Kitchen know-how: The art of freezing and thawing meat
Everybody has been learning to stock more food at home during the pandemic, and “your freezer is an important part of that strategy,” said Becky Krystal in The Washington Post.
Meat and seafood can last indefinitely when frozen; only the flavor and texture suffer if left too long. For best results, follow these guidelines.
Speed the freeze. Meat maintains its texture and flavor best if it’s frozen quickly or in airsealed packaging—to prevent the formation of large water crystals that break down the meat’s cell structure. To accelerate freezing, make sure your freezer is at 0 degrees or lower and let cold air circulate around the meat until it’s frozen. Ground meat will freeze faster if you create an indentation at the center.
Thaw with patience... Thawing meat on the kitchen counter is “never, ever a good idea,” because bacteria thrives at room temperature—or anywhere between 40 and
140 degrees. Budget time instead for the meat to thaw in the refrigerator: 24 hours for chicken breasts or a couple pounds of ground beef; 24 hours per every 5 pounds of a bigger cut.
…Or in a cold-water bath. A microwave can be used in a pinch for thawing, but the risks of drying out or otherwise degrading the meat are higher. A better idea is to let the meat sit in a cold-water bath. The meat needs to be in a leak-proof bag or container and you should replace the water every 30 minutes so that it doesn’t get too warm. The good news is that water transfers heat to meat 20 times faster than air. Plan for an hour of thawing per pound of meat.