How Long Should You Thaw Frozen Beef

Photograph: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

The grill'due south fired upwardly, the wine is perfectly chilled and you've been dreaming about sinking your teeth into a juicy burger all calendar week. Only problem? Y'all forgot to accept the meat out of the freezer. Oops. Relax—you can still save dinner. Here'south how to thaw footing beef and so it's defrosted in time to devour.

RELATED: The 71 Best Footing Beefiness Recipes the Whole Family Will Love

The best way to freeze ground beefiness

Here'due south a nifty play a trick on, known every bit the flat-pack freezing method, that volition make next week'southward taco night so much easier.

1. Before freezing, divvy up the ground beefiness into resealable numberless. Use a calibration to measure exactly half a pound per bag, if you're feeling fancy.

2. Using a rolling pin or your manus, gently flatten the patties so that they're approximately a ½-inch thick.

iii. Printing out any excess air, seal the bag and that's it—no more than freezer burn, and it will defrost way faster. How fast? Keep reading.

If yous have two hours (or days): Defrost in the fridge

The best manner to safely thaw ground beef is in the refrigerator, says the USDA. If you utilize the apartment-pack freezing method, you'll have ready-to-cook meat in only a couple of hours, whereas one-half a pound of ground beefiness in its original packing can accept up to 12 hours to thaw.

1. Have the meat out of the freezer up to two days before you lot programme on cooking it. Put information technology on a plate and transfer it to the bottom shelf of your fridge.

two. Once defrosted, cook the meat within ii days.

If you have 30 minutes: Submerge in cold water

Ground beef that's been frozen apartment should thaw in virtually ten minutes, while denser hunks of meat volition a little take longer, near thirty minutes per half-pound.

i. Put the frozen meat in a leak-proof resealable pocketbook (if it isn't already) and place it in a bowl of common cold water. Make sure information technology's totally submerged.

2. One time thawed, melt immediately.

If you take five minutes: Employ the microwave

It'south the speediest way to defrost ground beef and comes in clutch when you're pressed for fourth dimension. Just recollect that microwave wattages differ, so you may demand more or less time for your beef to totally thaw.

one. Place the beefiness a microwave-safe, resealable bag on a plate, leaving a small opening for steam to escape.

2. Utilize the defrost setting on your microwave to thaw the meat for iii to 4 minutes. Plough the meat over halfway through.

3. Melt the footing beef immediately. Some may accept started to melt while defrosting.

How long does frozen ground beef last?

Frozen ground beef is safe indefinitely, only loses its quality over time. For the sake of texture and flavor, frozen ground beefiness should be used within four months of freezing. For best results, freeze ground beef as soon every bit you bring information technology abode to preserve its freshness. If y'all're going to apply the beefiness soon subsequently yous buy it, you can keep it in the fridge instead. Utilize information technology within a couple days, says the USDA.

Tin can I refreeze footing beef once it's thawed?

So your beef is finally defrosted, but you've decided that you don't want to make burgers after all. No problem. You can safely refreeze basis beefiness (or any meat, poultry or fish) that's been thawed in the fridge—only this is the but method where this works. Though this method requires a fleck of foresight since it tin can take 24 to 48 hours, it's the safest there is and the only feasible road if you end up wanting to refreeze what you lot defrosted. In one case thawed, ground beef or meat, stew meat, poultry and seafood are safe to cook for some other day or two. Roasts, chops and steaks of beef, pork or lamb volition keep a fleck longer, near iii to v days.

According to the USDA, any foods left exterior the refrigerator for more than ii hours or for more than than 1 hour in temperatures higher than 90°F shouldn't be refrozen. In other words, raw meat, poultry and fish tin can exist refrozen as long every bit they were thawed safely in the beginning place. Raw frozen goods are as well prophylactic to cook and refreeze, as well as previously frozen cooked foods. If you want to skip thawing altogether, meat, poultry or fish can be cooked or reheated from their frozen country. But know it'll take about 1 and a half times as long to cook, and yous may notice a departure in quality or texture.

Ready to cook? Hither are seven basis beefiness recipes we beloved.

• Classic Blimp Peppers
• Beefiness Flatbread with Herb Sauce
• Ravioli Lasagna
• Beef Empanadas
• Cornbread Tamale Pie
• Swedish Meatballs
• Mini Bacon-Wrapped Meatloaf

RELATED: *This* Is the Best Way to Defrost Chicken

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Source: https://www.purewow.com/food/how-to-thaw-ground-beef

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