How To Store A Steak After Opening The Package & Keep It In The Fridge

Last Updated on July 25, 2018 by Rohit the Great

Imagine, you just get back from the supermarket loaded with a good few steak packages. They are all nicely sealed in the protective atmosphere – it helps immensely to keep them fresh for longer.

Then you decided to cook that massive rib eye, but then you realized that, oh no, you will not be able to eat all of it at one go, so let’s open the package, divide the steak into two pieces, cook one of them and…H

How do I store the second one?

If you are anything like me, the above story would probably never happen to you (I can’t not eat the steak), but I would definitely store unpackaged cuts in the fridge.

So what’s the best way to keep it fresh and flavorful?

How Do I Store A Steak In The Fridge After Opening The Package?

In the given situation, there are basically two alternatives.

First – freeze it so it stays fresh for longer. If that sounds like a plan for you, please see how to keep steak for long-term in the freezer.

Second – keep it in the fridge. And this is the one I would like to help you with here.

The general advice is to take the meat out of the supermarket packaging, rewrap it using freezer/waxed butcher paper (even if you keep it in the fridge) and store on the lowest shelf in your refrigerator up till the ‘use by’ date on the packaging (note however that once you unpack the steak its shelf life might actually reduce – it’s not in the protective atmosphere anymore).

Given that the steak is fresh, this method will help you to preserve it for another 2-4 days (more likely 4 than 2, given the care).

Freezer paper is especially good since it stops moisture escaping the meat – something that we want to keep in any steak, so it stays as juicy as possible once it’s cooked. So if you haven’t yet seen how to wrap the steak for freezing (and refrigerating).

However there is another technique which I use. It’s kind of a lazier, more economical and nearly hustle-free version. Try using it if you buy steaks in similar to mine (see the pic) packaging.

And here is what the solution would look like:

Right, what have I done here?

The idea is to reuse (as much as possible) the packaging.

You would need to carefully open the pack on the first place, so that you can later use the film on the top to roll up the steak with it.

Remember, the idea is to keep the air out, so wrap as well as you can. Here is another perspective of what it would look like:

As you can see, this ‘lazy’ method is a good way to keep beef fresh while avoiding all the repackaging hustle.

More Ways For Storing Opened Steak

Other way of storing the steak after opening is marinating. It’s like taking the best of the two world – marinades help to both, preserve the steak for longer and tenderize/enhance its flavor to a certain extent.

See how to marinate steak here.

And now please tell me – how do you keep the steak fresh for longer? Is there anything I missed? Please your comments and questions below – thank you!

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Find other useful tips for cooking steaks:

Ready To Enjoy That Juicy Tender Steak Every Single Time?

1. Get the Best Steak. Cooking steak to perfection is only 50% of success!
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