Freezing meat

[R_x]

How do you defrost it? And how long do you keep it for?

 

[Nut_Shake]

I take it out the night before and put in the fridge then take out and put it on the side in the morning, or I just take it out of the freezer in the morning and let it defrost for the evening. Or for a speedy defrost I use the defrost setting on my microwave or I put the meat in a plastic bag and sit it in a tub of hot (not boiling, just hot) water. I cook it straight away once I've done a speedy defrost. But if I've left it to defrost slowly overnight in or out of the fridge I will keep it in the fridge no longer for another 24 hours until i cook it. Once it's cooked it's fine to eat for the next 2 days (kept refrigerated) xx

 

[mum22ttc#3]

If its beef then I usually defrost it in the microwave, if it's either pork or chicken then Ill take it out the night before and leave on the side to defrost, my kitchens freezing though so if it was normal I would defrost over night in the fridge. I always cook within 24 hours and once cooked use within 2-3 days

 

[R_x]

Thanks, do you just freeze it in the packets it comes in? How long is it ok in the freezer for?

 

[Ceejay123]

I tend to leave it in the fridge overnight, x

 

[Tegans Mama]

I leave it out on the side (which at this time of the year is as good as leaving it in the fridge because there is no heat in our kitchen and it's really cold ). I don't defrost anything fast, I will cook beef from frozen though (i.e throw it in the slow cooker frozen)

 

[theraphosidae]

As long as it's frozen, meat is good for however long you want. OH and I made a pork roast last month that we bought a year and a half ago. Tasted just fine. If it's frozen, it won't go bad...unless your power goes out for any length of time and it has a chance to thaw a bit, since something that's been thawed can't be refrozen (unless it's cooked, of course).

To thaw meat we usually use the defrost setting on the microwave and then cook it right away, mostly because we don't decide what to do for dinner until we're about to cook so we never think ahead and put it in the fridge the night before to thaw.

 

[mum22ttc#3]

Thanks, do you just freeze it in the packets it comes in? How long is it ok in the freezer for?

I always freeze mine in the packs they come with unless they are either going to take up to much room or that they need separating because they are for 2 meals.
It will usually tell you on the freezer I think how long each product should be frozen for I.e pork, beef. Personally I've never looked at it though and just freeze it until we need it.

 

[sue_88]

I think the recommended guidelines for meat are keeping it for between 2 - 6 months if your freezer is working efficiently. However, this is purely from a quality and organoleptic point of view whereby tissues and cells can become damaged and don't perform as well as fresh.

You should be fine to keep it well frozen for 9-12 months - I know I do.....and I'm a food scientist!

Defrost at chill for in between 12-24 hours depending on your meat product.