How Long Does Ham Last in Fridge?

Ham is a vacuous food used in most households nowadays. But due to ham’s size mostly, a small family can’t finish it during a single meal. After a happy mealtime, mostly the question about leftover ham that rises is, how long does ham last in the fridge, and whether storing it in the fridge is a good idea?

In this article, we will be discussing the possible options for storing different hams, such as deli meat ham, whole hams, and canned hams. But, first, let’s understand how to tell if ham goes bad?

When Does Ham Go Bad?

Never believe your eyes when it comes to testing ham’s freshness and stability; always throw it away even if it looks fresh but has been stored beyond the expiry date. You can also not use it if it’s been in the open air for too long.

If you don’t know the expiry date, you must thoroughly inspect it. Check for any portion of meat that seems grayish or slimy or develops any strange smell. Even the slightest bad odor makes your ham inedible.

How Long Does Ham Last in the Fridge and Freezer?

Ham is a dominant ingredient in many snacks; therefore, people like to keep ham handy. In addition, ham slices are used in sandwiches for children’s lunches. And it goes well with any meal. These are the reasons that may force you to stockpile it.

According to the research, ham that has not been cooked in any way can stay good in the refrigerator or be preserved at 40 degrees F for up to 5 days. While in freezers, it may last for six good months. However, refrigerated food acts differently to metabolism, and consuming such food might lead to many intestinal problems.

Cooked Ham can be stored in the refrigerator for 4 days, and in the freezer, it stays good for four whole months. Whereas cured Ham can be refrigerated for 7 days, you can freeze it for four months.

Factor Affecting Ham’s Storage

Many factors decide the duration of ham’s storage, such as what type of ham you want to store, how it was prepared, humidity and temperature, how the ham is contained, or the material of the container. All these factors affect ham’s durability.

Tips for Storing Ham for a Longer Period

• Always place meat in the corner of your fridge
• You can store canned ham at room temperature but store it in a dry and clean place
• Store the leftover Ham in an airtight container, or freezer bag, it saves meat from drying, and its smell won’t escape into other items in the fridge

Recipes for you

Try these recipes for a healthy meal every time. These recipes are lighter on the stomach, their simple ingredients make them easy to prepare, and their taste beats other items on the menu.

• Brown Rice Noodles With Peanut Sauce
• Baked Salmon Recipe
• Wegmans Teriyaki Salmon Recipe
• Brown Rice Quinoa Pasta
• Indian Brown Rice Recipe

Conclusion

If you are fond of meat or ham, then you want to store it, and it’s natural; in this busy life, we want to consume food that has fewer storage limitations, can be stored for a long period, and can be consumed after little preparation. That makes ham perfect for consumption, and you just have to remember that freezing is way better than refrigerating it. I hope you were happy to find that you can store ham for a longer period with these tips