How to store shish kebab
Tasty and juicy meat that smells like a fire is usually eaten immediately, piping hot. But there are situations when you need to know how to store kebab already prepared. This could be outdoors, when everyone has already eaten and the company still needs communication and entertainment. Or you marinated the meat, but for some reason did not go out into the countryside, the question also arises of how long and how to properly store raw shish kebab.
The most important things about storing shish kebab
Without a refrigerator, raw kebab cannot be stored for more than 2 hours.
Depending on the marinade, raw kebab can last up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
Ready kebab and marinated meat can be stored in the freezer for 3 months.
How to store marinated shish kebab
Marinated meat can be prepared at home or bought ready-made in the supermarket. Prepared marinated kebab should be stored in the refrigerator, since at this temperature the properties of the marinade are preserved. Storing marinated kebab in the refrigerator depends on the type of marinade you chose to prepare the meat:
- marinated barbecue meat in mayonnaise and kefir should be stored for 1 day;
- marinated kebab with the addition of vinegar, onion or lemon juice should be stored for up to 3 days.
The temperature at which marinated barbecue meat should be stored in the refrigerator is no higher than +5°C.
It is worth noting that the composition of the marinade affects how long shish kebab can be stored in the refrigerator. Products such as onions, garlic, and a mixture of peppers have antibacterial properties and thereby increase the shelf life of finished marinated meat. Also, soaked kebab will be stored longer if you use iodized salt instead of regular salt.
The shelf life of marinated shish kebab in the refrigerator is also affected by the choice of container in which the meat is stored. The container in which marinated shish kebab can be stored must be enameled, and in no case metal, as the acid will react with the metal and this will cause spoilage of the meat.
Often shish kebab is bought ready-marinated in bulk or in vacuum packaging. If you bought marinated meat by weight, then such kebab should be stored for no more than 1 day, regardless of the marinade, since the exact cooking time cannot be known to the buyer. And the finished marinated kebab in a vacuum bucket should be stored within the expiration date and temperature conditions specified by the manufacturer.
It is also worth remembering that kebab in kefir brine cannot be stored for a long time, as fermented milk products tend to peroxidize. The same applies to meat marinated in mayonnaise. If you cannot store the kebab in the refrigerator for longer than the specified time, pack it in vacuum bags.
Shish kebab can be stored in a refrigerator in a vacuum container for no more than 7 days, provided that the storage temperature is no higher than +5°C. Vacuum-packed kebab can also be stored in the freezer. To do this, it must be frozen at a temperature no higher than -18°C and stored for up to three months.
Do you properly preserve and store your products?
Of course, this is very important because your health may suffer.
44.44%
No, what could happen besides diarrhea?
18.75%
We store it as it turns out, we don’t really think about how and what is right.
36.81%
Voted: 288
If you don’t have special vacuum bags, you can store frozen kebab in zipper bags. Packaged meat should be placed in bags and, after squeezing out the air, stored in the freezer for no longer than 3 months.
How long can chicken last in the refrigerator?
According to the USDA, raw chicken can be stored in the refrigerator for about 1-2 days. The same goes for raw turkey and other poultry (1).
Do you use expired food for cooking at home?
Yes, the main thing is to process it if it is meat or expired kefir for pancakes.
27.12%
No, it is very dangerous and not useful.
37.57%
If the products have fungus or mold, then we throw them away; if they are a couple of days past their expiration date, we use them for food, even without heat or other treatment.
35.31%
Voted: 1637
Meanwhile, cooked (boiled, stewed, and fried) chicken can be stored in the refrigerator for about 3 to 4 days (1).
Storing chicken in the refrigerator helps slow bacterial growth, as bacteria tend to grow more slowly at temperatures below 4°C (2, 3).
Additionally, it's best to store thawed raw chicken in an airtight container to prevent its juices from leaking and contaminating other foods. Cooked chicken should also be stored in an airtight container (4).
If you need to store chicken for longer than a few days, it is best to store it in the freezer.
Raw chicken can be stored in the freezer for up to 9 months, and a whole chicken can be frozen for up to one year. Cooked chicken can be stored in the freezer for 2–6 months (1, 2).
Raw chicken can be stored in the refrigerator for 1-2 days, and cooked chicken can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Chicken is considered the main meat product in many families. However, this healthy and tasty source of protein has a high risk of bacterial contamination. This is why it is important to prepare, store and cook food properly, otherwise it can become a source of foodborne illness.
Storing food in the refrigerator is convenient, but many people wonder how long you can store chicken in the refrigerator (raw and cooked).
This article will help you understand how long it is safe to store chicken in your refrigerator.
How to store finished shish kebab
Ready meat brought home should be placed in an enamel bowl or placed in a deep earthenware plate, then wrapped in several layers of cling film. In this form, the period for which shish kebab can be stored in the refrigerator is up to 3 days at a temperature not exceeding +5°C.
You can also freeze the finished shish kebab. To do this, you need to put it in a bag, squeeze the air out of it and store it in the freezer at a temperature no higher than -18°C for up to 3 months.
The juiciness of the finished defrosted kebab can be restored if you first defrost the meat in the microwave, then wrap it in foil and place it in a switched off oven preheated to 200°C for 15 minutes.
Freezer
Ready kebab and marinated meat can be frozen. Then the meat will be preserved for a longer period: up to three months.
To prevent the meat from losing its taste, it must be removed from the marinade, all herbs and spices removed and dried with towels. There should be as little moisture as possible on the kebab, since when frozen, the liquid expands and breaks the fibers of the meat, thereby making it dry and tough after defrosting.
After you have removed the moisture, the meat needs to be packed very tightly in a bag; you can use a zip bag, squeezing out all the air from it. For grilled kebab, this point is also important.
You make the resulting package as flat and compact as possible, preventing air from getting into the bag, and put it in the freezer.
When you need the kebab, you need to slowly defrost it by transferring the package from the freezer to the refrigerator and leaving it overnight. After this, wrap the meat in foil and heat in a hot oven. Then the finished kebab will retain the maximum amount of moisture.
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How to store kebab without refrigeration
Raw meat cannot be stored outdoors for a long time without refrigeration, so the question arises of where to store marinated meat without refrigeration.
The storage time for raw kebab marinated in vinegar and other marinade in hot weather is no more than 2 hours, in a shaded place. Therefore, try to immediately light a fire to fry the meat, then it will be more convenient and longer to store the kebab hot or warm, in its ready-made form.
Outdoors, marinated kebab is best stored in a cooler bag. In this form it can stand for up to 6 hours. If you don’t have a special cooler bag, you can put the marinated meat in a durable plastic bag for transportation and store it in such a container for no more than 3 hours. Upon arrival, you should store the container with marinated kebab in a cool place, avoiding direct sunlight.
Storing kebab
Meat in production is produced in carcasses, half-carcasses, and quarters, which in commercial enterprises are divided into cuts that have different technological properties and nutritional value. But buyers prefer meat in the form of various semi-finished products. They are becoming increasingly popular among the population due to their quick and easy preparation at home. One of the popular semi-finished meat products is shish kebab.
However, the majority of semi-finished meat products entering the market often bypass the state control and certification procedures established by law and are made from low-grade raw materials using various harmful additives (fillers, preservatives, artificial colors, etc.).
Semi-finished products are transported and stored in retail establishments inappropriately, often without observing standard temperature conditions.
Methods and periods for storing shish kebab
The shelf life of raw kebab depends on the quality of the raw materials used. Regardless of what type of meat will be used, it is important that it is fresh.
The freshness of meat can be determined by a number of organoleptic parameters:
• The color of fresh beef meat should be moderately red. Lamb meat has a rich scarlet color. Pork and veal have a lighter, pinkish hue. The fat should be white. Only the white color of the fat guarantees freshness; any yellowish tints indicate that the meat is old. The more yellow the fat, the worse the piece of meat.
• When cut, the meat should be moist, but not sticky. Meat juice should not have color, but be transparent.
• The consistency is moderately elastic.
• The smell is specific to each type of meat, it should be pleasant, without mustiness.
Poultry shashlik is made mainly from the sirloin part of the cut. By-products can also serve as raw materials. A dietary product can be considered kebab, made from the meat of fish of various breeds: sturgeon, salmon, and seafood such as shrimp and squid.
If you are confident in the quality of the selected meat, then kebab from it can be stored for 24 to 48 hours at a temperature of 2 to 4 degrees Celsius.
As the temperature decreases, the shelf life of pork kebab increases. When the thermometer reaches a negative temperature below 18 degrees, the shelf life of frozen kebab can increase to 2 months .
How long can you store chicken in the refrigerator?
The shelf life of chicken on the refrigerator shelf depends on the temperature maintained inside, as well as the freshness of the original product.
Temperature standards and shelf life:
- 7–10 degrees – up to 24 hours;
- 4–7 degrees – up to 48 hours;
- 0–4 degrees – 72 hours;
- from -2 to 0 degrees – no more than 4 days.
Overall
According to experts, it is necessary to store and prepare only high-quality, fresh products. If you purchased more meat than you need for cooking, freeze it immediately, because chilled chicken on the refrigerator shelf can be stored for a maximum of 4 days.
When you need to store a whole carcass, choose the right container. This can be a substrate covered with cling film on top, a glass container with an airtight lid, a durable plastic bag, or a plastic food container.
Tips for extending shelf life:
- soak a cotton cloth in vinegar, wrap it around the carcass, place it inside a plastic bag (the period will last up to 6 days);
- to preserve the meat for 5 days, rub the carcass with a mixture of salt and ground black pepper (this will be a marinade that requires further preparation of a hot dish);
- keep the meat inside an enamel container, pre-treating its walls with vinegar.
In the butchered
Store the cut carcass according to the same rules as the whole product. Experts say that cut boneless chicken stores better and longer.
How to properly store marinated kebab
It is worth noting that the composition of the marinade affects the shelf life of kebab in the marinade in the refrigerator. Foods such as onions, garlic and peppers can significantly increase their shelf life due to their chemical properties. Therefore, they must be added to the marinade.
• Wine marinade . Wine added to meat speeds up the marinating process. It is worth considering that the shelf life with this marinating process is also reduced.
• Beer marinade or marinade with kvass. Like wine, using beer in the marinade will help speed up the marinating of the kebab due to its alcohol content. But a side effect is a decrease in the shelf life of kebab.
• Marinades with lemon, vinegar . The shelf life of barbecue made with vinegar is not very long. Citric and acetic acids, like any others, significantly reduce the shelf life of beef kebabs, for the reason that they corrode the protein fibers that meat is so rich in. But the advantage of using acids is the quick marinating of kebab.
• Mayonnaise marinade . Opinions vary regarding the use of this product in marinades. Mayonnaise is a fairly fatty product, but do not forget that it contains both citric acid and vinegar. And as already mentioned above, it is not advisable to use these components if you plan to have a long shelf life for the kebab in mayonnaise.
• Mineral water . Carbon dioxide contained in mineral water penetrates well into meat fibers and softens the kebab. It becomes moderately loose in a fairly short time. But, again, shelf life is significantly reduced.
• Kefir, tan, ayran . The use of fermented milk products can reduce the shelf life by several times, because these products themselves have a short shelf life of kebab in kefir.
• Vegetable oil . If you want to marinate meat for as long as possible, then using vegetable oil is an excellent choice. Together with spices, garlic and onions, the oil will give the kebab a good taste. And preserves it a little.
• Tropical marinade . Not so long ago, fruits began to be used in the preparation of marinades for barbecue. Kiwi and pineapples are most often used. These fruits are champions for tenderizing meat, so it is recommended to use them in preparing beef skewers, which are quite tough. But due to its aggressive effect on meat, the maximum shelf life of fruit kebab is 2 hours.
It is recommended to store marinated meat in glass containers. To do this, you can use glass jars of different sizes. Enameled cookware must have no chips in the enamel. You can use stainless steel dishes or earthenware as storage containers.
How to marinate shish kebab in 30 minutes: recipes with tomato and soy sauce
Ready-made sauces are excellent marinating aids. Most often, they can act as an independent marinade for barbecue and do not require the addition of spices. Thanks to their composition, they quickly soften the meat and give it a piquant taste.
Tomato marinade for pork skewers
It can be made from fresh tomatoes or tomato paste. Pour the meat with tomato paste or gruel from crushed fresh tomatoes, add a little lemon juice, seasonings and herbs to taste and go light the fire. By the time the coals burn out, the meat will be ready for grilling. As an option “for the lazy,” you can use ready-made marinades, spicy tomato sauces and even adjika.
Soy sauce marinade for shish kebab
This recipe is also easy to prepare. The amount of ingredients is indicated per 1 kg of raw meat; seasonings can be varied to taste.
- Soy sauce – 70 ml.
- Onions – 250 g.
- Fresh parsley – 15 g.
- Oregano – 5–7 g.
- Basil – 5–7 g.
- Allspice – 5–7 g.
- Salt and seasoning for meat - to taste.
1. Cut the meat into equal pieces, place in a bowl for marinating, add all the spices except salt. Stir until the seasoning evenly coats the meat pieces.
2. Cut the onion into half rings, chop the parsley coarsely. Add the onion and parsley to the meat, stir well to release the juice.
3. Add soy sauce and mix well again: it is important that the sauce gets on every piece of meat. Cover the container with a lid and marinate the kebab at room temperature for 30 minutes, or in the refrigerator for about 2 hours.
This marinade is great for poultry meat - chicken or turkey. And if you marinate pieces of chicken with skin (wings, thighs or legs) with it, you are guaranteed an appetizing golden brown crust and juicy meat.
Extending the shelf life of shish kebab
There are a number of products that can extend the shelf life of kebab. Products with antibacterial properties can extend the shelf life of turkey kebab without refrigeration. Such products include onions, garlic, various types of peppers (black, red, pink, white, allspice). The second most important components that can extend the shelf life of marinated kebab are preservatives. The most famous and common preservative is salt, which we all know. You can use both simple table salt (sodium chloride), and glutamic acid salts (monosodium glutamate), iodized sea salt. It doesn’t matter whether it is coarse or finely ground salt.
Organize your kebab storage wisely. This will allow you to enjoy all the colors of the taste of this dish in the future.
Shelf life of shish kebab in the refrigerator
3-5 days
Shelf life of kebab in the freezer
2 months
Shelf life of shish kebab at room temperature
18-24 hours
3-5 days
The three most popular questions about marinade and their answers
How many onions do you need for 1 kg of meat?
Popular wisdom says: you can’t spoil shish kebab with onions. After all, it is responsible not only for the taste, but also for the softness of the meat. Aim for approximately 0.5 kg of onion per 1 kg of meat. To make the meat juicier, the onion can be grated or chopped in a blender. However, more often it is cut into rings or quarters and then fried separately.
Is it necessary to salt meat for barbecue?
You can salt kebab only immediately before cooking, or shortly before. It is better to use coarse salt. If you salt the meat heavily in advance, the kebab will most likely be dry.
How long does it take to marinate shish kebab?
A question that causes a lot of controversy among lovers of fried meat. Experienced barbecue makers claim that there is no need to marinate meat in principle, so as not to spoil the natural taste and aroma. According to their technology, it is enough to lightly salt and pepper the shish kebab pieces - and you can string them onto skewers. However, this method is only suitable for fresh, fresh meat, the quality of which you are 100% sure of. It is still better to marinate store-bought meat so that the kebab turns out juicy and soft, and at the same time acquires a rich aroma.
Chicken kebab can be marinated in just half an hour. But kebab made from pork, lamb or beef requires more time - on average about 1-2 hours of marinating. If the meat has been in the freezer for a long time or you are fundamentally unsure of its freshness, it is better to increase the marinating time. In this case, chicken kebab should be kept in the marinade for at least 2 hours, pork kebab - 4 hours, and beef and lamb even longer - from 6 hours. This way the fried meat will be tasty and soft.
Some recipes require marinating shish kebab for a long time – up to two days. There is no need to be afraid of this: the meat will not become worse and will not sour thanks to the antibacterial properties of fresh onions in marinades.
And one more rule that is important to remember: you can marinate meat at room temperature, but if the recipe involves a long marinating process, it is better to put the kebab in the refrigerator. Especially when we talk about cooking meat in the summer season.
How long can marinated fish kebab be stored in the refrigerator?
Fish is an extremely perishable product, so the time for storing marinated kebab from mackerel, salmon or other fish is a maximum of 2 days or 48 hours. Sea salt, spices and lemon juice are most often used as a marinade. This mixture preserves the fish and removes the specific aroma, so you may not know that the product has spoiled. Fish and seafood poisoning is considered one of the most severe types of eating disorders, so if you have the slightest doubt about the quality of the product, throw it away immediately.
When storing pork kebab, it all depends on the marinade. This meat can be tough, so it is marinated with onion and vinegar. This marinade impregnates the fibers and preserves them, which makes the product have a long shelf life.
Marinated kebab
Raw meat should not be stored in marinade without refrigeration. At room temperature, it is possible to transport meat to the picnic site in a couple of hours. But keep in mind that in the car, even in not too hot weather, bags with food heat up and their temperature exceeds 20 degrees, can reach 30 and even 40. It is especially dangerous to carry barbecue without special packaging in the summer, when bags with food heat up in the trunk of the car to 50 degrees. Here the meat will not stand even for an hour; pathogenic bacteria in it will begin to multiply very quickly.
Therefore, you need to transport marinated kebab in a cooler bag; it is advisable to put a cold battery in it. If you don’t have it, you can put a package of frozen meat or chicken in the bag; in the refrigerator bag they will defrost for quite a long time, at least 4-5 hours, and will maintain the desired temperature so that the kebab remains chilled.
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If you put the kebab in the refrigerator, then it should be in the marinade. The shelf life will depend on the marinade. If you simply pour unsweetened carbonated water, kefir or mayonnaise over the spiced meat, then it will be able to “last” for 1 day. If the marinade contains acid, vinegar or lemon juice, this will delay the growth of pathogenic bacteria, and the meat can be stored for no longer than 3 days.
But you need to be careful, storing shish kebab in a marinade is not good for its taste. The meat may absorb too much acid. If you used kiwi or pineapples as a marinade (fruit marinades are now very popular because of their quick effect on meat), then in this case the kebab cannot be left in the marinade even overnight, since the fruit is too strong and can corrode the fibers meat and turn future kebab into jelly even in 8-10 hours. Therefore, we would not recommend storing raw meat with kiwi or pineapple. It's better to fry it right away.
If you marinated the kebab in a vinegar marinade, then long-term storage will not have a positive effect on the taste of the meat; it will contain too much acid.
It is important in what container you store raw kebab in the marinade. You need to put the meat in an enamel or glass container. Do not put shashlik in metal containers, as contact with metal can cause oxidation of the contents.
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Shelf life of marinated meat
On average, marinated meat is stored in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. The shelf life of beef, pork and chicken is not particularly different. The exact shelf life depends on what product the marinade is based on. For example, if the meat was marinated in fermented milk products or mayonnaise, then it will not be stored for a long time. There are also products that will help increase the shelf life of marinated kebab by 2-3 days.
In a refrigerator
If meat is marinated in mayonnaise or kefir, you should not keep it in the refrigerator for more than 48 hours. Such products quickly peroxidize and, as a result, the pickled product deteriorates.
How long does ready-made shish kebab last?
Cooked meat products can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To do this, it needs to be well packed in cling film. The temperature should not exceed +5°C, otherwise the shelf life will be reduced. Without a refrigerator, a fire-fried dish will not last more than 5 hours.
Cooked kebab can also be preserved by freezing in special vacuum packaging or bags. Thus, it can lie for up to 2 months.
Advice! To restore the juiciness of the kebab after freezing, you must first defrost it in the microwave, and then cook it in a turned off, well-heated oven for several minutes, after wrapping the kebab in foil.
If the picnic had to be postponed for several days, no problem. Appropriate products will help preserve raw kebab, including vinegar, lemon, onion, pepper and garlic. As a last resort, you can simply freeze it.
It is better to marinate meat in fermented milk products if the date of the picnic is precisely known. Since if you do not fry kebab marinated in natural mayonnaise or kefir on time, then after 3 days its shelf life will expire.
Video: how to marinate meat correctly
Video: how to marinate meat
- put the meat into bags;
- squeeze out all the air from the bags;
- zip it up and put it in the freezer.
