If you don’t plan to cook raw pork within 2 days of purchasing, it should be frozen until needed. Once frozen, the original use-by-date is superseded by the new frozen date so remember to label with one at the time of freezing.

Depending on the cut, pork can be kept in the freezer for up to 8 months

Large pork joints can be left in their original packaging then placed into an airtight freezer bag, labelled with the date and placed in the freezer for 6 to 8 months. Mince and smaller cuts should be double wrapped in heavy-duty cling film or foil then placed in an airtight container or freezer bag and these can be safely frozen for 4 to 6 months.

It’s a good idea to write the new use-by-date on the freezer packaging and rotate food in your freezer to ensure the oldest meat is used first.

Defrosting pork safely

Frozen pork can become unsafe to eat if the meat’s temperature is allowed to exceed 5℃ during thawing. Temperature rises create the perfect conditions for bacteria to thrive and could cause a foodborne illness if the meat is eaten.

Follow these steps to guarantee safe pork defrosting:

Pork defrosted in the fridge

Thaw frozen pork on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator overnight before cooking it within 2 days. If you can’t cook it within this time you can refreeze the raw meat but be aware freezing twice may compromise the quality.

Pork defrosted in the microwave

Pork defrosted in the microwave must be cooked immediately after microwave thawing as this defrosting process can dangerously raise the temperature of the meat. For this same reason, never refreeze pork defrosted by this method.

Identifying pork that’s unsafe to eat

Before you cook defrosted pork, check if it is still safe to eat. If it's discoloured with a grey/greenish hue and has a strong odour, indicating it has begun to spoil. The surface may feel slimy or sticky to the touch and may be sitting in a pool of liquid. This pork is unsafe to eat and should be thrown out.

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