How to Safely Thaw Frozen Meat
Thawing meat.
It’s a super sexy topic - I know.
Maybe not, but it IS important if you don’t want to spend the hours after dinner hanging out on the porcelain throne.
Why is thawing technique so important? The main reason - food safety and food quality.
From a food safety standpoint, you want to keep your thawed meat out of the temperature range of 40 - 140°F.
This is the temperature range at which bacteria growth goes bananas. Trust me - you don’t want this.
From a food quality standpoint, the thawing method that you use can impact the end result of your meat.
Three Main Thawing Techniques
Refrigerator - Although this is the easiest way to thaw meat, it does take the longest. Small items like chicken breast or ground beef will take up to a day, while larger, bulkier items (picture your Thanksgiving turkey) take up to 24 hours PER five pounds of meat.
Cold Water - This method is a good compromise for if you’re in a hurry, but don’t want to sacrifice your food quality. Simply submerge your meat (still sealed) in a container of cold water. Change out the water every 30 minutes (so that it remains cold). With this method, you can get most cuts thawed within a couple of hours.
*Note - This method is only good if you have meat that is SEALED. Please don’t put a chunk of raw meat into a bowl of water. One, that’s just nasty. Two, you’re going to end up with a water-logged, soggy mess. Just please don’t.
Microwave - Technically, you can thaw out meat in the microwave. I’m not personally a fan. Particularly for grass-finished beef. This method has a tendency to dry out certain parts of a cut, leaving you with tough, overcooked meat as an end result. Use if you’re in a pinch…but prepare yourself for the consequences. 🤣
What About Refreezing?
Refreezing is an important factor to take into consideration when thawing your meat.
Are you looking to break down a large cut and save some for later? Or cook it all right away? That’ll impact your thawing method.
If, for example, you are thawing a frozen, whole chicken in order to break it down into breasts, thighs, etc., then you want to use the refrigerator thawing method. This method keeps the best food quality and is the only one approved by the USDA for safe refreezing.
If, however, you’re planning on making allllll of your meat right away, you can use any of the thawing methods and refreeze COOKED portions.
Hopefully this helps you out when you’re looking to thaw out dinner this week!
Sources:
https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/food-safety-basics/big-thaw-safe-defrosting-methods
https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/food-safety-basics/freezing-and-food-safety
https://www.thekitchn.com/stop-defrosting-frozen-meat-in-the-microwave-254472