Food safety is a top concern for many home cooks, and questions about freezing and thawing meat are common. One question that frequently comes up is whether you can safely refreeze meat after it has been thawed.
The good news is that yes, you can refreeze thawed meat – but there are important rules to follow.
When It’s Safe to Refreeze Meat
Not all thawed meat can be safely refrozen. The method used to thaw the meat plays a crucial role in determining whether refreezing is safe or not.
Safe to Refreeze:
- If meat has been thawed in the refrigerator, it can be safely refrozen without being cooked first.
- Raw meat that has remained refrigerated and hasn’t been left out for more than two hours
- Cooked meat that has been properly handled and refrigerated
Not Safe to Refreeze Without Cooking First:
- Meat thawed at room temperature
- Meat thawed in cold water
- Meat thawed in the microwave
- Any meat left out at room temperature for more than two hours
Time Limits for Refreezing Different Meats
Different types of meat can be kept in the refrigerator for different lengths of time before refreezing:
Poultry: 1-2 days in refrigerator before refreezing Ground Meat: 1-2 days in refrigerator before refreezing Beef, Pork, Lamb, Veal (roasts, steaks, or chops): 3-5 days in refrigerator before refreezing Cooked Meat and Leftovers: Store in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days before refreezing.
How to Properly Refreeze Meat
Follow these steps to safely refreeze your thawed meat:
- Check that the meat qualifies for refreezing: Make sure it was thawed in the refrigerator and hasn’t been sitting too long.
- Package properly: Use airtight, freezer-safe packaging to securely wrap the meat and protect it from freezer burn. Consider using:
- Freezer paper
- Heavy-duty freezer bags
- Aluminum foil
- Airtight containers
- Label everything: Write the date of refreezing on the package so you’ll know when it was refrozen.
- Freeze quickly: Place the meat in the coldest section of the freezer to help it freeze quickly.
- Use refrozen meat sooner: Try to use refrozen meat within a shorter timeframe than you would freshly frozen meat.
Quality Concerns with Refrozen Meat
While refreezing properly thawed meat is safe, there are some quality issues to be aware of:
Texture Changes: Each time meat freezes, ice crystals form inside the meat cells. These crystals can rupture cell walls, causing the meat to lose moisture when thawed again. This can result in meat that’s drier and sometimes tougher after cooking.
Flavor Changes: Some meats may develop a slightly different flavor after being refrozen, though this is typically minor.
Example: A steak that has been frozen, thawed in the refrigerator, and then refrozen might be noticeably drier when cooked compared to a steak that was only frozen once.
Special Cases and Tips
Freezing Cooked Meat: If you’ve thawed raw meat and then cooked it, you can safely freeze the cooked meat. In fact, cooking before refreezing can improve safety and sometimes quality.
Example: If you thawed ground beef in cold water (making it unsafe to refreeze raw), you could cook it into taco meat and then freeze the cooked taco meat for future use.
Partially Thawed Meat: If your meat is still partially frozen, it’s perfectly safe to refreeze it. In fact, meat that’s still partially frozen may maintain better quality when refrozen.
Power Outages: If your freezer loses power, food that still contains ice crystals or feels refrigerator-cold can be safely refrozen once power is restored.
FAQ
Is it ever completely unsafe to refreeze thawed meat?
Yes, but avoid refreezing meat that has been at room temperature for over 2 hours. This meat could have harmful bacteria and should be cooked right away or thrown out.
Does refreezing meat affect its quality?
Yes. Each time you freeze and thaw meat, it loses moisture, making it drier and sometimes tougher. The nutritional value stays about the same.
Can I refreeze meat that was thawed in the microwave?
No, not unless you cook it first. Microwave thawing can partially cook parts of the meat, allowing bacteria to grow. Cook it thoroughly before refreezing.
How many times can I safely refreeze meat?
Try to refreeze only once. While it’s technically safe to refreeze multiple times (if properly thawed in the refrigerator), the quality gets worse each time.
Can I refreeze marinated meat?
Yes, if it was thawed in the refrigerator. However, marinades might cause more texture changes during another freeze. To achieve optimal results, it’s best to freeze the meat and marinade in separate containers.
