• Basis beefiness can exist 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 must cook the beef right away.
  • If you thaw ground beef in the refrigerator, it is safe to refreeze again.

If you, like many other home cooks, keep a supply of footing beef in the freezer, y'all're likely familiar with the defrosting process — which ways you're probably also familiar with the frustration that comes with forgetting to take the beef out of the freezer ahead of fourth dimension.

Defrosting basis beefiness properly ensures you steer clear from potential harmful bacteria. Dr. Darin Detwiler, a nutrient regulatory expert and professor at Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts, says that "in that location will never exist an finish to pathogens in our food, only nosotros tin modify the culture effectually the future of food safe."

The adjacent time yous need to bring your beef to room temperature, follow the methods below.

Method 1: In the fridge

"The safest way to defrost ground beef is to do so in the fridge for at to the lowest degree 24 hours," Detwiler says. The refrigerator method is safest considering it "keeps ground beef out of the danger zone, which refers to temperatures between 40 degrees Fahrenheit to 140 degrees Fahrenheit, where pathogens and bacteria can grow."

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 refrigerator, identify the package of frozen ground beefiness on a plate that's big enough to catch whatsoever possible drippings from the meat equally it defrosts. Side by side, place the plate on a depression shelf in the refrigerator, which will 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 you don't use all of the defrosted footing beef right away, Detwiler says that it's condom to store the leftovers back in the freezer as long as y'all practise and so within 48 hours of the original defrosting. However, for extra safe insurance confronting pathogens and bacteria, Detwiler advises to cook the meat thoroughly before freezing it again.

Method two: In common cold water

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

If you need to defrost your ground beefiness and don't have a full 24 hours to wait, you tin can defrost information technology in a bowl of common cold water. This method should accept less than an hr, and it's safety as long as the h2o is inverse out as information technology warms to room temperature.

To defrost ground beef in common cold water, brand sure the beef is sealed in a leak-proof package, similar a resealable plastic bag. "Prepare the plastic bag with the frozen meat in a sink or, preferably, in a large bowl, comprehend with cold h2o, and weigh the package of meat down 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 package submerged in cold water for 20 to 30 minutes. Subsequently that, you lot can "test" the meat'southward readiness past gently poking information technology with your fingers. If you feel water ice crystals or stiffness, then it needs more time (and a fresh round of common cold water). Once the meat is thawed, take it out of the water bowl and cook immediately.

Method three: In the microwave

For the quickest possible defrosting method, yous can defrost the ground beef in the microwave.  This method yields safe-to-eat ground beef, merely with one major caveat: you lot have to melt it right away.

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

One important notation: You shouldn't refreeze beefiness if y'all thaw it in the microwave. Considering the meat is exposed to high temperatures (and has therefore spent time in the danger zone), stashing it in the fridge to melt later isn't a safe motility, either. Salvage this method for when you're ready to get cooking immediately.

What to avoid

To ensure the best quality and taste, employ your frozen footing beef within four months.
Claudia Totir/Getty Images
  • Never thaw footing beefiness at room temperature. "Some people leave frozen meat out on the counter to thaw and will leave it at that place for six to eight hours, thinking that this will definitely get the task done. In reality, this allows it to get likewise warm and allows pathogens to abound," Detwiler says.
  • Never thaw ground beefiness using hot water. Just as thawing meat on the counter leaves it exposed to danger zone temps, and so does thawing the meat in hot h2o.  The sudden shock of hot water on frozen meat will have negative effects on its texture, and as the water cools downwardly, the meat becomes vulnerable to unsafe temperatures. Plus, the hot water could begin to "cook" the meat, which gives you a totally inconsistent block of ground beef that'due south partially cooked on the outside and withal frozen on the inside.
  • Don't go along ground beef in the freezer for longer than four months. It's tempting to assume that ground beefiness can exist kept in the freezer indefinitely. The USDA recommends using it inside iv months for the best quality, taste, and texture.

Insider'due south takeaway

Defrosting ground beef in the refrigerator is the safest option, but information technology takes a full 24 hours. For faster results, submerge the frozen basis beef in cold water for ane hour. The quickest method is the microwave method, which will defrost the footing beefiness in but a few minutes, just y'all'll accept to cook the meat immediately.

Taylor Tobin is a contributing writer for INSIDER and a Brooklyn-based writer covering food & drink, beauty, style, and pop civilisation. Past works tin likewise be plant at Observer, Brokelyn, and UrbanDaddy. She'southward a fan of bikes, books, and bourbon (not necessarily in that order).