• Ground beef can be safely defrosted in the refrigerator, a bowl of common cold h2o, or in the microwave.
  • Defrosting in the microwave is the fastest choice, but and so you must cook the beefiness right away.
  • If you thaw basis beefiness in the refrigerator, it is condom to refreeze again.

If you, like many other home cooks, go on a supply of ground beef in the freezer, you're likely familiar with the defrosting process — which means yous're probably as well familiar with the frustration that comes with forgetting to take the beef out of the freezer ahead of time.

Defrosting basis beefiness properly ensures you steer clear from potential harmful leaner. Dr. Darin Detwiler, a food regulatory expert and professor at Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts, says that "there volition never be an terminate to pathogens in our food, but nosotros can change the culture around the futurity of food safe."

The side by side fourth dimension you need to bring your beef to room temperature, follow the methods below.

Method 1: In the refrigerator

"The safest way to defrost footing beef is to do so in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours," Detwiler says. The refrigerator method is safest because information technology "keeps ground beefiness out of the danger zone, which refers to temperatures betwixt 40 degrees Fahrenheit to 140 degrees Fahrenheit, where pathogens and bacteria tin can grow."

Detwiler says the fridge keeps the meat safely cool and warms it plenty to fully defrost, which is crucial for "cooking the meat thoroughly to a temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit, which is required to kill any remaining pathogens."

To defrost ground beefiness in the refrigerator, identify the package of frozen ground beefiness on a plate that's big plenty to catch whatsoever possible drippings from the meat as it defrosts. Next, place the plate on a low shelf in the fridge, which will help you "avoid the possibility of juices dripping onto other foods." The ground beef should remain in the fridge for at least 24 hours to fully defrost.

If you don't apply all of the defrosted ground beef correct away, Detwiler says that it'southward safe to shop the leftovers back in the freezer every bit long equally you do so within 48 hours of the original defrosting. However, for extra prophylactic insurance confronting pathogens and leaner, Detwiler advises to cook the meat thoroughly before freezing it once more.

Method 2: In cold water

You cannot refreeze raw ground beef if you lot defrosted it using the cold water method or the microwave method.
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If you need to defrost your ground beef and don't take a full 24 hours to look, you can defrost it in a basin of cold water. This method should have less than an 60 minutes, and it's prophylactic equally long as the h2o is changed out equally it warms to room temperature.

To defrost ground beef in cold water, brand sure the beef is sealed in a leak-proof package, similar a resealable plastic pocketbook. "Set the plastic pocketbook with the frozen meat in a sink or, preferably, in a large bowl, encompass with cold h2o, and weigh the package of meat downwardly with something heavy," Detwiler says. The weighing-down keeps the meat submerged, which is essential to keep the meat at a safe temperature for even defrosting.

Leave the packet submerged in common cold h2o for 20 to thirty minutes. Afterwards that, you tin can "test" the meat's readiness by gently poking it with your fingers. If you feel ice crystals or stiffness, and then it needs more time (and a fresh round of common cold water). Once the meat is thawed, accept it out of the h2o bowl and cook immediately.

Method 3: In the microwave

For the quickest possible defrosting method, you can defrost the ground beef in the microwave.  This method yields condom-to-eat ground beef, only with i major caveat: you have to cook it right away.

"Remove all packaging, then identify the meat on a plate. Use the microwave'southward defrost settings or set up it at 50% power for ii to three minutes, rotating and flipping the beefiness every 30 seconds, until information technology is fully thawed. Cook immediately and thoroughly to a temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit," Detwiler says.

One important note: You shouldn't refreeze beef if you thaw it in the microwave. Because the meat is exposed to high temperatures (and has therefore spent fourth dimension in the danger zone), stashing it in the fridge to melt later isn't a safe move, either. Save this method for when you're prepare to go cooking immediately.

What to avoid

To ensure the all-time quality and taste, utilise your frozen basis beefiness inside four months.
Claudia Totir/Getty Images
  • Never thaw ground beef at room temperature. "Some people get out frozen meat out on the counter to thaw and volition leave it there for six to eight hours, thinking that this will definitely go the job done. In reality, this allows information technology to get likewise warm and allows pathogens to grow," Detwiler says.
  • Never thaw ground beefiness using hot water. Just as thawing meat on the counter leaves it exposed to danger zone temps, then does thawing the meat in hot h2o.  The sudden shock of hot water on frozen meat volition accept negative furnishings on its texture, and as the h2o cools down, the meat becomes vulnerable to dangerous temperatures. Plus, the hot h2o could begin to "cook" the meat, which gives you a totally inconsistent block of ground beef that's partially cooked on the exterior and notwithstanding frozen on the inside.
  • Don't proceed ground beef in the freezer for longer than four months. It's tempting to assume that ground beef can be kept in the freezer indefinitely. The USDA recommends using information technology within iv months for the best quality, taste, and texture.

Insider'due south takeaway

Defrosting ground beefiness in the refrigerator is the safest selection, only it takes a total 24 hours. For faster results, submerge the frozen ground beef in common cold h2o for one hour. The quickest method is the microwave method, which will defrost the ground beef in merely a few minutes, merely you'll have to cook the meat immediately.

Taylor Tobin is a contributing writer for INSIDER and a Brooklyn-based writer covering food & drinkable, beauty, mode, and popular civilization. Past works can also be found at Observer, Brokelyn, and UrbanDaddy. She's a fan of bikes, books, and bourbon (not necessarily in that order).