Does Gravy Go Bad? Jar, Packet and Homemade Shelf Life

Yes, gravy goes bad, and homemade gravy goes bad fastest. A shelf-stable jar keeps until it’s opened, and a dry packet keeps for a year or more. Below: how long each kind lasts, how to spot gravy that’s turned, and which source each figure comes from.

Does gravy go bad?

For a complete pantry storage reference, see our Food Storage Guide. Wondering where to keep it? See our guide on whether gravy needs to be refrigerated.

How Long Does Gravy Last?

Start with the kind you have, because jarred, packet and homemade gravy run on different clocks. These are maker, FDA, USDA and extension figures, not guarantees.

How Long Does Jarred Gravy Last?

Commercially shelf-stable jarred gravy keeps in the pantry until you open it, and it carries a date rather than a span. Heinz’s HomeStyle Turkey Gravy page lists the jar’s storage classification as ambient and says to use it by the date printed on the cap. Heinz’s au jus and pork gravy pages say the same, and the pork page says to reject a jar if the button on the cap is up. Gravy sold in the refrigerated case is a different product, so follow its label.

We found no Heinz figure for how long an unopened jar lasts. NDSU Extension’s canned and packaged food Q&A lists low-acid canned goods at 2 to 5 years, but it doesn’t mention gravy, so we treat that as a general range. It also says a Best By date marks quality and is not a safety date, and that it doesn’t replace after-opening instructions.

A passed date doesn’t automatically make an unopened jar unsafe. Check for a bulging lid, leakage, damage or a raised button, and discard any suspect jar. A normal look alone doesn’t guarantee safety.

Once opened, refrigerate the unused portion. USDA’s shelf-stable food page says unused portions of canned food must be refrigerated in clean containers, and Heinz says to use its jars within 5 days, and that is Heinz’s instruction for its own jars. For another brand or a can, follow the label, and if it gives no timeline we’d use the homemade-gravy window below. NDSU adds that, for best quality, canned food should go into a covered container before it’s refrigerated.

How Long Does Gravy Mix Last?

Dry gravy mix has a long pantry life. McCormick’s Brown Gravy Mix page says unopened pouches of its brown gravy mix are shelf stable for up to 720 days, and should be kept cool and dry, away from heat, humidity, moisture and light. The page doesn’t say what the 720 days count from. K-State Research and Extension’s cupboard storage guide gives sauce and gravy mixes 12 to 14 months in a cool, dry spot.

The first figure is one maker’s product specification, and the second is a general storage guide. We’d go by the date on your packet. USDA’s food product dating page says product dates are about quality rather than safety, except on infant formula. We found no maker figure for an opened packet, so we’d fold the top over, seal it in a bag or jar and use it first.

Gravy made from the mix is a different product. We found no maker figure for prepared gravy, so we’d treat it like homemade gravy and follow the windows below.

How Long Does Homemade Gravy Last in the Fridge?

Homemade gravy has the shortest life, and federal guidance differs. FDA’s Refrigerator & Freezer Storage Chart lists gravy and meat broth at 1 to 2 days in the refrigerator. USDA’s Turkey Basics: Handling Cooked Dinners page lists cooked dishes and gravy at 3 to 4 days. University of Minnesota Extension’s storage times chart and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension’s leftover storage limits both give 1 to 2 days.

USDA’s own posts have varied. USDA’s 2009 post “Happy Leftovers Day!” says one to two days, and USDA’s 2010 post “Thanksgiving Dinner: A Gift that Keeps Giving” says 3 to 4 a year later. USDA’s leftovers guidance gives leftovers in general 3 to 4 days. FoodSafety.gov’s cold food storage chart lists soups and stews at 3 to 4 days but doesn’t list gravy. These timelines assume the gravy went into the fridge promptly and the fridge is at 40°F or below.

We recommend using homemade or prepared gravy within 1 to 2 days when practical, and treating USDA’s 3 to 4 days as the outer limit. For milk- or cream-based gravy, such as sausage gravy, we found no separate guidance, so the shorter window is our own conservative choice.

How Long Does Gravy Last in the Freezer?

Yes, you can freeze gravy, and it’s the best way to keep it past a few days. The freezer times are quality guides, not safety limits. FDA says freezing at 0°F keeps food safe indefinitely, and that its storage times are for quality only. It lists gravy at 2 to 3 months, and USDA’s Turkey Basics page gives 4 to 6. For best quality we’d aim for 2 to 3 months.

Gravy that has stayed continuously frozen at 0°F doesn’t become unsafe just because it passed those ranges, as long as it was handled safely before freezing. Flavor and texture may decline.

Texture is the catch. USDA’s 1965 bulletin Freezing Combination Main Dishes is old, but it is the one USDA source we found on texture. It says gravies thickened with ordinary wheat flour may separate or curdle when thawed, and that frozen gravies may be thicker after thawing. It says to add liquid to adjust the consistency, and that stirring while reheating helps with separation.

NDSU Extension’s freezer storage Q&A says to thaw food in the refrigerator, in cold water or in a microwave, and not on the counter. For cold water it says to change the water every 30 minutes, and for cold-water or microwave thawing it says to cook right away, which for gravy means reheating it at once. University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s refreezing page, quoting USDA, says food thawed in the refrigerator can be refrozen without cooking, with some quality loss. It says not to refreeze food left out more than 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F. Other foods that don’t freeze well are in our guide to foods you should never freeze.

How Can You Tell If Gravy Is Bad?

We found no agency list of spoiled-gravy signs, so this checklist is partly our own. USDA’s page on mold on food says to discard moldy cooked leftovers, because moist foods can be contaminated below the surface. Gravy isn’t named, but it’s a moist leftover, so we’d discard it.

For jars and cans, NDSU says to avoid containers that are leaking or bulging, and it names a foul odor and liquid that spurts when you open the container. We don’t suggest tasting gravy to test it.

Beyond those, we’d discard gravy with a sour or off smell, a slimy texture, fizzing or bubbles, or any gravy that sat out past two hours. A fat layer on top and a thicker, set texture when cold are what we’d expect, and on their own aren’t signs of spoilage.

Can Old Gravy Make You Sick?

Yes, it can. Gravy can be a risk because it’s often cooked in bulk and held warm. North Dakota Health and Human Services’ Clostridium perfringens factsheet says gravies are among the common sources of Clostridium perfringens infections. It says the bacteria grow while food cools or is held between 40°F and 140°F, and that symptoms begin 6 to 24 hours after eating and usually last less than a day.

UF/IFAS’s Clostridium perfringens publication lists gravies among large portions that need specific cooling guidelines, with rapid chilling to 41°F or less and reheating to 165°F. North Dakota’s advice is to refrigerate leftovers within two hours, divide large pots into smaller quantities so they cool quicker, and keep food at 140°F or hotter until it’s served.

USDA’s leftovers guidance says sauces, soups and gravies should come to a rolling boil when reheated, and that leftovers should reach 165°F. Reheating doesn’t replace good cooling and holding. Our guide on whether gravy needs to be refrigerated covers both. This is general information, not medical advice, and anyone who gets sick should call a doctor.

How Should You Store Gravy?

Cool gravy fast, store it covered and reheat it hot. USDA says gravy goes into shallow containers in the fridge, and USDA’s leftovers page says hot food can go straight into the refrigerator. Reheat it to a rolling boil and 165°F. We’d reheat only what you’ll serve.

Keep jars and packets in a cool, dry cupboard, away from the stove. Mark the date on a container of homemade gravy so you know when it hits day 2. Our whether gravy needs to be refrigerated guide covers the 2-hour rule, and our Food Storage Guide has the rest of the pantry.

What Else Goes With Gravy?

Gravy’s usually part of a bigger meal, and the other dishes have their own clocks. Leftover mashed potatoes and gravy go in the same fridge, and whether potatoes go bad and whether instant mashed potatoes go bad cover the potatoes. For Thanksgiving, see whether Stove Top stuffing goes bad, whether cranberry sauce goes bad and whether cranberry sauce needs to be refrigerated, and our Thanksgiving wine pairing guide.

If you’re making gravy from scratch, the thickener matters. Check whether flour goes bad and whether cornstarch goes bad, and what to use instead of cornstarch if you’re out. Roux needs fat, and whether butter goes bad covers butter. Planning a dinner that calls for gravy? Our classic meatloaf recipe and bourbon baked ham are two mains to try, and whether roast beef goes bad covers leftover beef. For other sauces, see whether steak sauce goes bad and whether BBQ sauce goes bad. If the gravy ends up on your shirt instead of your plate, see our guide on how to get gravy out of clothes.

Does Gravy Go Bad FAQ

Does gravy go bad?

Yes. Homemade gravy lasts 1 to 2 days in FDA’s chart and 3 to 4 in USDA’s. Heinz says to use an opened jar within 5 days, and dry packets last far longer unopened.

See also

Food & EntertainingFood Storage

Does Velveeta Need to Be Refrigerated? Before and After Opening

Further Reading

• Does Gravy Need to Be Refrigerated?
• Food Storage Guide