In this article, we will answer the question "How long can you keep beef stew in the fridge?", and how to cook, freeze, thaw and reheat beef stew?

How long can you keep beef stew in the fridge?

Beef stew will stay fresh for 3-4 days in the fridge if cooked and stored properly. Freezing prolongs its shelf-life to 4-6 months. Beef stew stored in air-tight containers or heavy-duty freezer bags has an indefinite shelf-life If kept at a constant temperature of 0℉.

How long do leftovers last?

Category Food Refrigerator (40 °F or below) Freezer (0 °F or below)
Salads Egg, chicken, ham, tuna, & macaroni salads 3-5 days Does not freeze well
Hot dogs Opened packageUnopened package 1 week 2 weeks 1-2 months 1-2 months
Lunchmeat Opened package or deli-sliced Unopened package 3-5 days
2 weeks
1-2 months
1-2 months
Bacon and sausage Raw bacon Raw sausage made from chicken, turkey, pork, and beef 7 days 1-2 days 1 month1-2 months
Hamburger and other ground meats Raw hamburger, ground beef, turkey, veal, pork, lamb, and mixtures of them 1-2 days 3-4 months
Raw beef, veal, lamb, and pork Steaks ChopsRoasts 3-5 days 3-5 days 3-5 days 6-12 months 4-6 months 4-12 months
Raw poultry Chicken or turkey, whole chicken or turkey, pieces 1-2 days
1-2 days
1 year
9 months
Soups and stews leftovers Vegetable or meat addedCooked meat or poultry Chicken nuggets or patties Pizza 3-4 days
3-4 days
3-4 days
3-4 days
2-3 months
2-6 months
1-3 months
1-2 months

How to make beef stew?

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • ¼ tsp freshly ground pepper
  • 1 lb. beef stewing meat, trimmed and cut into inch cubes
  • 5 tsp vegetable oil
  • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1 cup red wine
  • 3 ½ cups beef broth, homemade or low-sodium canned
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
  • 5 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch rounds
  • 2 large baking potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
  • 2 tsp salt

Instructions

  1. Coat the beef in flour and pepper mixture. Grease a large pot with 3 tsp of oil and cook the beef until uniformly brown.
  1. Empty the pot of the beef and fill it with beef and wine. Scrape the bottom and sides of the pot using a wooden spoon. Pour the beef broth and stir in the beef and bay leaves.
  1. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil. Reduce the heat and let it simmer under a covered lid.
  1. Cook until beef is soft. It takes about 1 ½ hour. Skim the top after regular intervals. Simmer the onions in carrots for 10 minutes and potatoes for 30 minutes.

Pour more water or broth if needed. Sprinkle salt and pepper as per taste. Serve in 4 bowls with a ladle.

Storing and reheating beef stew

Pour the beef stew into an air-tight container and keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days. The taste of some veggies will become very bland after 3 days while the taste of others like onions will pop.

Add the spices to the reheated beef stew to adjust the taste before consuming. The safest way to thaw beef stew is to leave it overnight in the fridge. Reheating can be either done on the stovetop or in the microwave.

On the stovetop: Pour the thawed beef stew into a large pot. Add a splash of water to adjust consistency and promote uniform reheating.

Because the stew tends to get thicker with time due to added veggies. You can also add broth If you do not want to dilute the taste of the beef stew.

In the microwave: Transfer the thawed beef stew to a microwave-safe bowl and stick it in the mciowwave. Heat on high power for a few minutes until warm through. Stir and check after regular intervals to prevent over-heating.

Freezing beef stew

Beef stew freezes quite well. So, it is a good idea to make beef stew in a larger amount and save some for later.

Use heavy-duty plastic containers to freeze beef stew. Leave a space of ¼-½ inch at the top of the container. This is important because the beef stew, like any other liquid, will expand when frozen.

Refrain from adding potatoes during cooking if you intend to freeze the stew. Because potatoes turn mushy and grainy during freezing. Add cooked potatoes to the beef stew after reheating instead.

Other FAQs about Beef  that you may be interested in.

How long can you keep thawed ground beef in the fridge?

Can you refreeze ground beef after defrosting?

How long after the sell-by date is ground beef good?

Conclusion

In this article, we answeredhttps://www.amazon.com/Beef-Broth/s?k=Beef+Broth the question "How long can you keep beef stew in the fridge?", and how to cook, freeze, thaw and reheat beef stew?

References

https://www.stilltasty.com/fooditems/index/16499#:~:text=Properly%20stored%2C%20cooked%20beef%20stew,or%20heavy%2Dduty%20freezer%20bags

https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/4735-old-fashioned-beef-stew

https://www.statefoodsafety.com/Resources/Resources/when-to-throw-it-out-leftovers

https://www.bettycrocker.com/how-to/tipslibrary/cooking-tips/stew-the-complete-meal

Hi, I am Charlotte, I love cooking and in my previous life, I was a chef. I bring some of my experience to the recipes on this hub and answer your food questions.