• Basis beef can be safely defrosted in the refrigerator, a bowl of cold water, or in the microwave.
  • Defrosting in the microwave is the fastest choice, but then you lot must melt the beefiness right away.
  • If you thaw basis beef in the fridge, information technology is safe to refreeze once more.

If y'all, similar many other home cooks, keep a supply of ground beef in the freezer, you're likely familiar with the defrosting process — which means you're probably likewise familiar with the frustration that comes with forgetting to take the beef out of the freezer alee of time.

Defrosting ground beef properly ensures y'all steer clear from potential harmful bacteria. Dr. Darin Detwiler, a nutrient regulatory expert and professor at Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts, says that "there volition never be an finish to pathogens in our food, but nosotros can modify the culture around the future of food safety."

The next time you demand to bring your beef to room temperature, follow the methods beneath.

Method 1: In the refrigerator

"The safest style to defrost ground beef is to practise and then in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours," Detwiler says. The fridge method is safest because it "keeps ground beef out of the danger zone, which refers to temperatures betwixt 40 degrees Fahrenheit to 140 degrees Fahrenheit, where pathogens and bacteria can abound."

Detwiler says the fridge keeps the meat safely cool and warms it enough 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 beef in the fridge, place the package of frozen ground beef on a plate that's large enough to catch any possible drippings from the meat as information technology defrosts. Next, identify the plate on a low shelf in the fridge, which volition help you "avert 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 y'all don't employ all of the defrosted ground beefiness correct away, Detwiler says that it'south rubber to shop the leftovers dorsum in the freezer as long as you lot do then within 48 hours of the original defrosting. However, for extra safety insurance against pathogens and bacteria, Detwiler advises to cook the meat thoroughly before freezing information technology again.

Method 2: In cold h2o

You lot cannot refreeze raw ground beef if you defrosted it using the common cold water method or the microwave method.
Oscar Wong/Getty Images

If you demand to defrost your ground beef and don't have a full 24 hours to wait, you can defrost it in a basin of common cold water. This method should take less than an hour, and it's rubber equally long as the water is changed out as it warms to room temperature.

To defrost basis beef in cold water, make certain the beef is sealed in a leak-proof package, like a resealable plastic handbag. "Set the plastic handbag with the frozen meat in a sink or, preferably, in a large bowl, cover with cold water, and counterbalance the package of meat downwardly with something heavy," Detwiler says. The weighing-down keeps the meat submerged, which is essential to continue the meat at a safety temperature for even defrosting.

Leave the package submerged in cold water for 20 to xxx minutes. After that, you can "exam" the meat's readiness by gently poking it with your fingers. If you experience water ice crystals or stiffness, and then it needs more fourth dimension (and a fresh round of common cold water). Once the meat is thawed, take it out of the water bowl and cook immediately.

Method 3: In the microwave

For the quickest possible defrosting method, you lot can defrost the ground beefiness in the microwave.  This method yields safe-to-consume footing beefiness, but with one major caveat: y'all accept to cook it right away.

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

I important note: Yous shouldn't refreeze beef if you thaw it in the microwave. Because the meat is exposed to high temperatures (and has therefore spent time in the danger zone), stashing it in the fridge to cook later isn't a safe motion, either. Save this method for when you lot're set up to go cooking immediately.

What to avoid

To ensure the best quality and taste, utilise your frozen ground beef within 4 months.
Claudia Totir/Getty Images
  • Never thaw ground beefiness at room temperature. "Some people leave frozen meat out on the counter to thaw and volition leave it there for 6 to eight hours, thinking that this will definitely go the task washed. In reality, this allows it to get too warm and allows pathogens to abound," Detwiler says.
  • Never thaw ground beef using hot water. Just every bit thawing meat on the counter leaves it exposed to danger zone temps, so does thawing the meat in hot water.  The sudden stupor of hot water on frozen meat will have negative furnishings on its texture, and as the water cools downwards, the meat becomes vulnerable to unsafe temperatures. Plus, the hot water could brainstorm to "cook" the meat, which gives you a totally inconsistent block of footing beefiness that'southward partially cooked on the outside and nevertheless frozen on the inside.
  • Don't continue basis beef in the freezer for longer than four months. It's tempting to assume that ground beefiness tin can exist kept in the freezer indefinitely. The USDA recommends using it within four months for the best quality, gustatory modality, and texture.

Insider's takeaway

Defrosting ground beef in the refrigerator is the safest option, but it takes a total 24 hours. For faster results, submerge the frozen ground beef in cold water for one hour. The quickest method is the microwave method, which will defrost the basis beefiness in just a few minutes, but yous'll have to cook the meat immediately.

Taylor Tobin is a contributing writer for INSIDER and a Brooklyn-based author covering food & drink, beauty, style, and pop civilization. Past works can also exist found at Observer, Brokelyn, and UrbanDaddy. She's a fan of bikes, books, and bourbon (not necessarily in that gild).