• Ground beef tin be safely defrosted in the refrigerator, a bowl of cold water, or in the microwave.
  • Defrosting in the microwave is the fastest choice, only then you lot must cook the beef right away.
  • If you thaw ground beef in the refrigerator, it is safe to refreeze again.

If y'all, like many other domicile cooks, go on a supply of ground beef in the freezer, you're probable familiar with the defrosting procedure — which ways you're probably also familiar with the frustration that comes with forgetting to have the beefiness out of the freezer ahead of time.

Defrosting ground beef properly ensures you steer articulate from potential harmful bacteria. Dr. Darin Detwiler, a food regulatory expert and professor at Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts, says that "there volition never be an end to pathogens in our food, merely we tin can modify the culture around the future of food safety."

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

Method 1: In the refrigerator

"The safest way to defrost footing beef is to do so in the fridge for at least 24 hours," Detwiler says. The refrigerator method is safest because information technology "keeps ground beef out of the danger zone, which refers to temperatures betwixt 40 degrees Fahrenheit to 140 degrees Fahrenheit, where pathogens and leaner can grow."

Detwiler says the refrigerator keeps the meat safely absurd and warms information technology 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 beefiness in the refrigerator, place the package of frozen footing beef on a plate that'southward large enough to take hold of any possible drippings from the meat as it defrosts. Adjacent, place the plate on a depression shelf in the refrigerator, which volition help you "avoid the possibility of juices dripping onto other foods." The ground beef should remain in the refrigerator for at to the lowest degree 24 hours to fully defrost.

If y'all don't apply all of the defrosted ground beef right away, Detwiler says that it's prophylactic to store the leftovers dorsum in the freezer as long every bit you do so inside 48 hours of the original defrosting. Yet, for extra safety insurance against pathogens and leaner, Detwiler advises to cook the meat thoroughly before freezing it again.

Method 2: In cold water

You cannot refreeze raw ground beefiness if you defrosted it using the cold h2o method or the microwave method.
Oscar Wong/Getty Images

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

To defrost ground beef in common cold water, brand sure the beef is sealed in a leak-proof package, like a resealable plastic bag. "Gear up the plastic bag with the frozen meat in a sink or, preferably, in a big bowl, cover with cold water, and weigh the package of meat down with something heavy," Detwiler says. The weighing-downwards keeps the meat submerged, which is essential to proceed the meat at a safe temperature for even defrosting.

Go out the package submerged in cold water for 20 to xxx minutes. After that, you lot can "test" the meat's readiness by gently poking it with your fingers. If you feel ice crystals or stiffness, then it needs more time (and a fresh round of cold h2o). In one case the meat is thawed, have 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 ground beef, but with ane major caveat: you take to melt it right away.

"Remove all packaging, and so place the meat on a plate. Use the microwave's defrost settings or ready information technology 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.

One important notation: Y'all shouldn't refreeze beef if you thaw it in the microwave. Because the meat is exposed to high temperatures (and has therefore spent fourth dimension in the danger zone), stashing it in the refrigerator to cook afterward isn't a safety move, either. Save this method for when you're fix to get cooking immediately.

What to avoid

To ensure the best quality and taste, apply your frozen ground beef inside 4 months.
Claudia Totir/Getty Images
  • Never thaw ground beef at room temperature. "Some people leave frozen meat out on the counter to thaw and volition leave it there for six to eight hours, thinking that this will definitely get the job washed. In reality, this allows it to get too warm and allows pathogens to grow," Detwiler says.
  • Never thaw ground beef using hot water. Only as thawing meat on the counter leaves it exposed to danger zone temps, so does thawing the meat in hot water.  The sudden shock of hot h2o on frozen meat will have 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's partially cooked on the outside and notwithstanding frozen on the within.
  • Don't keep ground beef in the freezer for longer than four months. It'southward tempting to assume that ground beef can be kept in the freezer indefinitely. The USDA recommends using it within four months for the all-time quality, taste, and texture.

Insider'south takeaway

Defrosting footing beef in the refrigerator is the safest option, but it takes a full 24 hours. For faster results, submerge the frozen basis beef in cold water for i hr. The quickest method is the microwave method, which will defrost the basis beef in just a few minutes, but you lot'll take to melt the meat immediately.

Taylor Tobin is a contributing writer for INSIDER and a Brooklyn-based author covering nutrient & drink, beauty, style, and popular culture. Past works can also be found at Observer, Brokelyn, and UrbanDaddy. She'due south a fan of bikes, books, and bourbon (not necessarily in that club).