Here's How Long Steak Really Stays Fresh In The Fridge

Leftover steak is a delicious meal that you shouldn't waste by throwing away, but how long you can safely stow steak in the fridge? Does cooked versus raw make a difference? What if the steak is marinated? We discussed all these questions with Russell Kook, executive chef of The Bellevue in Chicago. "[H]onestly, I don't trust leftover steak past two days," says chef Kook. "After that, the texture and flavor just aren't the same." He didn't specify whether he was talking about raw or cooked steak, but when it comes to proper storage, there actually isn't much of a difference. Experts say that cooked steak will last up to five days in the fridge, and four for raw steak. This is strictly in terms of safety reasons — when it comes to flavor, like chef Kook pointed out, you'll certainly want to stash it in the refrigerator for much less time.

So much variance goes into packaging a raw steak that it can be hard to pinpoint its potential lifespan. Was the steak freshly cut when you bought it, such as from a butcher's shop? That gives it a longer life. How was it packaged? Chef Kook uses a vacuum seal to preserve freshness — "that usually buys me an extra day," he says — but meat wrapped in butcher paper or plastic won't go as far. Is the steak marinated? Beware, as the same acids that make your steak tender can also turn the meat mushy if you leave marinated beef in the fridge for too long.

To make your cooked beef last longer in the fridge, make sure that you wrap it properly. But, ultimately, it doesn't matter whether you have blue rare steak or well-done filet; you are only getting a handful of days from the meat. The best way to safeguard your leftovers is to swaddle the meat carefully and thoroughly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and then package it in an airtight container. This will not only keep your steak from drying out, but will prevent unwanted smells from the fridge from getting into the meat. Always make sure that you label your leftovers with the date so that you know just how long the calendar has moved forward in relation to your food.

Reheating steak is a delicate matter, and the oven or grill are your best bets. If you use the oven, a low temperature is best to prevent tough, dry meat. You need not cook the meat further than it is already cooked; properly stored leftover rare steak should be okay to stay red as long as its internal temperature is sufficient for eating. It might also do well incorporated into an entirely new dish. If you have leftover steak, why not repurpose it into some delicious steak pizzaiola? The sauce will help keep the meat moist and delicious, and the ingredients are probably already in your kitchen.