How Long Does Deli Salami Last?

Last updated on July 30th, 2022 at 08:22 pm

Deli meat is great for quick lunches or snacks.There are many types of deli meat. One of these is salami. Salami is often used for sandwiches, to pair with cheese and crackers, or on a charcuterie board. Sometimes you may have leftovers of this meat that you didn’t end up eating. 

Or maybe you purchased a lot of salami at the beginning of the week and haven’t eaten it all yet. If either of these is the case, you are probably wondering, how long does deli salami last?

An opened package of deli salami lasts for about 3 to 5 days in the refrigerator when it is properly stored. An unopened package can last for about 4-6 weeks in the fridge and up to 10 months in the freezer.

To help preserve it longer, always store salami in an airtight container or tightly wrapped in plastic or aluminum foil. If you want to save it even longer, then freezing is recommended. You can freeze deli salami. This will help to preserve the lunch meat for months. 

Be sure to package it properly and you can store deli salami in the freezer unopened for 10 months and opened for 1 to 2 months. 

To freeze deli salami, place the package in a freezer safe bag or an airtight container. You can also wrap it very tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Once it is properly packaged, put it in the freezer and store until you are ready to use it. This can extend its shelf life so it doesn’t go bad quickly. 

But remember, over time, frozen foods start to lose quality. So, the longer it is frozen, the more quality of taste and texture the deli salami will lose.

Unopened salami lasts longer than opened salami and storing it in different ways can increase or decrease how long it will stay good enough for you to eat. In order to explain how long salami lasts, we will need to break it down into the type of salami.

• Dried salami – This type of salami can last a lot longer than other kinds of meat since it goes through a process of salting and drying. The drying dehydrates the bacteria which could cause decay in the meat and it lets the good bacteria grow.

• Unopened – An unopened package of dry salami actually lasts for quite a while. Dried salami can be kept unopened and uncut in the pantry and will last for about 6 weeks. To extend its shelf life, it can be kept in the fridge for about 6 months  and 10 months in the freezer.

• Opened – If opened, the dried salami will last for about 3 weeks in the fridge and 2 months in the freezer. It’s a good idea to go by the expiration date if you have opened the salmali.

• Cooked salami – This type of salami is in a casing and is either cooked or smoked. Sometimes it is cured after it is cooked and sometimes it doesn’t go through the curing or fermenting process.

• Unopened – Cooked salami should be stored in the fridge. It will last unopened for up to 2 weeks when stored in the fridge and 2 months when frozen.

• Opened – An open package of cooked salami will last for about 7 days. You can freeze cooked salami and this will help it last for up to 2 months. After opening a package of deli salami will last for 3 to 5 days in the fridge.

How Do You Know If Salami Is Bad?

If the salami is properly stored and there are no signs of spoilage, then it is still safe to eat. The package’s “Best By” date is a good estimate of how long it will last but if it hasn’t been opened, it will usually last past this. By making sure to properly store the salami, you can help it stay good for longer. 

If you want to check and see if the salami has gone bad, there are some very clear signs that will let you know. So, how do you know if salami is bad?

You can tell that salami has gone bad by its appearance, smell and/or taste. It will have some spoilage signs that occur whenever the deli meat has been stored for too long. 

Do not keep opened cooked salami at room temperature for more than 1-2 hours. If it is left sitting at room temperature for more than 2 hours, it should be thrown away. 

Eating old or spoiled deli salami can lead to food poisoning. This can make you very sick resulting in nausea, fever, diarrhea, and body chills. Here are some ways you can tell if salami has gone bad:

• Appearance – If the salami has changed in color then it has most likely gone bad. Salami”s coloring ranges from a light pink to a dark red. It is likely that there are little bits of white mold but these are good bacteria that help to preserve the meat and prevent bad bacteria from growing on it. 

But, if salami is left out for too long, it will start to grow bad bacteria. This will look like black, green, gray, or brown fuzzy spots.

• Smell – Salami has an acidic and cheesy smell that is very distinct. In most foods, this smell can mean it has gone bad but since salami has natural molds, the smell is normal. 

However, if it starts to smell very strange like sewage or rotten eggs, then it needs to be tossed.

• Texture – If the salami has gone bad, it may feel really hard and dry or wet and slimy. These two combinations are sure signs that the meat is no longer good.

Final Thoughts

Salami is a delicious deli meat. Unopened dried salami will last for about 6 weeks in the pantry, 6 months in the fridge, and 10 months in the freezer. Opened dried salami needs to be refrigerated or frozen and lasts for 3 weeks in the fridge, and 2 months in the freezer. 

Unopened cooked salami will last for 2 weeks in the fridge and 2 months in the freezer. Opened cooked salami will last for about 7 days in the fridge and 2 months in the freezer. 

As you can see, how long deli salami lasts depends on if it is dried, cooked, opened or unopened.