BBQ Sauce past "Sell By" date?

KevinR · 03-15-2013, 11:02 AM

Hi All!

My in-laws picked up multiple cases of Sweet Baby Ray's for me... with a Sell By January 2013. 80oz. jugs for $1 each. Cheap enough for them to act first and ask later.

Can I use the sauce? If so, how long will the unopened bottles keep? Thanks in advance.

Kevin

joshcary · 03-15-2013, 11:09 AM

I can't say for certain, but I can give you an example of my experience. As a retailer, when things are past the sell date, we remove them from the shelf. We never sell them to people for safety reasons. On the other hand, I have taken bbq sauces, salsas, hot sauces, etc. home and used them when they were past the date with no issues.

So, proceed with caution, and if it smells bad or seems to look odd, just chuck it!

Partyof5 · 03-15-2013, 11:13 AM

It's safe to use. BBQ sauces are shelf-stable and are safe to eat unopened indefinitely. Sell by dates are for flavor/quality. Use by dates are for food safety.

grantw · 03-15-2013, 11:22 AM

Agreed sell by is for best flavor profile

Bamabuzzard · 03-15-2013, 11:22 AM

adively26 is correct. BBQ sauces are very shelf stable and safe to eat unopened indefinitely.

KevinR · 03-15-2013, 12:11 PM

Just noticed it actually states "best by Jan 19 2013."

Based on the replies we should be ok. Thanks again.

Trumpstylz · 03-15-2013, 12:33 PM

I saw an article on food safety a few months ago. The expert said that the way they decide the "sell by" and "use by" dates is by having a panel of people with a heightened sense of taste taste it from one month on up to a few years. Once the taste starts to diminish (often times, normal people without a heightened sense of taste and smell won't actually notice), that is the date they set for. The expert also said that they have never seen someone sick from eating past the sell by date (the only thing that causes sickness is germs, salmonella, etc).

Essentially, the dates have to do with taste and have nothing to do with safety. In the article, a can of 100 year old peaches and oysters were tested and proved to be fine and still contained nutrients.

It was pretty entertaining. Listen to it:

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/201...t-expired-food

Gadragonfly · 03-15-2013, 12:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trumpstylz

Essentially, the dates have to do with taste and have nothing to do with safety. In the article, a can of 100 year old peaches and oysters were tested and proved to be fine and still contained nutrients.

Why would anyone want oysters that have soaked for 100 years in peach juice?!

Bamabuzzard · 03-15-2013, 12:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gadragonfly

Why would anyone want oysters that have soaked for 100 years in peach juice?!

It may give you an explosion like none other. They've had time to build up some good go-go juice. The wimminz luvz dem sum of dat!!!!

Carbon · 03-15-2013, 01:03 PM

Back in 2009 I picked up dozens and dozens of SBR's in different flavors on sale at 50 cents each. They all had exp dates of 2010. Three years after the exp date I'm still using them and they all seem fine.

yakdung · 03-15-2013, 01:04 PM

I would use it as long as it wasn't dropped on a driveway.

Trumpstylz · 03-15-2013, 01:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gadragonfly

Why would anyone want oysters that have soaked for 100 years in peach juice?!

Yeah, the cans were seperate, they were just both found on the same sunken ship and then analyzed. They also had a can of 40 year old corn, and said it was fine.

Texas Turtle · 03-15-2013, 02:46 PM

I'm good with all that, but riddle me this, caped crusader - today I went to Sam's and purchased a case of Tyson "All Natural" pork butts (67 pounds @ $1.19 per pound). When I got home, I opened the box and found all eight butts had a sticker on the cryo that said "Best used or frozen by 3/07/13". Keep in mind that I purchased them on 3/15/13. I opened two twin packs and rewrapped them separately in double plastic followed by double foil and put in freezer. The other four I am planning on cooking on 3/20/13 and serving to a church group. They smelled fine and looked fine. Should I be worried? Should I freeze all of them and thaw out on Tuesday before cooking on Wednesday? I was planning on keeping the four for Wednesday in the fridge until Tuesday afternoon.

Gnaws on Pigs · 03-15-2013, 02:53 PM

Most bbq sauce has a good bit of vinegar in it anyway.

SmokinSlowPoke · 03-15-2013, 02:54 PM

Texas, meat is a completely different story. I would be headed back to Sam's for a refund or an exchange.

03-15-2013, 11:02 AM	#1
KevinR Found some matches. Join Date: 02-06-10 Location: Cypress, CA	BBQ Sauce past "Sell By" date? Hi All! My in-laws picked up multiple cases of Sweet Baby Ray's for me... with a Sell By January 2013. 80oz. jugs for $1 each. Cheap enough for them to act first and ask later. Can I use the sauce? If so, how long will the unopened bottles keep? Thanks in advance. Kevin

03-15-2013, 11:13 AM	#3
Partyof5 Knows what a fatty is. Join Date: 07-30-12 Location: Pennsylvania	It's safe to use. BBQ sauces are shelf-stable and are safe to eat unopened indefinitely. Sell by dates are for flavor/quality. Use by dates are for food safety.
	1 members found this post helpful.

03-15-2013, 11:22 AM	#4
grantw is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 09-13-12 Location: canada	BBQ Sauce past "Sell By" date? Agreed sell by is for best flavor profile __________________ Backwoods party,22.5 wsm,18.5 wsm,14.5 wsm, smokey joe, performer,22.5 kettle.

03-15-2013, 11:22 AM	#5
Bamabuzzard is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 05-09-07 Location: Shreveport, LA	adively26 is correct. BBQ sauces are very shelf stable and safe to eat unopened indefinitely. __________________ Checkout our Original BBQ Sauce & Cajun Pickles www.doubledsbbq.com http://www.facebook.com/pages/Double...12864168786570 Stumps Baby Gravity Feed Smoker Backwoods Patio Unit Char Griller Offset for grilling

03-15-2013, 12:33 PM	#7
Trumpstylz is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 10-29-11 Location: Chicagoland	I saw an article on food safety a few months ago. The expert said that the way they decide the "sell by" and "use by" dates is by having a panel of people with a heightened sense of taste taste it from one month on up to a few years. Once the taste starts to diminish (often times, normal people without a heightened sense of taste and smell won't actually notice), that is the date they set for. The expert also said that they have never seen someone sick from eating past the sell by date (the only thing that causes sickness is germs, salmonella, etc). Essentially, the dates have to do with taste and have nothing to do with safety. In the article, a can of 100 year old peaches and oysters were tested and proved to be fine and still contained nutrients. It was pretty entertaining. Listen to it: http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/201...t-expired-food __________________ Weber One Touch Gold 2001 Weber Genesis that is no longer used since the OTG

03-15-2013, 11:09 AM	#2
joshcary Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 03-05-13 Location: Wichita, KS	I can't say for certain, but I can give you an example of my experience. As a retailer, when things are past the sell date, we remove them from the shelf. We never sell them to people for safety reasons. On the other hand, I have taken bbq sauces, salsas, hot sauces, etc. home and used them when they were past the date with no issues. So, proceed with caution, and if it smells bad or seems to look odd, just chuck it!

03-15-2013, 12:11 PM	#6
KevinR Found some matches. Join Date: 02-06-10 Location: Cypress, CA	Just noticed it actually states "best by Jan 19 2013." Based on the replies we should be ok. Thanks again.

03-15-2013, 01:03 PM	#10
Carbon is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 08-24-08 Location: Los Angeles	Back in 2009 I picked up dozens and dozens of SBR's in different flavors on sale at 50 cents each. They all had exp dates of 2010. Three years after the exp date I'm still using them and they all seem fine. __________________ ....UDS....Mini-WSM....Midi-WSM....Mod-ECB....22.5-OTG....34"wood fired pizza oven....

03-15-2013, 01:04 PM	#11
yakdung is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 04-12-10 Location: Houston, Texas	I would use it as long as it wasn't dropped on a driveway.

03-15-2013, 02:46 PM	#13
Texas Turtle Take a breath! Join Date: 05-26-09 Location: Fulshear, Texas	I'm good with all that, but riddle me this, caped crusader - today I went to Sam's and purchased a case of Tyson "All Natural" pork butts (67 pounds @ $1.19 per pound). When I got home, I opened the box and found all eight butts had a sticker on the cryo that said "Best used or frozen by 3/07/13". Keep in mind that I purchased them on 3/15/13. I opened two twin packs and rewrapped them separately in double plastic followed by double foil and put in freezer. The other four I am planning on cooking on 3/20/13 and serving to a church group. They smelled fine and looked fine. Should I be worried? Should I freeze all of them and thaw out on Tuesday before cooking on Wednesday? I was planning on keeping the four for Wednesday in the fridge until Tuesday afternoon. __________________ BBQ Apprentice - Old Country Brazos offset, 22.5 WSM, Various gassers, portable grills, etc. Last edited by Texas Turtle; 03-15-2013 at 02:48 PM.. Reason: typo

03-15-2013, 02:53 PM	#14
Gnaws on Pigs is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 05-22-10 Location: Smoky Mountains, NC	Most bbq sauce has a good bit of vinegar in it anyway. __________________ ...Half a yard full of crap to cook on like everybody else... Slow-to-average-speed [COLOR=dimgray]GRAY[/COLOR] Wal-Mart thermometer Just a hungry hillbilly lookin for a dead critter to cook Four [URL="http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/group.php?groupid=39"]Zeros[/URL] in one [URL="http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=86"][COLOR=red]throwdown[/COLOR][/URL][COLOR=red],[/COLOR] baby! :bow:

03-15-2013, 02:54 PM	#15
SmokinSlowPoke Knows what a fatty is. Join Date: 12-19-12 Location: Kansas City, MO	Texas, meat is a completely different story. I would be headed back to Sam's for a refund or an exchange. __________________ "Life is a Shipwreck but we must not forget to sing in the lifeboats"