken (and meat) can keep for three months in the freezer, so make sure you mark the date on the bag using freezer-safe markers. Taco meat lasts 2 to 3 months in the freezer, depending on whether it is cooked or not. Properly stored in a sealed freezer bag, you can expect these to last around 2 to 3 months in the freezer.
Recipe Notes If you have any of the leftover taco meat mix, put it into a medium-sized freezer bag, seal, and store in the fridge. If you are not going to use all the taco meat immediately, and have any leftovers, store in a seal-top container in the fridge (or put in a sealed bag) for up to a couple weeks.
As long as your taco meat has been stored in an airtight container and kept at temperatures under 40 degrees F, it should be safe to eat in 3-4 days. Taco meat will hold up to about 2 to 3 months of refrigeration temperatures when stored correctly, before starting to lose flavor, odor, and quality. There are so many ways to use taco meat that are packed with flavor, so it is one of my favorites to store in my freezer.
| Types | Shelf Life |
| Fridge | 3-4 days |
| Freezer | 2-3 months |
| Room Temperature | 3 hours |
With just a few spices and herbs, you can create incredible taco seasoning you know exactly what is in it. A quick browning of ground turkey or ground beef, then just adding canned salsa, broth, or water, along with 1 to 2 teaspoons of my salt-free taco seasoning. You can also try out our Easy Taco Crust Recipe, which is simply a mix of leftover ground beef and refrigerated beans baked in the oven with your choice of seasonings.
The leftover beef was enough to serve my family of 6 at lunch, since we used tons of taco toppings, such as avocado, salsa, sour cream. For taco night, we used about 1lb of meat for 2 adults and 3 kids (4th preferred his tacos without meat, and my youngest did not enjoy Mexican food at all — he is a full-on Italian kid). I bought a huge package of ground turkey at Costco (about 6 pounds) and cooked all of that at once and dressed for tacos. Layered taco dip: Just get your meat, leave out my taco seasoning from the recipe, then pile it on like you would like.
In addition to toppings on top of taco dip, you can also do the additions on this taco dip recipe itself. If you prefer to stick with the recipe, you can also use fresh toppings to give your cups a little extra flavor.
This way, you would only have to pull out as much of your meat as needed from your freezer, and not have to worry about having any leftovers. You can refreeze cooked meats and fish just one time, provided that they were chilled prior to going to the freezer. You can re-freeze meat that has been frozen before and cooked, provided that you cooked it at a safe temperature and handled leftovers safely, according to the Food Safety site at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Like all leftovers, cooked meats last in the fridge three to four days, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The shelf life for cooked ground meats may range between one to five days, depending on what kind of cuts are included and how much fat is present.
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Even if you have previously cooked taco meat that has gone bad (say, you are in the middle of nowhere and did not refrigerate a few chicken breasts), then do not make all your tacos at once without checking that they are still safe to eat. A frozen temp that is set will allow the taco meat to easily thaw, preventing the taco meat from getting spoiled, freezer burned, or worsening inside your freezer.
Once you have completely cooled down the chicken shreds, you can place them into zipper bags or sealed containers with 1 to 2 cups portions (depending on how much you think you are going to use at once) and store them in your freezer. Once cooled, I simply grabbed a few Freezer Bags, divided the meat up into single or dinner-sized portions, and frozen it all at the same time. If you are warming up meat right from the freezer, douse it in a little water to keep the moisture in.
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If you cooked it before you put it in the freezer, you can throw it directly in your slow cooker for chili, mix it up in your quick weeknight soup, or simply heat it with some of your favorite salsa for an easy weeknight taco. That way, I have beef on hand for just about anything, from tacos, spaghetti, taco soup, burger helper, chili, and beyond.
Can I refreeze cooked taco meat?
According to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Food Safety website, you can refreeze previously frozen and cooked meat as long as you do so to a safe temperature and handle the leftovers securely. Ground beef and other ground meats will last for three to four months.
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Is it better to freeze ground beef raw or cooked?
Since moisture is lost while cooking, raw meat, and poultry retain their quality longer than their cooked counterparts. Meat and poultry that have been refrigerated-defrosted can be frozen again either prior to or after cooking. Prepare the frozen food before refreezing it if it was already frozen.
What is the best way to freeze cooked hamburgers?
Ground beef should first be cooked with your preferred spices before being allowed to cool. Spread out in a uniform thickness and freeze until solid on a baking sheet with a rim. Place the meat in freezer bags and store it there until needed.