Food Guide

7 Reasons You’ll Never Believe What Thawed Ground Pork Smells Like!

Many people often freeze their ground pork so that they can have the best burgers or a BBQ party whenever they want.

Frozen ground pork needs to be defrosted properly to ensure its freshness and deliciousness.

Sometimes, if you notice your thawed ground pork smells like honey, there must be a problem.

Let’s figure out what causes this smell in your ground pork after defrosting and how to fix it.

Why does my thawed ground pork smell like honey?

Ground Pork

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The smell of sweetness like honey is not something that you would normally expect from a package of ground pork, either it is fresh, frozen, or defrosted.

So what makes your thawed ground pork smell like honey?

Here is the possibility that can explain:

Ground pork can even go rotten in the freezer if you improperly store it and especially when thawing ground pork, with a mistake in the defrosting process, you can end up with a bad package.

For example, if the package of ground pork is not sealed tightly and there are ice crystals inside it, the flavor of the meat might be adjusted.

In fact, the honey-like smell isn’t pleasant like it comes from pure money, but pretty gross.

Besides smelling sweet, bad ground pork also has a slightly acidic odor that can tell you that the meat has been spoiled.

Is it safe to eat thawed ground pork that smells like honey?

Some people might face the dilemma of deciding whether or not to throw away a package of ground pork that had been thawed improperly and come with an unpleasant sweet smell.

The answer might depend on the situation.

If your thawed ground pork starts to water and has a slimy texture or discoloration, it means it has been spoiled and needs to be discarded right away.

How to get rid of the honey smell from thawed ground pork?

To get rid of the honey smell from your thawed ground pork, it is actually pretty easy.

Refer to the following simple ways that can help you have the best ground pork without any unpleasant

Toss the ground pork away if it comes with an unpleasant sweet smell and other signs of spoilage

It is best if you can keep the ground pork for your recipe, but it is necessary to discard it if it cannot be used.

Thawed ground pork that has been spoiled will come with an unpleasant sweet smell and a bad texture, it is no longer safe to eat and needs to be tossed away.

Select a tightly sealed package of ground pork

Niman Ranch Ground Pork, 1 lb

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The second thing you can do to keep the ground pork away from any unusual odor is to opt for a tightly sealed package of ground pork so that the content inside won’t be exposed to the air and the bacteria from the environment.

Therefore, when shopping for ground pork, it is crucial to check the quality of the package to see if it is in good condition or not.

If you don’t have a plan to cook your ground pork right away or in the next few days, you should toss it in the freezer after bringing it home.

Remember to label the storage time so that you can have a proper plan to use it in the future.

Thaw the ground pork gradually in the fridge overnight

A proper way of defrosting can also decide the flavor of your ground pork.

So if you are about to cook ground pork the next day, you should transfer the package of ground pork from the freezer to the fridge from the previous night so that the meat can be defrosted gradually.

Take the package out the next morning and let it sit at room temperature before cooking.

The bottom line

Thawed ground pork shouldn’t have any smell.

It should smell and taste like fresh pork without any pungent or weird odor.

If you notice a sweet smell like honey in your ground pork after thawing, it might be because the meat has been spoiled.

If you think your ground pork is no longer safe to eat, it’s time to discard it and buy another package of ground pork for your recipe.

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Emily W.

Emily Wong is an Asian-American food writer the founder of Cookindocs.com. With nearly 8 years of experience, she has a passion for making cooking accessible to everyone and sharing her personal experiences with food. Emily's vision for Cookindocs.com is to create a community of food lovers who are passionate about cooking, eating, and sharing their experiences with others. Read my story
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