Day: March 23, 2025

A hand holds an open foam tray of ground beef beside a kitchen sink, plastic wrap peeled back, skillet and onions on the counter.
Meat & Poultry

How To Tell If Ground Beef Is Bad?

The short version Bad ground beef is slimy, sticky, gray-brown throughout, or smells sour, rotten, or ammonia-like. Fresh ground beef may be bright red outside and brownish inside. When cooked, ground beef must reach 160°F; don’t taste it to check safety. How To Tell If Ground Beef Is Bad comes down to 3 checks: smell,