How to keep deli meat fresh?

[Holly E. Ordway]

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to store deli meat (sliced ham,
turkey, etc.) so that it stays fresh longer? I'm talking about the kind that
you get sliced for you at a deli counter, not the kind that comes prepackaged
in the cold foods department.

The deli here wraps the slices in a piece of paper, then puts it in a plastic
bag, and I store it in the fridge just like that. After a short time (one or
two days), the meat starts getting greasy or "slimy". (Incidentally, this
doesn't happen with salami or prosciutto.)

My husband thinks that it may be because the meat is closed up too tightly in
plastic. Any other thoughts on what might cause this, and how I could store
my sliced ham, etc, so that it'll stay fresh and appetizing for longer than
two days?

--Holly

[Jack Schidt]

Holly E. Ordway <holly-...@home.com.xxx> wrote in message
news:8EC96389954397...@24.3.9.180...

You may have to set your refrig to a colder setting. A deli meat case
should be at 40 deg F.

I've experienced same situation, although it's closer to a week's time
before the meat is "schlatzig"

Jack Jamon

[HHerbalOne]

>> Does anyone have any suggestions on how to store deli meat (sliced ham,
>> turkey, etc.) so that it stays fresh longer? I'm talking about the kind
>that

I transfer it as soon as I get home to a plastic wrap so it doesn't dry out as
fast. If I don't intend to use it up in 2 days, it goes into the freezer in
smaller plastic-wrapped packages. It won't keep as long as other meats because
there is more surface exposed to air and bacteria when it is sliced. The
smaller packages for the freezer lets it thaw faster for use.

H.

[Robert W. Keereweer]

On Fri, 28 Jan 2000, Holly E. Ordway wrote:

: Does anyone have any suggestions on how to store deli meat (sliced ham,

: turkey, etc.) so that it stays fresh longer? I'm talking about the kind that

: you get sliced for you at a deli counter, not the kind that comes prepackaged

: in the cold foods department.
:
: The deli here wraps the slices in a piece of paper, then puts it in a plastic
: bag, and I store it in the fridge just like that. After a short time (one or
: two days), the meat starts getting greasy or "slimy". (Incidentally, this
: doesn't happen with salami or prosciutto.)
:
: My husband thinks that it may be because the meat is closed up too tightly in
: plastic. Any other thoughts on what might cause this, and how I could store
: my sliced ham, etc, so that it'll stay fresh and appetizing for longer than
: two days?
:
: --Holly

:
Air is the most dangeroud item. I would suggest to use a plastic
wrap, some common names are "seran wrap, resinite, cling film, etc.

Rob.
I'm not a procrastinator, just very busy.
http://www.chebucto.ns.ca/~chef

[Dawn]

Holly E. Ordway wrote:

> My husband thinks that it may be because the meat is closed up too tightly in
> plastic. Any other thoughts on what might cause this, and how I could store
> my sliced ham, etc, so that it'll stay fresh and appetizing for longer than
> two days?

Sliced cold cuts have a shelf life of 4-7 days. YMMV depending on your
fridge, the exact cut you get, the quality of the meats, etc.

You can freeze it if you need to buy a large quantity of it. I try to
buy only what I know I will use in a week. You might try getting smaller
packs (several 1 or 1/2 lb packs instead of 3lbs of ham) and only
opening what you need.

When I get it home I follow a few rules: I don't open it until I will
use it. I don't leave the pack on the counter. I take out what I need
right then and put it back immediately. I keep fingers out of the
package (no snacking!). I close it up and push the air out. I keep meats
separated from other foods in my fridge.

If I notice I'm having problems with a particular brand or variety of
meat, or products from one specific deli, I switch. A loaf can get old,
they get left out on the counter on busy days, the slicer isn't clean,
etc. Any number of things that lead to the deterioration in the quality
of the product without it actually going bad before I buy it.

Dawn

--
Batgirl was a Librarian, too!
http://www.he.net/~dduperal/
anti-spam reply: dduperault (at) aol.com

[PENMART10]

Holly E. Ordway <holly-...@home.com.xxx> wrote in message
news:8EC96389954397...@24.3.9.180...
>

>Does anyone have any suggestions on how to store deli meat

Depends which type, each variety has a different shelf life range; generally
with those containing the highest water content having the shortest duration,
especially deli ham, turkey/chicken roll. Salamis have a longer shelf life,
especially the drier styles. Regardless which cold cut, including cheese, do
not have them sliced if you don't expect them to be consumed within 3-4 days
tops, actually, for best flavor, all cold cuts should NOT be sliced until just
before they'll be consumed; the more exposed surface area the more opportunity
for contamination. If you intend to buy cold cuts for future use purchase
chunks and slice it yourself as needed.

Sheldon
````````````
On a recent Night Court rerun, Judge Harry Stone had a wonderful line:
"I try to keep an open mind, but not so open that my brains fall out."

[Jill McQuown]

PENMART10 wrote in message <20000128171032...@nso-bg.aol.com>...

>Holly E. Ordway <holly-...@home.com.xxx> wrote in message
>news:8EC96389954397...@24.3.9.180...
>>
>>Does anyone have any suggestions on how to store deli meat
>
>Depends which type, each variety has a different shelf life range;
generally
>with those containing the highest water content having the shortest
duration,
>especially deli ham, turkey/chicken roll. Salamis have a longer shelf
life,
>especially the drier styles. Regardless which cold cut, including cheese,
do
>not have them sliced if you don't expect them to be consumed within 3-4
days
>tops, actually, for best flavor, all cold cuts should NOT be sliced until
just
>before they'll be consumed; the more exposed surface area the more
opportunity
>for contamination. If you intend to buy cold cuts for future use purchase
>chunks and slice it yourself as needed.
>
>
>Sheldon
>````````````

I suspect the lack of ability to 'thin slice' like they do at the deli lies
at the heart of this. It would be great to bring home whole (whatever) and
be able to slice it just as thinly as needed. In my house, it just ain't
happening. My parents had a hand-cranked meat slicing thingey (that's a
technical term) which I saw them use once or twice... apparently it turned
out to be more of a pain and somewhere along the way they pitched it. I
simply buy less of the pre-sliced meats at the deli, and don't intend to
store it very long.

Good and simple hot ham (as an example) sandwiches:

Butter a couple of split sourdough rolls. Place under the broiler until the
bread is just starting to brown lightly. Remove and top with slices of ham
and cheddar (your choice) cheese. Wrap the sandwiches in foil and place in
a 325 F oven for about 10 minutes. Top with anything else you like and
enjoy!

Works with basically any deli meats. Thinly sliced corned beef and swiss
cheese is a good one.

Jill

[Puester]

heiko....@gmx.net wrote:
>
> In general, decay of meat is caused by light, oxygen, enzymes in the
> meat itself and microorganisms (like bacteria and molds).
>
>
> Harold McGhee wrote in his excellent book "On Food and Cooking": "Take
> that piece of chicken with 10,000 bacteria per square centimeter: even
> at 40 degrees F (4 degrees C), an average refrigerator temperature,
> the surface will become slimy, indicating a 10,000 fold population
> increase, in only 6 days."
>
> Now here's something interesting: in McGhee's example the meat gets
> slimy in 6 days, and in your case that takes only 2 days. That's quite
> a difference. I would therefore assume that in you case, there are
> either more bacteria to begin with, or the temperature of your
> refrigerator is higher than 40 degrees F (which would be way too
> high). You might want to check the latter out, because it will affect
> the other foods in your fridge as well.
>

Heiko: I think that the amount of surface area present also has an effect on
the rapid deterioration of sliced sandwich meats. I.E. if you had a slab of deli
ham or turkey it would "keep" longer than the same meat sliced into
10 or 20 slices with much more exposed surface area subject to the growth of
molds and bacteria to which it was first exposed at the slicing machine.
Same thing with ground beef vs. a steak. Ground beef has much more surface area
which has been exposed to air and contaminants.

gloria p

[ashley.j...@gmail.com]

Its because your deli isn't cleaning their cutting machines correctly and your meat isn't saying cool enough to store when you dont need it. I would start asking them to wipe down the machine before cutting your meats and dont let them cut meat on the same cutter as the cheeses. They are suppose to have at least 3 cutters one for cheeses, one for poultry, and one for the rest. They are also suppose to do a quick wipe after they are done cutting EVERY time. Watch them when they cut your meats, if you order more than a pound of anything each pound should be warped in wax paper and put in its own bag and no more than a pound to a baggie. Invest in a hot/cold bag to put your cold items such as your lunch meat, your milk, etc. while you shop. at home warp your meat in tin foil, baggie and all, to keep the meat at a colder temperate than the rest of your fridge. Can also go one step farther and put them in a Tupperware container.

On Friday, January 28, 2000 at 3:00:00 AM UTC-5, Holly E. Ordway wrote:
> Does anyone have any suggestions on how to store deli meat (sliced ham,
> turkey, etc.) so that it stays fresh longer? I'm talking about the kind that
> you get sliced for you at a deli counter, not the kind that comes prepackaged
> in the cold foods department.
>
> The deli here wraps the slices in a piece of paper, then puts it in a plastic
> bag, and I store it in the fridge just like that. After a short time (one or
> two days), the meat starts getting greasy or "slimy". (Incidentally, this
> doesn't happen with salami or prosciutto.)
>

> My husband thinks that it may be because the meat is closed up too tightly in
> plastic. Any other thoughts on what might cause this, and how I could store
> my sliced ham, etc, so that it'll stay fresh and appetizing for longer than
> two days?
>

> --Holly

[John Kuthe]

On Friday, January 28, 2000 at 3:00:00 AM UTC-5, Holly E. Ordway wrote:
> Does anyone have any suggestions on how to store deli meat (sliced ham,
> turkey, etc.) so that it stays fresh longer? I'm talking about the kind that
> you get sliced for you at a deli counter, not the kind that comes prepackaged
> in the cold foods department.
>
> The deli here wraps the slices in a piece of paper, then puts it in a plastic
> bag, and I store it in the fridge just like that. After a short time (one or
> two days), the meat starts getting greasy or "slimy". (Incidentally, this
> doesn't happen with salami or prosciutto.)
>
> My husband thinks that it may be because the meat is closed up too tightly in
> plastic. Any other thoughts on what might cause this, and how I could store
> my sliced ham, etc, so that it'll stay fresh and appetizing for longer than
> two days?
>
> --Holly

I buy a whole ham and have it sliced for me, then when I bring it home I package it up in 4 or 5 individual foil wrapped packages and freeze it, and remove each package from my freezer as needed and allow it to thaw in the refrigerator in a Ziploc bag. A LOT cheaper than at the deli too! Same great ham, just cheaper.

John Kuthe...

[itsjoan...@webtv.net]

On Saturday, October 29, 2016 at 2:02:00 PM UTC-5, John Kuthe wrote:
>
> On Friday, January 28, 2000 at 3:00:00 AM UTC-5, Holly E. Ordway wrote:
>

> John Kuthe...
>
>
You and ding-a-ling Ashley are replying to a 16 year
old thread made by Holly. Holly probably ate some
spoiled deli meat and is dead now.