The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service offers the following guidelines for the safe handling of beef.

Purchasing Beef

When purchasing raw beef, make your selection just before checking out at the register. Place packages of raw beef in plastic bags, to prevent any leakage from contacting other foods. Beef must be kept cold to retard the growth of bacteria. Take fresh beef home immediately and refrigerate at 40° F (or colder) or freeze (0° F). Use refrigerated beef within 3 to 5 days. If kept frozen continuously, it will be safe indefinitely, but should be used within 9 to 12 months for best quality.

It is safe to freeze beef in its original packaging, or you can repackage it. However, for long-term freezing, over-wrap the porous store plastic with aluminum foil, freezer paper or freezer-weight plastic wrap or bags to prevent freezer burn.

It is safe to cook frozen beef in the oven, on the stove or grill without defrosting it first; the cooking time may be about 50% longer. Do not cook frozen beef in a slow cooker.

Defrosting

There are three safe ways to defrost beef: in the refrigerator, in cold water or in the microwave. Never defrost by letting frozen meat sit out on the counter.

• Refrigerator Defrosting. Plan ahead for slow, safe thawing in the refrigerator. Ground beef, stew meat and steaks may defrost within a day. Bone-in parts and whole roasts may take 2 days or longer. Once the raw beef defrosts, it will be safe in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days before cooking. During this time, if you decide not to use the beef, you can safely refreeze it without cooking it first.
• Cold Water Defrosting. To defrost beef in cold water, do not remove packaging. Be sure the package is airtight or put it into a leakproof bag. Submerge the beef in cold water, changing the water every 30 minutes so that it continues to thaw. Small packages of beef may defrost in an hour or less; a 3- to 4-pound roast may take 2 to 3 hours.
• Microwave Defrosting. When defrosting beef in the microwave, it is important to plan to cook it immediately after thawing, because some areas of the food may become warm and begin to cook during microwaving. Holding partially cooked food is not recommended because any bacteria present wouldn’t have been destroyed. Note: Foods defrosted in the microwave or by the cold water method should be cooked before refreezing, because they may have been warmed to temperatures above 40° F.

Marinating

Marinate beef in the refrigerator up to 5 days. Boil used marinade before brushing on cooked beef. Discard any uncooked leftover marinade.

Partial Cooking

Never brown or partially cook beef to refrigerate and finish cooking later, because any bacteria present wouldn’t have been destroyed. It is safe to partially pre-cook or microwave beef immediately before transferring it to the hot grill to finish cooking.

Serving

Basic tips include washing hands with soap and water before serving or eating food. Serve cooked products on clean plates with clean utensils and clean hands. Never put cooked foods on a dish that has held raw products unless the dish is washed with soap and hot water. Hold hot foods above 140° F and cold foods below 40° F. Never leave foods, raw or cooked, at room temperature longer than 2 hours. On a hot day with temperatures at 90°F or warmer, this decreases to 1 hour.