How Long Can You Keep Thawed Ground Beef in the Fridge Still. Tasty. com. How Long Can You Keep Thawed Ground Beef in the Fridge Question I thawed some ground beef in the fridge today, planning to use it for tonights dinner. But now my plans have changed. Do I still have to cook the meat right away Answer Youve got some breathing room. Ground beef thats been defrosted in the fridge can be safely kept for an additional one to two days in the refrigerator before cooking, says the U. What Is Half A Tablespoon. S. Department of Agriculture. And since you thawed the ground beef in the fridge, you can also safely refreeze it within that same timeframe, says the USDA. None of this would apply, on the other hand, if you had thawed the ground beef in the microwave or in cold water. You should immediately cook meat thawed under either of those methods, advises the USDA, since it could easily warm up to the 4. F temperature at which harmful bacteria begins to multiply rapidly. See Also How Long Does Raw Ground Beef Last in the FridgeHow Long Does Cooked Ground Beef Last Is Raw Ground Beef OK If Its Turning BrownHow to Defrost Ground Beef. There are three basic methods you can use to safely defrost ground beef, and the right one to use depends primarily on how much time you have. This original ground beef jerky recipe is rich and flavorful as well as easy and quick to make No marinating required.