How Long Is Cooked Pork Good In a Fridge? [COMPREHENSIVE ANSWER]

When cooking pork, there is almost no possibility of having leftovers. However, if they remain, you would not want to waste them. Instead, you will immediately opt for storing the remains. So, how long is cooked pork good in the fridge?

Cooked pork that is well stored can last for about three to four days in a fridge. It will only stay this long if you keep the temperature below 40 degrees F. The fridge will only slow down the growth of bacteria in your meat, but it won’t stop them from growing. Therefore USDA advises people to eat their stored cooked pork within the first three to four days of storage.

Notably, the fridge does not inhibit the growth of bacteria but only slows down their growth. Moreover, failing to keep the temperature in the fridge below 40 degrees F constantly will compromise the storage process. Read on for adequate details on how to store your cooked pork ideally.

How Long is Cooked Pork Good in the Fridge?

As mentioned earlier, cooked pork can stay fresh and flavorful in the fridge for three to four days. However, sometimes the period can be shorter if something like the temperature is kept over 40 degrees F. In addition, various types of cooked pork may have varying lengths of staying in the fridge fresh. 

Pulled Pork

Thoroughly cooked pulled pork can stay fresh in the fridge for about two to five days before freezing. Do not worry about the taste or moisture. If you store it well and in the right conditions, it will remain juicy and tasty, just like when you first cooked it. Storing the pulled pork for more than five days may go bad. Hence not safe for human consumption.

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Pork Tenderloin

Cooked pork tenderloin can stay in the fridge for three to four days without going bad. What does this mean? That means you should eat your cooked pork tenderloin between the first four days of storage or freeze it immediately. However, when storing your pork in the fridge, ensure that you store it in the coldest parts of your fridge.

Pork Chops

The period that pork chops can stay in a fridge without going bad is mainly based on the type of cut, the storage package, and the storage temperatures. Well-preserved pork chops can stay in a fridge for four to five days under 40 degrees F. Nonetheless, to guarantee that you get them in a suitable condition, for instance, to ensure that they do not dry out, they should be wrapped tightly in a bag that does not allow air to get in or out of the pork chops. Maintain the temperatures at 40 degrees F or less.

Cooked Pork Roast

The cooked pork roast can stay in the fridge for three to four days without going bad. Notably, this happens when the pork roasts are well stored. You would want to find your cooked pork roast juicy and full of flavor. To achieve this, ensure that you wrap them tightly in a storage bag, either a plastic wrap or aluminum foil.

How Long Is Cooked Pork Good in the Freezer?

If you want to store your cooked pork for longer, you should consider storing it in a freezer. Here is how long each type of cooked meat will last in a freezer:

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Pulled Pork

If you do not want to eat your cooked pulled pork within the first five days, then it could be better if you freeze the meat. In a freezer, cooked pulled pork can last six to eight months. Nevertheless, you should understand that when you freeze cooked pulled pork, the freezing process will dry out the moisture in the pork. Thus, always add any leftover pulled pork juices to your freezing bag.

Pork Tenderloin

Cooked pork tenderloin can stay in a freezer for about three months when stored under 0 degrees F. However, it would help if you tightly wrapped the pork tenderloin in a storage bag that does not allow moisture to escape. However, the longer you freeze the meat, the dryer it tends to be.

Pork Chops

Pork chops tend to be different from other meat cuts. You can store your cooked pork chops in a freezer for as long as possible. Nevertheless, itis prudent to remember that it would only stay fresh within the first four months, and any time above comes with degraded quality. If your cooked pork chops remain still warm, you should place them in a fridge to cool down, then move them to the freezer.

Cooked Pork Roast

Cooked pork roast can stay in a freezer for months. When properly stored and wrapped using the best bags that do not allow moisture to dry out, they can stay fresh and of good quality for two to three months. Also, even after three months, the meat is still safe for anyone to eat. Meat with a sour smell is not safe. Hence, you discard it immediately. Improper storage can result in such undesirable scenarios.

How to Tell if Pork is Bad

Storing pork in a fridge or a freezer is among the best ways to ensure you do not waste it. However, anything can happen, resulting in the meat quickly going bad. Understanding the following tale-tell signs will help you tell when pork is bad to avoid food poisoning, among other health dangers.

Appearance

You can quickly notice pork by looking at it when pork is bad. Spoilt pork looks dull, with some grey patches all over its surface. Note this, inside your pork, it might still be pink, but if the outside looks otherwise, that is still not good pork to eat. Fresh pork is always pink on the surface, lighter than beef but darker than chicken. If your meat looks otherwise, discard it.

Smell

This is the most apparent sign of whether your pork is still good. Once you open the storage package of your pork from the fridge or the freezer, sniff it. If you get a sour smell, then the pork is bad. Fresh pork does not have any bad smell or odor. Spoilt pork smells like ammonia, something sour, and it is unpleasant.

Feel

Appearance and smell are easy to find because they are the simplest common senses of human nature. If you can’t smell or see any differences in the surface of your pork, then do the touch test. If your pork tends to feel a little wet on the surface, it is still fine and in good condition.

On the other hand, if your pork feels slimy and stretchy, it isn’t good, and you should not eat it in any situation. You should never be confused, fresh pork feels wet and firm to the touch, but bad pork is slimy and stretchy. Furthermore, if your pork is dehydrated and mushy, do not eat it; instead, ensure that you properly throw it away.

Final Thoughts

If you plan to eat your pork within the first five days, it is safe in a fridge, but if you need it in the next three months, freeze it. However, to ensure that your cooked pork remains fresh and safe to eat, wrap it properly and store it in a fridge under 40 degrees F or less and in a freezer at 0 degrees F. You can visit https://ask.usda.gov/s/article/How-long-can-you-keep-cooked-pork for more information.