Best Way to Defrost Beef Block

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Were y'all all ready to grill the burger of a lifetime, but the solid brick of ground beef in your freezer had other plans? Don't fret. At that place are quick, rubber means to relieve your cookout and thaw that icy beefcube. If yous're willing to push back the start time of your meal, the safest way to defrost ground beef is in the refrigerator. Just, if you're in a pinch, the microwave and a basin of common cold water are speedy and efficient ways to defrost mr. beef. We'll make sure you lot avoid bacteria and follow USDA-approved methods to go that beef ready for action.

1. 1

   Program alee 1-24 hours to thaw your meat completely. If you freeze your footing beefiness yourself in sparse packages (under ii inches (v.1 cm) thick), you tin can thaw ground beef in the refrigerator in under an hour.^[ane] Otherwise, programme for 24 hours for every one pound (450 thou) of ground beef in the package.^[2]

   • Keep in mind that the colder you keep your fridge, the longer the defrost fourth dimension volition be. Footing beef will thaw quicker in a refrigerator kept at forty °F (four °C) than information technology will in one kept at 35 °F (2 °C).

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   Place the ground beefiness in a plastic bag or dish. The beef may leak through its packaging equally it starts to defrost, leaving behind claret and bacteria. Leave the ground beef in its packaging, and set it on a tray or in a plastic purse to catch anything that may drip as information technology defrosts.^[iii]

   • The beefiness doesn't demand to exist covered, other than by its own packaging.

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3. 3

   Refrigerate the beef on a lower shelf. Find a identify toward the back of your refrigerator to place the package of basis beef. A lower shelf is a adept thought, considering there's less of a chance of the beef dripping on something beneath information technology.^[4]

   • Placing the beef near the back of the fridge ensures it stays at a steady temperature.

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   Check the ground beef before you use information technology. With clean hands, gently press down on the footing beef through its parcel. If y'all are able to go out an indentation in the center of the beefiness, most of it will exist defrosted enough to use.^[5]

   • To cheque further, break the bulk of ground beef in one-half and printing into the middle. If the meat is soft enough to press, it is thawed all the style through. If parts of the beef even so seem solid, it is non completely defrosted.
   • If necessary, y'all tin can terminate up the defrosting process in the microwave.

5. v

   Apply the beef within one or ii days. Defrosting ground beefiness in the refrigerator is the slowest method, but it'due south also the safest, as the beef is kept at a steady, cold temperature. When defrosted this way, you can keep the ground beef in the refrigerator for an additional 24 to 48 hours afterward thawing.^[vi]

   • You tin likewise refreeze the ground beef if you thaw it this mode. If you lot decide not to utilise the ground beef after all, stick it back in the freezer within 24 to 48 hours of defrosting it.

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1. one

   Programme on lx minutes per 1 pound (450 g) of basis beef for thawing. Start at least an 60 minutes ahead of when you lot demand your ground beefiness. That way, you'll be certain you have enough fourth dimension to thaw your meat.^[vii]

   • Proceed in mind that a larger package will accept longer. A packet that is 3 to 4 pounds (one,400 to ane,800 grand) tin take 2-3 hours.^[8]
   • Very thin packages (0.5 inches (one.3 cm) or less) may thaw in as little as ten-xx minutes.^[ix]

2. 

   2

   Secure the footing beef inside a resealable plastic bag. Place the package of basis beef inside a leak-proof plastic handbag. Seal it up every bit securely as possible by zipping the bag shut.^[10]

   • If the purse leaks, bacteria can get to your nutrient. Plus, you may end up with watery ground beef if information technology absorbs too much water.

3. 

   3

   Submerge the beef in common cold tap water. Place the wrapped package of basis beefiness in a large bowl or dish and cover it with common cold tap water. Make sure that the beefiness is completely underwater. Leave the dish of water and the beefiness out on the counter as it defrosts.^[11]

   • Merely utilise common cold h2o. Hot, warm, or even room temperature water can create a breeding ground for bacteria. If your tap water is as well warm, add an ice cube or two to cool it downwardly a footling.
   • Y'all could also make full a clean sink with cold water and submerge your beef in that. Only make sure that the plug has a tight seal and that the sink is clean before you kickoff.

4. 

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   Change the water every xxx minutes. Drain the former water and refill the bowl with clean, common cold water. This process allows the meat to continue defrosting while preventing the water from gathering as well much leaner.^[12]

   • Plus, you ensure the water stays cool. Keep adding ane-2 water ice cubes if your water is too warm.

5. 

   5

   Cheque to see if the beefiness is thawed after an hour. Printing on the footing beef package with clean fingers. Once it is soft enough to press, the majority of the basis beefiness is thawed.^[13]

   • Intermission the block of ground beefiness open and printing the middle of the inside. If it is withal hard, the center of the beef is still frozen.

6. half dozen

   Use the footing beef immediately. In order to preclude bacteria from growing, you need to use footing beefiness thawed in this manner within 2 hours. If you are going to expect 2 hours, stick it in the refrigerator for that period after it's thawed.^[fourteen]

   • Do not refreeze basis beef that y'all thawed in cold water, as it is more likely to abound bacteria. If you cannot utilize information technology inside 2 hours of defrosting information technology, your best option is to cook it earlier refreezing it.

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1. 

   1

   Accept the beefiness out of its packaging. It's not a good thought to thaw footing beef in its packaging, as you lot don't know if it'due south microwave safety. Some tubes even have metal ties on the ends which can spark in your microwave.^[fifteen]

   • Since this is a quick method, you can do it right before starting dinner. You lot do not demand to worry as much virtually starting the defrosting procedure in advance.
   • Prying the ground beef out of the parcel can exist difficult if it is fully frozen and sitting on a styrofoam tray. If you accept difficulty removing the beefiness from its backing, place the beef inside a resealable plastic bag, and zip it airtight. Rinse the tray side of the beef under cold running tap water until it loosens plenty to remove.

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   Place the beef in a microwave-prophylactic drinking glass dish. Set the raw beef into the dish. Make sure the dish has sides loftier plenty to prevent any spills from defrosted juice. Encompass the dish with a hat or some other dish.^[16]

3. 3

   Microwave the beef at 50 percent ability. Aim for three minutes per one pound (450 g) of ground beef. Utilize 50 percent ability instead of 100 percent to help forestall the meat from outset to cook.^[17]

   • Some microwaves have specific defrost settings. These settings automatically summate how long to microwave the meat and at which power percent. Select the defrost setting on your microwave, if yous have ane, and punch in the number of pounds being thawed.

4. 

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   Bank check your meat every 45 seconds, especially later the first infinitesimal. Even with defrost settings, meat tends to defrost unevenly. It can help to plough it over every 45 seconds, as well equally check on how well it's defrosted.^[18]

   • Most microwaves accept rotating turntables that continuously turn the contents of the microwave. If yours doesn't, however, plough the plate every time you check on the beef.

5. 

   v

   Determine whether or not the beefiness has defrosted enough past pressing on information technology. Kickoff with clean hands. Press into the centre of the mass to feel for spots that are still frozen solid. Remember to wash your hands once more after touching raw meat.^[nineteen]

   • If necessary, separate the block in half and feel the inside of the meat for frozen spots, which will still be solid chunks.

6. half-dozen

   Utilize your ground beef immediately. When thawing ground beef in the microwave, you should apply it within 2 hours to be condom, every bit it has warm spots that can grow bacteria. Put in the fridge if you plan to wait that long.^[20]

   • Do non endeavour to refreeze raw ground beefiness that has been defrosted in the microwave. You can, nevertheless, cook the beefiness and refreeze it later on.

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Add New Question

• Question

  What if at that place is a sour smell to the basis beefiness later on thawing information technology?

  

  Check the date or bank check for discoloration. There shouldn't be a sour olfactory property if everything was handled properly. Simply it is better to be safety than sick , so throw information technology out if yous take to question.

• Question

  Can y'all defrost ground beef with the packaging nevertheless on?

  

  If yous defrost in the microwave, no. If you lot are defrosting information technology in the fridge, remove it from the original packaging and place it in a bag with all the air removed.

• Question

  Why not use hot h2o to thaw meat in a plastic purse?

  

  It is important to avoid using hot h2o direct in contact with any food due to the take a chance of legionella contagion. Also, plastic bags can melt or may leach chemicals at high temperature.

• Question

  How can I tell if my beef is good?

  

  If its looks good and doesn't odour, its adept. If it was fresh before it was frozen it will be fine. The worst that tin can happen is freezer burn down.

• Question

  Can I defrost basis beefiness in a sink overnight?

  

  No, because the footing beefiness will be infested with harmful bacteria--even if you submerge it in common cold water. If you lot want to defrost the footing beef overnight, place it in your refrigerator.

• Question

  How far in advance should I take the meat out of the refrigerator if it hasn't been defrosted?

  

  It depends on how frozen the beefiness is. It can accept a few hours, or yous might have to get out it out overnight. Usually people have it out in the morning to be set by dinner.

• Question

  Can I utilise milk to defrost my ground beef?

  

  No, as milk goes bad when left out for too long.

• Question

  Exercise I have to cook the meat in burger form to utilize these methods?

  

  No, you lot do not.

• Question

  If I have a v pound package of footing beefiness, and I thaw information technology through the cold water method, can I cutting a chunk off and refreeze it?

  

  No. Don't ever thaw something out and then refreeze it. This creates harmful bacteria and you will go ill.

• Question

  Is it ever appropriate to plow the refrigerator temperature down in order to defrost meat quicker, or leave it lower in case I want to defrost meat?

  

  No. Everything else in your refrigerator will be affected as well, which is a recipe for food-born illness. Information technology's likewise not energy efficient to be raising and lowering your fridge temperature oft.

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• Consider cooking the meat directly from its frozen country or from a partially frozen land. If you're aging the beef and using it for tacos, skillet casseroles, or traditional casseroles, you tin break the meat apart defrost and cook the beef at the same time. Just be enlightened that your dish may take up to 50 percent longer to cook.^[21]

Cheers for submitting a tip for review!

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• Do not attempt to defrost ground beef at room temperature. The footing beef will sit out at temperatures between forty and 60 °F (four and xvi °C) for likewise long, which is platonic for growing unsafe bacteria.

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Things Y'all'll Demand

• Tray, optional
• Large basin, optional
• Cold water, optional
• Resealable plastic purse, optional
• Microwave-safe glass dish, optional

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Article Summary X

To defrost ground beef, start by taking it out of the packaging and placing it on a microwave-safety dish. Then, microwave the beef at 50-percent power for 3 minutes per i pound of beef. Rotate and the beef every 45 seconds so it defrosts evenly. If it's taking a long time to defrost, try splitting it in half then it thaws faster. To learn how to defrost footing beef in the fridge or using cold water, continue reading!

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