Can you refreeze meat?

So Your Freezer Went Down, But Your Food Might Still Be Okay!

Hey friends,

I heard about your freezer mishap, and I totally get why you might be freaking out right now. The last thing you want is to lose all that precious food you've stocked up. Take a deep breath, and let's tackle this together. Don't rush to toss everything out just yet!

Stay Calm

〰️ Freeze On 〰️

Stay Calm 〰️ Freeze On 〰️

I can’t tell you how many times I get this question: can I refreeze meat? It’s probably because there's so much conflicting information out there but the short answer is YES! Hallelujah! You see, there's a common misconception that once meat has been thawed, it's a no-go for the freezer again. But the truth is, you can actually refreeze meat safely, as long as you follow some guidelines.

But first why do people say that you can't? Here are a couple of them:

"You can't refreeze meat once it has been thawed": This is a widespread misconception. While it is generally recommended to avoid refreezing meat due to potential quality and safety issues, it is safe to refreeze meat if it has been thawed in the refrigerator and handled properly. The key is to ensure that the meat has been kept at a safe temperature (below 40°F or 4°C) during thawing and hasn't been left at room temperature for an extended period.

“But the truth is, you can actually refreeze meat safely, as long as you follow some guidelines. ”

"Refreezing meat will make it unsafe to eat": Refreezing meat doesn't automatically make it unsafe to eat. If the meat has been handled and stored properly during thawing and hasn't been left at unsafe temperatures for too long, it can be refrozen without posing a significant safety risk. However, it's important to note that the quality of the meat may deteriorate with each freezing and thawing cycle- ever have “watery meat”…yeah, that.  When you freeze meat, ice crystals form within the meat, causing the cell walls to rupture. When the meat is thawed, these ice crystals melt, and the released liquid. Now the food safety aspect is that this liquid can carry bacteria and other microorganisms that were present on the meat before freezing. If you refreeze the meat without cooking it first, these microorganisms may continue to multiply during the second thawing period.

Now, let's talk about safe thawing methods:

This will help us understand what we are trying to assess with your downed freezer. If you thawed your meat in the refrigerator, it's generally safe to refreeze it. Refrigerator thawing is slow, but it keeps the meat at a consistent and safe temperature. Think of it as your freezer just became a giant cooler and the more frozen stuff in that cooler the longer it stays cold for- not looking so scary now is it? So, if your meat was in the fridge when the freezer mishap occurred, it's probably still good to go back in once your freezer is fixed.

The next two methods can also be done safely but there are some rules and these probably don’t apply to your freezer but for the sake of dispensing knowledge I will share them with you now.

Cold water thawing: If you need to thaw meat more quickly, you can use the cold water thawing method. Place the wrapped meat in a leak-proof plastic bag and submerge it in cold water. Ensure that the water remains cold by changing it every 30 minutes. The meat should be tightly sealed to prevent water from entering. Thawing time varies depending on the size and type of meat, but as a general guideline, it takes about 30 minutes per pound (0.45 kg). Once thawed, cook the meat immediately.

Microwave thawing: The microwave can be used to thaw meat, but it must be cooked immediately afterward. Use the defrost function on your microwave and follow the manufacturer's instructions. It's crucial to cook the meat promptly because microwaves can create hot spots that may partially cook the meat during the thawing process. Be cautious when using this method to prevent partial cooking and ensure thorough cooking afterward.

Ok, onto the scary part- boo! Avoid refreezing meat that you thawed at room temperature.

When meat is left at room temperature, it enters the temperature danger zone (40°F to 140°F or 4°C to 60°C), where bacteria multiply rapidly. If your meat spent more than two hours at room temperature, it’s recommended to discard. But because this is my blog I’ll be honest I think that’s a bit of fear mongering and people waste so much food that is perfectly fine simply because companies and agencies don’t want to get sued so they put expiration dates on products way before their end of life. So, this is where I’d recommend you use your own judgement and decide what you are comfortable with.

The temperature danger zone (40°F to 140°F or 4°C to 60°C)

So what to do about this freezer:

First things first, check the temperature inside your freezer when it stopped working. If your freezer has been down for less than two hours, chances are your food is still cool enough to be refrozen. The general rule is, as long as the temperature inside the freezer remained below 40°F (4°C), the food should be safe.

So, before you toss everything, assess the situation. If your freezer was down for a short time, and your meat remained cool, go ahead and refreeze it. But if there's any doubt, you could say goodbye or you could cook the meat and then refreeze.  Remember cooking kills bacteria so you could still potentially save it!!! My last piece of advice is that your nose knows. God, gave you this really cool tool on the front of your face and when something is rotten or bad you will know it! Meat has a pretty distinct smell when it’s gone the other way so when it doubt stick your nose out!

I hope this info eases your worries and helps you salvage as much food as possible. Let me know if there's anything else I can do to help. We'll get through this together!

Hang in there,