You bring home a carton of beef broth for the pot roast, and it came off an ordinary shelf, not out of a cold case. Does it really need to take up room in a crowded refrigerator? And what about the half-used carton from last week, or the pot of stock cooling on the stove? The answer depends on which kind of broth you have and whether it has been opened. Here is what USDA, extension and brand guidance says, and how to read your label.
Does beef broth need to be refrigerated?
The Short Answer: It depends on the carton. Shelf-stable beef broth, the kind sold on the ordinary pantry shelf, doesn’t need refrigeration until it is opened. Once opened, refrigerate it promptly and follow the storage and container directions on your package. Broth sold refrigerated or frozen must stay cold. USDA’s charts differ on refrigerated beef broth, listing 3 to 4 days for gravy and meat broth and 1 to 2 days for cooked beef broth. We’d plan on 2 days for homemade, refrigerated within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F.
For a complete pantry and fridge reference, see our Food Storage Guide. For how long broth lasts once it is open, see whether beef broth goes bad. The same rules apply to chicken broth.
Refrigerating Beef Broth: At a Glance
Unopened, shelf-stable carton or can
Pantry. No refrigeration needed until opened
Unopened, sold refrigerated or frozen
Keep it cold and follow the label
Opened
Refrigerate promptly. Use the label time, or 3 to 4 days per USDA if there is none
Homemade broth or stock
Refrigerate within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F. USDA beef chart: 1 to 2 days
Pantry temperature
USDA: below 85°F is best for canned goods. Swanson: rarely above 70°F. Pacific: 32 to 80°F for its products
Refrigerator temperature
40°F or below, per USDA
Mold, sour smell, bulging or leaking package
Discard it
Key Takeaways
USDA’s Shelf-Stable Food Safety page lists broths among aseptically packaged products. It describes filling a sterilized package with a commercially sterile food and sealing it in a hygienic environment, and says to store shelf-stable foods in a cool, dry place.
The same page says unused portions of opened canned food must be refrigerated and may stay in the can, though glass or plastic is better for quality. It lists opened low-acid canned food, which includes soups, at 3 to 4 days.
USDA’s general chart lists gravy and meat broth at 3 to 4 days. Its beef chart lists cooked beef gravy or beef broth at 1 or 2 days. Neither row is written specifically for opened cartons.
USDA says to refrigerate perishable food within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F, and to keep the refrigerator at 40°F or below.
Swanson’s FAQ says to store non-refrigerated items where temperatures rarely exceed 70°F, and to follow the label once opened.
The manufacturer FAQs and product-label directions we read give opened times of 4 to 14 days. These are product-specific, so follow your own label.
USDA says hot food can go directly into the refrige
