How long can marinated pork stay in the fridge?
In this brief guide, we are going to answer the question “how long can pork marinate in the fridge” with an in-depth analysis of the shelf life of marinated pork in the fridge freezer and at room temperature. Moreover, we are going to discuss the proper way of vacuum-sealing marinated pork at home.
So without much ado, let’s dive in and figure out more about it.
How long can marinated pork stay in the fridge?
Marinated pork can be kept in the fridge for approximately 3-5 days as long as the safety standards are maintained. According to USDA, it is safe to keep the food in the marinade for longer but the marinade can start to break down the fibers of the meat resulting in mushy meat.
It is worth mentioning that the shelf life of marinated pork is greatly affected by the type of marinade that you are using on the pork. For instance, pork in which olive oil or red wine is added as part of the marinade has a longer shelf life as compared to the pork whose marinade has yogurt or buttermilk in it.
How to store marinated pork in the fridge?
You should refrigerate the marinated pork as soon as you marinate it. Pork should be washed thoroughly before marinating and afterward storing it in an air-tight container or plastic zipper bag in the fridge. Moreover, you can also opt for vacuum sealing for retaining the freshness of marinated pork for a long time.
While storing the marinated pork in the refrigerator, it is better to store it on one of the shelves of the refrigerator rather than at the door as there is a lot of temperature fluctuation at the door of the fridge and that can mess up the quality of the marinated pork.
It is a good practice to store the marinated pork on the lowest shelf of the refrigerator. The reason behind this is that it is the coldest spot in the whole fridge and it keeps the marinated pork from dripping into other foods, thereby diminishing the risk of cross-contamination.
Vacuum sealing the marinated pork
You can also vacuum seal the marinated pork and store it in the fridge or freezer. Vacuum sealed marinated pork preserves its freshness and quality for a long time as compared to the improperly stored marinated pork.
You can also opt for vacuum sealing at home that involves the process of putting the marinated pork in a plastic zipper bag, removing air from it, and almost sealing the bag with a little space left while lowering it into water.
Afterward, press out the bubbles from the bag starting from the bottom of the bag and once you reach the sealed end, you should press the seal closed. You can also use a vacuum sealer pump to vacuum seal marinated pork properly. You can also use a vacuum sealer pump to easily vacuum sealing the marinated pork.
The reason behind doing vacuum sealing is to ensure that there is minimum air present in the plastic zipper bag with the marinated pork. As air has moisture and oxygen in it that favors bacterial growth, so by removing air, marinated pork can retain its freshness for a long time.
How long does marinated pork last at room temperature?
Marinated pork lasts for about 2 hours when kept at room temperature.
You should discard the marinated pork that has been left in the open for more than 2 hours as bacterial growth takes place at a faster pace between the temperature of 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit, therefore there are greater chances of the pork being already contaminated with bacteria when left out for more than 2 hours.
Moreover, if the temperature of the surroundings is about 90 degrees Fahrenheit, then the process of spoilage takes place at a faster pace and it is recommended to discard marinated pork that is left out in the open for more than an hour at 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
You can read 5 freezer marinades for pork and chicken here.
Other FAQs about Pork which you may be interested in.
How long can I keep cooked pork in the fridge?
Can you eat pork 2 days after use by date?
How long to cook pork chops in an oven at 180?
How long does marinated pork last in the freezer?
Marinated pork lasts for several weeks or even months if kept in an air-tight container, plastic freezer bag, or heavy-duty freezer containers in the freezer. But it is worth mentioning that some experts do not recommend you to freeze pork along with marinade for a long time as the marinade can start to break down the fibers of the pork resulting in mushy pork.
Frozen raw marinated pork if thawed in the refrigerator can stay there for 1-2 days before cooking. But if you thaw your marinated pork in a bowl of cold water or the microwave, it is advised to cook it immediately afterward.
Conclusion
In this brief guide, we answered the question “how long can marinated pork stay in the fridge” with an in-depth analysis of the shelf life of marinated pork in the fridge freezer and at room temperature. Moreover, we discussed the proper way of vacuum-sealing marinated pork at home.
