Would you cook this, AKA is it spoiled?

[extendedforecast]

We were out all weekend and I never got the chance to make any of the food in the fridge.

 

Food in question: fresh natural beef roast

Sell-by-date: 3/7/2014

Purchase date: 3/4

 

It would go into either the oven or crock pot. Should I even bother?

[Jean in Newcastle]

I wouldn't chance 6 day old meat that has only been home refrigerated for that time.  

[Chelli]

I would eat it. No problem. Especially since the sell by date is only three days ago.

 

In fact yesterday we ate pork chops that had been in the fridge for about 6 days as well. We're all fine.

 

But I tend to fall on the less cautious side of these things.

[umsami]

I used to be paranoid about sell-by date.  DH is the complete opposite.  I've moved to more his line of thinking.

 

Honestly, 3 days past the sell-by date seems fine. Of course, if it looked or smelled off, I'd toss it…but otherwise I'd cook it (well, more than medium or rare though).  

[Heatherwith4]

I'd definitely use it unless it smelled bad.

[momto10blessings]

Yes, unless it didn't smell right

[Wilma]

If it stinks, throw it away. If it smells fine, it IS fine.

 

On the other hand, if you'd be worrying while eating and for hours after, it's better to toss.

[beezus]

I would probably cook it too, unless it smelled funky.  Agreeing with a previous poster though that I would probably cook it more toward the well-done end.

 

Sometimes when I have had freezer-burned or questionable meat, I have cooked it really long in the crockpot and mixed it up with kibbles for the dog.  The dog loves this and hasn't keeled over yet!  If you think it is too iffy for human consumption, you might try doing that if you have a dog, or give it to someone who does. 

[Mrs Mungo]

I read this:

 

Sell by – This creates an easy date for the retailer to know when the product has to be removed from their shelf and disposed of instead of being sold. In general, consumers have one to three days to use that meat product if it is fresh before there would be concern from a safety standpoint. Typically retailers will mark down the price of a product if the sell by date is near. That can create an opportunity for consumers to purchase something that is still acceptable from a safety and quality standpoint at a bargain as long as the consumer goes home and uses the product right away.

 

Ok so 1-3 days after.  Three days is obviously on the later end of that.  I'd just smell it and go by that.

I tend to agree. Since it's a roast, you can cook it a LOT.

[ThisIsTheDay]

It's fresh beef, you can tell if it's started to turn by the smell and the color.  I'd eat it unless I had a reason to not eat it. I'm pretty picky about stuff like this, imo.

[MollyAnn]

I always go by smell, not date.

If it smells fine cook it.