How and where to store chicken meat correctly?

The rules for storing chicken meat practically do not differ from the conditions applied to meat products. Staying at room temperature for a long time will shorten the shelf life, so it is better to refrigerate the chicken before starting the cooking process.

Traditional ways of storing chicken meat:

• cooling;
• freezing.

In stores, chicken meat is cooled in several ways: by air, water and airborne droplets. In the first case, cold air is a way to preserve the freshness of meat, in the second – cold water, in the third – the chicken is first immersed in a liquid of low temperature, and then cooled with air. The principles of such procedures can be carried out at home. It is not recommended to freeze chicken meat after cooling in water.

Features of chilled chicken storage

Chicken meat can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. If you maintain a constant cooling temperature at 0 degrees, then the shelf life can be extended to 10-12 days.

Chicken cooling nuances:

• it is better not to store chicken meat in an open form and not to allow it to come into contact with other food products (chicken is considered a perishable product, if particles of dishes that have already begun to deteriorate get on it, then the meat will become unusable faster than the specified period);
• in containers, chicken meat remains fresh for 2 days more than in a bag or cling film (in a container up to 5 days, in cling film – 2-3 days);
• if chicken meat is planned to be stored in a bag, then all the air must be released before placing it in the refrigerator;
• chicken meat quickly absorbs the smell of other products, so it must be isolated using containers, other containers or cling film;
• packaging for storing chicken meat must be moisture resistant and airtight.

Features of storing chicken meat in the freezer

In the freezer, chicken meat can be stored for up to a year at a temperature of -18 to -24 degrees, and at a mark of -5 degrees – only a month. The freezing process is carried out with individual pieces or with a whole chicken, it does not matter. A prerequisite in this case is the creation of appropriate packaging for meat (containers or cling film).

Preparation process for freezing chicken meat:

• you cannot wash chicken meat before freezing;
• pieces or carcass of chicken must be wiped dry with paper towels;
• in the freezer, the chicken can be stored in bags (cling film) or in containers;
• foil can be used for packing pieces of chicken meat;
• You can freeze the chicken after storage at room temperature for several hours or in the refrigerator for no more than two days, otherwise it is better to cook the meat and not freeze it.

How to extend the shelf life of chicken meat

There are several additional ways to keep your chicken fresh. For example, if you plan to store chicken in the refrigerator for several days, ice will help you do this more efficiently. Put the pieces of ice in a bowl, put the meat in them and lightly sprinkle it on top with ice cubes. In the refrigerator, the ice will not melt and the chicken will stay fresh for several days.

Other additional ways to store chicken meat:

• in a towel dipped in vinegar, chicken meat will remain fresh for 5 days;
• in a salt and pepper marinade, chicken meat can be stored for 3 days;
• you can preserve the freshness of chicken meat using an enamel dish with a lid, the bottom and walls of which are greased with vinegar (chicken meat is placed in such a container, closed with a lid and sent to the refrigerator for storage).