How Long Can Meat Last Backpacking?

By Michael Ferguson

Backpacking trips can be an exciting way to explore the outdoors, but they require a great deal of planning and preparation. Knowing how long meat can last while backpacking is important in order to ensure that your food stays safe and edible.

The length of time that meat will stay safe while backpacking depends on many factors, including the type of meat, storage temperatures, and how well the meat is sealed.

Meat stored at temperatures between 40°F and 140°F will begin to spoil within 2 hours. Therefore, it is important to keep cold meats at or below 40°F and hot meats above 140°F if possible. If the temperature is not controlled, it is best to consume any meat within 4 hours.

Cold meats such as chicken, beef, and pork can last up to 3-4 days when stored properly in a cooler with ice packs or frozen gel packs. Vacuum-sealed meats can last even longer – up to 7-10 days – as long as they are kept in a cool environment.

Cured Meats, such as salami and jerky, can last much longer than fresh or frozen meats due to their preservatives. When stored correctly in an airtight container at room temperature, cured meats can last up to one month.

How Long Can Meat Last Backpacking?

The length of time that meat will stay safe while backpacking depends on many factors including type of meat, storage temperatures and how well the meat is sealed. Cold meats such as chicken, beef and pork can last up to 3-4 days when stored properly in a cooler with ice packs or frozen gel packs.

Vacuum-sealed meats can last even longer – up to 7-10 days – as long as they are kept in a cool environment. Cured Meats such as salami and jerky can last much longer than fresh or frozen meats due to their preservatives when stored correctly at room temperature; up to one month.