• Ground beef can be safely defrosted in the refrigerator, a basin of common cold water, or in the microwave.
  • Defrosting in the microwave is the fastest choice, but and so you must cook the beef correct abroad.
  • If you thaw ground beef in the refrigerator, information technology is prophylactic to refreeze again.

If yous, like many other dwelling house cooks, keep a supply of ground beef in the freezer, you're likely familiar with the defrosting process — which means 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 ground beef properly ensures you steer articulate 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, but nosotros can modify the civilisation effectually the future of nutrient condom."

The next time you lot need to bring your beef to room temperature, follow the methods below.

Method 1: In the fridge

"The safest manner to defrost ground beef is to do so in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours," Detwiler says. The refrigerator method is safest because it "keeps ground beef out of the danger zone, which refers to temperatures between twoscore degrees Fahrenheit to 140 degrees Fahrenheit, where pathogens and leaner 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 footing beefiness in the refrigerator, place the packet of frozen basis beef on a plate that's large plenty to take hold of whatsoever possible drippings from the meat as it defrosts. Next, place the plate on a low shelf in the refrigerator, which will assistance yous "avoid 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 yous don't utilize all of the defrosted ground beef right away, Detwiler says that information technology's condom to store the leftovers back in the freezer as long as y'all do and then inside 48 hours of the original defrosting. However, for extra safety insurance against pathogens and bacteria, Detwiler advises to cook the meat thoroughly before freezing it again.

Method two: In cold water

You cannot refreeze raw basis beefiness if you defrosted it using the cold water method or the microwave method.
Oscar Wong/Getty Images

If you need to defrost your basis beef and don't have a total 24 hours to wait, you can defrost it in a bowl of cold water. This method should take less than an hour, and it's prophylactic equally long as the h2o is changed out as it warms to room temperature.

To defrost ground beef in cold water, brand sure the beef is sealed in a leak-proof packet, similar a resealable plastic bag. "Gear up the plastic purse with the frozen meat in a sink or, preferably, in a large basin, cover with cold water, and weigh the parcel of meat down with something heavy," Detwiler says. The weighing-downward keeps the meat submerged, which is essential to keep the meat at a safe temperature for fifty-fifty defrosting.

Leave the parcel submerged in cold h2o for 20 to xxx minutes. Subsequently that, you tin "test" the meat's readiness past gently poking it with your fingers. If you experience ice crystals or stiffness, so it needs more fourth dimension (and a fresh circular of cold water). Once the meat is thawed, have it out of the h2o bowl and cook immediately.

Method 3: In the microwave

For the quickest possible defrosting method, y'all can defrost the footing beef in the microwave.  This method yields safe-to-swallow ground beef, just with 1 major caveat: you have to cook information technology correct away.

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

One of import note: You shouldn't refreeze beef if you 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 refrigerator to cook afterward isn't a safe move, either. Salvage this method for when yous're ready to go cooking immediately.

What to avoid

To ensure the best quality and gustation, apply your frozen ground beef within four months.
Claudia Totir/Getty Images
  • Never thaw ground beef at room temperature. "Some people leave frozen meat out on the counter to thaw and will go out information technology there for half dozen to eight hours, thinking that this volition definitely get the job done. In reality, this allows it to get too warm and allows pathogens to abound," Detwiler says.
  • Never thaw ground beef using hot h2o. Only as thawing meat on the counter leaves it exposed to danger zone temps, so does thawing the meat in hot h2o.  The sudden daze of hot water on frozen meat will take negative effects on its texture, and as the water cools down, the meat becomes vulnerable to unsafe temperatures. Plus, the hot h2o could begin to "cook" the meat, which gives you a totally inconsistent block of ground beef that'south partially cooked on the exterior and still frozen on the inside.
  • Don't keep footing beef in the freezer for longer than four months. It's tempting to assume that basis beefiness can be kept in the freezer indefinitely. The USDA recommends using information technology inside four months for the all-time quality, taste, and texture.

Insider's takeaway

Defrosting ground beef in the fridge is the safest option, only information technology takes a full 24 hours. For faster results, submerge the frozen footing beef in cold water for 1 hour. The quickest method is the microwave method, which volition defrost the ground beefiness in just a few minutes, but you'll have to melt the meat immediately.

Taylor Tobin is a contributing writer for INSIDER and a Brooklyn-based writer covering food & drink, beauty, mode, and pop culture. By works tin can also exist constitute at Observer, Brokelyn, and UrbanDaddy. She's a fan of bikes, books, and bourbon (not necessarily in that order).