Is it OK to marinate chicken for a week?

Q: Is it safe to eat chicken thats been marinating for a week?

Theres a food-safety reason to avoid letting meat over-marinate as well: According to Federal Food Safety guidelines, raw chicken should only be stored in the refrigerator for one to two days (pork and beef are safe a little longer). After this, dangerous amounts of bacteria can grow, and you risk getting sick.

Q: What happens if you marinate chicken too long?

A marinades ingredients also factor into what will happen if you leave the chicken marinating for too long. Anything acidic could essentially cook the meat and break down the proteins within the meat, advises Danila. This makes it mushy-tasting, and it would ruin the meat before you make it!

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What Happens When Meat Marinates Too Long
How to Meal Prep Marinated Meats
Is it safe to eat chicken that's been marinating for a week?
Can chicken marinate in fridge for a week?
Is chicken still good after marinating for 3 days?
What happens if you marinate chicken too long?

I wrote recently about how Italian dressing is incredibly effective at marinating chicken — it’s something I learned from my mom when I was growing up. In that story, I also casually mentioned that my mom “kept her chicken marinating in the fridge all week,” in a bag that lived in the bottom of our fridge. She did it with the best of intentions; it was essentially her early version of meal prep.

If we were lucky, we’d have eaten through those chicken breasts by Wednesday. By Thursday or Friday they were unappetizing — even grilled or made in a slow cooker. And mom did everything she could to make them edible (my thrifty-by-need mom was not about to waste chicken). But by Friday, after a week swimming in marinade, the chicken was just no good.

If you’re prepping out your week and considering marinating chicken, you might be in the same boat. In theory, if chicken marinated overnight tastes better than it does after only an hour, then it should taste amazing after three days, right? Nope. You will end up with a squishy, mucky mess. It will taste like eating a sponge. Here’s what happens when you over-marinate, and how long you should actually let it sit for.

What Happens When Meat Marinates Too Long

Basic marinades are a combination of rich oil, salt, sugar, and a tangy acid. Lemon juice, vinegar, and yogurt are the most common acids, and they help tenderize and flavor the chicken as it sits. Tenderizing meat is great! It breaks down tougher muscle fiber and can make what would be a chewy piece of protein melt-in-the-mouth tender. But when that goes on too long, it becomes essentially melted-outside-the-mouth: The meat turns mushy.

There’s a food-safety reason to avoid letting meat over-marinate as well: According to Federal Food Safety guidelines, raw chicken should only be stored in the refrigerator for one to two days (pork and beef are safe a little longer). After this, dangerous amounts of bacteria can grow, and you risk getting sick. This is especially true when the meat is in contact with a bunch of other ingredients from all over the place (like in a marinade).

Long story short, you shouldn’t marinate meat for longer than 24 hours — less if you are marinating small pieces. I’ve personally found 12 hours to be the sweet spot, but you can also go shorter — as little as a three to four hours will do a lot. Certain factors will impact how long it takes a particular marinade to flavor (or, if left too long, deteriorate) chicken — the most salient being acid. Keep the 24-hour marinade window in mind for all meats, including pork tenderloin, flank steaks, and especially tender seafood like shrimp and salmon.

How to Meal Prep Marinated Meats

So what can a meal prep-minded person do, other than restricting all their meat-eating to Monday or Tuesday? There are options: Make your marinade during meal prep and then add in the meat the night before you plan to cook it. For a longer-term solution, toss chicken in a marinade and freeze it immediately. This stops the marinating process until you thaw it.

Lastly — and this move can be used when your meal plan changes, and you can’t cook something you’ve been marinating right away — remove the meat from its marinade and rinse it. You’ll still need to season it before cooking but you’ll save it from becoming inedibly mushy, and that’s something! Quick favor: Will someone else please send this to my mom?

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Nov 10, 2011 4,466,418 1,673

I generally use them within 3 days of thawing, even if they're refrigerated.

Nov 10, 2011 4,466,418 1,673

Yes. I wouldn't trust a chicken that's been thawed for a week, in general, thought it is probably safe to eat. However, the fact that it has been stewing in the marinade for a week means that, even if it is technically safe, it would probably taste horrible.

Nov 10, 2011 4,466,418 1,673

smell it, if it smells nasty don't eat it.

Nov 10, 2011 4,466,418 1,673

No. Unless it was frozen in the marinade you're either going to get sick or you're going to wish you hadn't eaten it because it's going to be gross.

Nov 10, 2011 4,466,418 1,673

wash the sand out of your vagina and throw those birds on the grill

Nov 10, 2011 4,466,418 1,673

if it was in a tupperware you are fine, meat can last way longer than that in a marinade. If it is a medium to strong marinade it will PROBABLY be way too strong, but if it was just like a small amount of spices and some oil it will be great.

Nov 10, 2011 4,466,418 1,673

Cook it give some to someone else and see if they are OK?

Nov 10, 2011 4,466,418 1,673

I've dry aged beef at home for a couple weeks.

Chicken hanging around that long in the fridge and I'd probably toss it and the container it's in just to avoid the potential odor.

Nov 10, 2011 4,466,418 1,673

IF it smells bad toss it .. if not eat it

just make sure you cook it to about 180

Nov 10, 2011 4,466,418 1,673

If you have to wonder about it, it's not worth it. Toss it.

Silver

Nov 10, 2011 4,466,418 1,673

it should be fine but could be too strong of a flavor.

Nov 10, 2011 4,466,418 1,673

"put bread on it"

It'll soak up the marinade and it'll be fine

I wouldn't worry about it spoiling if the marinade is highly acidic or salty.

If it's overpowered or not is another story...

Nov 10, 2011 4,466,418 1,673

As long as the chicken never went above 40F, you should be ok.

Although, the cost of new chicken/marinade is not bad compared to being sick from both ends for a day and having to go to the hospital to get an IV because you're dehydrated.

And you know what that means? The trip to the H means no toilet for X amount of time

Week old chicken, ARE YOU INSANE!

Throw it out.

Nov 10, 2011 4,466,418 1,673

I wouldn't worry about it spoiling if the marinade is highly acidic or salty.
If it's overpowered or not is another story...

I was going to say, what did you marinate it in? Probably something vinegar and salt based as those are the most prescribed for flavor and tenderness "inducing"......

I'd try it. In my opinion, it will probably turn out to be one the best tasting birds you have ever had. ;p

My only advice is to make sure it reaches an internal temperature well above 165 taken at the thigh...

Nov 10, 2011 4,466,418 1,673

I left some sweet tea out for about a week during the summer one time and then drank it...I wish I hadnt.

I was sick for days, never went to the hospital though.

Nov 10, 2011 4,466,418 1,673

if it was in anything but a marinade I would just cook the crap out of it if it smelled fine. In a marinade you are ok for a while. Burn it to the ground

Nov 10, 2011 4,466,418 1,673

Grill it, look at it, make a judgment call, then throw it out if you judge it wrong.

Not too hard, but don't feel bad, I've done much more stupid **** with food.

Nov 10, 2011 4,466,418 1,673

^ that's what the cooking process is for.
efully not)
if it was lime or lemon juice you marinated it in (hopefully not), the acid might have cooked it by now lol.

Nov 10, 2011 4,466,418 1,673

i've eaten 2 day old pizza that the dog licked, stop being a pussy

Nov 10, 2011 4,466,418 1,673

Toss it,
Following are some bacteria associated with chicken:

* Salmonella Enteritidis may be found in the intestinal tracts of livestock, poultry, dogs, cats and other warm-blooded animals. This strain is only one of about 2,000 kinds of Salmonella bacteria; it is often associated with poultry and shell eggs.
* Staphylococcus aureus can be carried on human hands, in nasal passages, or in throats. The bacteria are found in foods made by hand and improperly refrigerated, such as chicken salad.
* Campylobacter jejuni is one of the most common causes of diarrheal illness in humans. Preventing cross- contamination and using proper cooking methods reduces infection by this bacterium.
* Listeria monocytogenes was recognized as causing human foodborne illness in 1981. It is destroyed by cooking, but a cooked product can be contaminated by poor personal hygiene. Observe "keep refrigerated" and "use-by" dates on labels.

Marinating
Chicken may be marinated in the refrigerator up to 2 days. Boil used marinade before brushing on cooked chicken. Discard any uncooked leftover marinade.

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/Chicken_Food_Safety_Focus/index.asp
Here is all you need to ever know about chicken, colors skins should be, temperatures to cook it, and number of days to toss if not eaten...

Nov 10, 2011 4,466,418 1,673

Actually 4 people perhaps more died of LIsteria this past december, Which was found in their milk, which came from a small local farm, and distributed thoughout the state to special orders. Which is creepy...

Nov 10, 2011 4,466,418 1,673

i bet bad chicken still tastes like chicken

Nov 10, 2011 4,466,418 1,673

i bet bad chicken still tastes like chicken

You'd lose that bet :\

Nov 10, 2011 4,466,418 1,673

So did he toss it? He hasn't messaged, perhaps he took a wiff and passed out. Or perhaps he cooked it, and now is barfing into the toilet as we speek.

That would suck.

Nov 10, 2011 4,466,418 1,673

when you say toss it you do mean throw it out, right?

Nov 10, 2011 4,466,418 1,673

I'd say that it is probably still ok.

But, why chance it......chicken is usually pretty cheap, it is late, so you can get more, marinade it over night and cook it tomorrow.

But if you wanna be a real man.....eat that bad boy raw right now.

Nov 10, 2011 4,466,418 1,673

Status Not open for further replies.

Is it safe to eat chicken that's been marinating for a week?

There's a food-safety reason to avoid letting meat over-marinate as well: According to Federal Food Safety guidelines, raw chicken should only be stored in the refrigerator for one to two days (pork and beef are safe a little longer). After this, dangerous amounts of bacteria can grow, and you risk getting sick.

Can chicken marinate in fridge for a week?

For how long can I keep marinated chicken in the fridge? Marinated chicken can be kept in the fridge for 2 days; after that, any uncooked marinade should be discarded.

Is chicken still good after marinating for 3 days?

You can keep marinated chicken for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. The cool environment inside can slow down the proliferation rate of bacteria and germs. After 3 days, your chicken is no longer usable.

What happens if you marinate chicken too long?

A marinade's ingredients also factor into what will happen if you leave the chicken marinating for too long. "Anything acidic could essentially cook the meat and break down the proteins within the meat," advises Danila. "This makes it mushy-tasting, and it would ruin the meat before you make it!"