Why Use Unfrozen Ground Beef for Burgers

Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

The grill's fired upwards, the vino is perfectly chilled and you've been dreaming virtually sinking your teeth into a juicy burger all week. Only problem? You forgot to have the meat out of the freezer. Oops. Relax—you tin still relieve dinner. Here's how to thaw footing beef then it'southward defrosted in time to devour.

RELATED: The 71 All-time Ground Beef Recipes the Whole Family Will Honey

The best way to freeze ground beefiness

Here's a great trick, known as the flat-pack freezing method, that volition make adjacent week'south taco night so much easier.

ane. Before freezing, divvy upwardly the basis beef into resealable numberless. Use a scale to mensurate exactly half a pound per bag, if you're feeling fancy.

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

3. Printing out whatever excess air, seal the bag and that'south it—no more than freezer burn, and it will defrost mode faster. How fast? Keep reading.

If you accept ii hours (or days): Defrost in the fridge

The all-time way to safely thaw basis beef is in the refrigerator, says the USDA. If you use the flat-pack freezing method, you'll take set up-to-melt meat in merely a couple of hours, whereas half a pound of ground beefiness in its original packing tin can take upward to 12 hours to thaw.

1. Take the meat out of the freezer up to 2 days earlier you programme on cooking information technology. Put it on a plate and transfer it to the lesser shelf of your fridge.

2. One time defrosted, cook the meat within two days.

If you lot have 30 minutes: Submerge in common cold h2o

Ground beef that's been frozen flat should thaw in about ten minutes, while denser hunks of meat will a petty have longer, about 30 minutes per half-pound.

i. Put the frozen meat in a leak-proof resealable bag (if it isn't already) and place it in a bowl of cold water. Make sure it'due south totally submerged.

2. Once thawed, cook immediately.

If you lot have v minutes: Use the microwave

It'due south the speediest fashion to defrost ground beef and comes in clutch when you're pressed for time. Just recollect that microwave wattages differ, then you may need more or less time for your beefiness to totally thaw.

1. Identify the beef a microwave-safety, resealable purse on a plate, leaving a small opening for steam to escape.

2. Use the defrost setting on your microwave to thaw the meat for 3 to iv minutes. Plow the meat over halfway through.

iii. Cook the basis beefiness immediately. Some may have started to melt while defrosting.

How long does frozen basis beef concluding?

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

Tin can I refreeze ground beefiness one time information technology's thawed?

And then your beef is finally defrosted, just yous've decided that y'all don't desire to make burgers after all. No problem. Yous can safely refreeze ground beefiness (or whatever meat, poultry or fish) that's been thawed in the refrigerator—but this is the only method where this works. Though this method requires a bit of foresight since it tin accept 24 to 48 hours, it's the safest there is and the simply viable route if y'all end up wanting to refreeze what you defrosted. In one case thawed, ground beefiness or meat, stew meat, poultry and seafood are safe to melt for some other 24-hour interval or two. Roasts, chops and steaks of beef, pork or lamb will keep a chip longer, about three to 5 days.

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

Ready to cook? Hither are seven ground beef recipes we love.

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

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

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

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