how to thaw frozen ground beef

[Night Elf]

When I was little, my mom would thaw frozen ground beef by leaving it in a sink of water. I don't know how long she would leave it in there. Is that safe? How long can you do that? I need it tonight but I usually use the microwave to thaw it and the way I do it so it doesn't actually cook is messy. Does the sink of water actually work?

[SparklyUnicorn]

What do you plan to do with it?

 

 

[Night Elf]

What do you plan to do with it?

 

I'm going to make the stuffed peppers tonight so I need to cook it in a skillet before I stuff the peppers.

[kewb]

Yes, the sink method works.  I have put it in a leakproof bag and submerged in a bowl of water.  Leaving it there until it thaws. However, I hate thawed ground beef.  Don't ask me why.  It is really no different but the texture always seems off to me.  Now I always cook it before freezing.  I will buy 4 or 5lbs at a time and cook it all up with onions and garlic. Drain it and freeze in 1lb portions.  Season how I want when I use it in a recipe.

 

 

[mellifera33]

If I'm making something that doesn't require a formed patty I just cook from frozen.  :huh:  I let one side brown, turn it over, scrape, repeat. 

[Ali in OR]

I have a rectangular disposable tupperware (green--I think it was designed for Christmas goodies) that I use to thaw meat--typically chicken or ground beef. I put the packaged meat in the container, add water, and put it in the fridge. Ideally I do this the night before I'm going to use it, but if I do it first thing in the morning it's usually thawed or mostly thawed by dinner prep time. Then I run the container through the dishwasher to sterilize it before it's next use. But this container is only used for meat.

[SparklyUnicorn]

If I'm making something that doesn't require a formed patty I just cook from frozen.  :huh:  I let one side brown, turn it over, scrape, repeat. 

 

Yep, me too.  Which is why I asked what you are making.  You can cook it from frozen.

 

The sink method works too.

 

I thaw mine on the counter.

[Kassia]

My microwave has a defrost setting and I use that when needed.  

[LuvToRead]

If I'm making something that doesn't require a formed patty I just cook from frozen.  :huh:  I let one side brown, turn it over, scrape, repeat. 

 

I do it like this quite often.  If I actually plan ahead, I think it takes about 2 hours to thaw in water.  I usually don't think that far in advance and cook it from a frozen block.

[Night Elf]

I don't really have a good explanation of why I don't like putting a block of frozen meat in a skillet. I just like it to be thawed before I cook it.

[SparklyUnicorn]

I don't really have a good explanation of why I don't like putting a block of frozen meat in a skillet. I just like it to be thawed before I cook it.

 

Ok..

 

So yes, the sink method will work.  However, it still takes quite awhile so it might not be thawed entirely when you need it.

[J-rap]

I usually don't plan well in advance, so end up zapping it in the microwave.  (I have a defrost setting too.)

[Night Elf]

I usually don't plan well in advance, so end up zapping it in the microwave.  (I have a defrost setting too.)

 

That's what I use too, but if I try to leave the entire pound in until it is totally thawed, the edges cook and I don't like that either. So I defrost in small increments of time, scraping the thawed meat off until it's nearly all thawed. It's just messy. I much prefer to have the meat all thawed to put straight into the pan.

 

I'm not a great cook though, so I have strange ideas about what might happen or not happen when I'm cooking.

 

I'll put it in cold water for the day in the refrigerator and microwave it the rest of the way if it's not all thawed.

[Carol in Cal.]

I thaw mine in the fridge.  If I want it to go faster, I put it on a low shelf.  It takes almost a day, so I usually put it on the shelf the night before I want to use it for dinner.

 

My mom used to leave it out on the side of the kitchen sink all day, but I am too paranoid to do that.

[zoobie]

I cook mine frozen. Just scrape off the cooked layer with the spatula and cook the next layer. It sounds like that's what you do while thawing anyway. It's easier and the beef will be less dry. 

[JudoMom]

Don't tell anyone, but I just put it on the counter in the morning.  

[mellifera33]

I don't really have a good explanation of why I don't like putting a block of frozen meat in a skillet. I just like it to be thawed before I cook it.

 

I don't use a skillet--it spits too much. I use a cast iron dutch oven--it keeps the meat juice from spitting all over the counters. 

[Forget-Me-Not]

I just thaw mine in a bowl of cold water on the counter. It thaws in about an hour and then I stick it in the fridge if I'm not cooking it right away.

[Night Elf]

I don't use a skillet--it spits too much. I use a cast iron dutch oven--it keeps the meat juice from spitting all over the counters. 

 

I don't have that problem. Maybe because we use such lean meat and there isn't as much grease to pop?

[Guest]

Don't tell anyone, but I just put it on the counter in the morning.

You are not alone.

[Pawz4me]

I do all of the above. :)

 

If I thaw in water I change the water every 30 to 60 minutes. I don't actually know the "why" of that, but most cookbooks and other sources say to do it.

 

I try to think far enough ahead of time to thaw in the fridge, though.

 

In a pinch I'll thaw in the microwave. I don't like it. Run the microwave for a minute or three, scrap off the outside part that's thawed/beginning to thaw. Put the remainder back in the microwave for another minute or three. Repeat until all is thawed. It's a pain in the rear. I'd rather do it in water or just throw the frozen block in a pan and heat it slowly until defrosted.

Edited April 24, 2017 by Pawz4me

[mellifera33]

Don't tell anyone, but I just put it on the counter in the morning.  

 

I'm calling the food police on you!

[JudoMom]

I'm calling the food police on you!

 

:lol:   If they arrive around 6 tonight, I'll serve them a burger  :thumbup: .

[Night Elf]

I'm usually good about planning ahead but for some strange reason, DH and I didn't talk about our meal plan for this upcoming week. I just decided this morning to try the stuffed peppers. And if they don't taste good, we'll order pizza. :)

[Ali in OR]

If I thaw in water I change the water every 30 to 60 minutes. I don't actually know the "why" of that, but most cookbooks and other sources say to do it.

 

 

I think it thaws faster if you do this. The frozen meat can freeze the water a bit, so if you change the water you can knock off the ice cube forming on the package and help it keep thawing.

[DawnM]

I need to quick thaw tonight too and I want burger patties so no cooking frozen.

[goldberry]

Yes, the sink method works.  I have put it in a leakproof bag and submerged in a bowl of water.  Leaving it there until it thaws. However, I hate thawed ground beef.  Don't ask me why.  It is really no different but the texture always seems off to me.  Now I always cook it before freezing.  I will buy 4 or 5lbs at a time and cook it all up with onions and garlic. Drain it and freeze in 1lb portions.  Season how I want when I use it in a recipe.

 

I am exactly opposite.  No matter how I season it, after cooked ground beef is frozen it always tastes funky to me. I've tried the "make ahead" method a dozen times, and it always grosses me out.  

[Miss Peregrine]

I just throw it in whatever pan I'm using a couple of hours before I plan to cook it. Or just leave it on the counter all day in a bowl.

[VaKim]

I do mine in a sink of water all the time (as well as other meats) if I forget to put it in the fridge to thaw in time. Doesn't really take it long, maybe a couple hours. 

[Mergath]

Don't tell anyone, but I just put it on the counter in the morning.  

 

Me too. Never gotten so much as a stomach ache.

[chocolatechip]

I'd either just throw it on the counter in a bowl in the morning or cook it from frozen. The only reason I wouldn't cook from frozen is if I was making something formed like meatballs or hamburgers.

[Ottakee]

If you have an instant pot you can cook ground beef from a Frozen block easily.

[Word Nerd]

It depends on how strictly you want to follow FSIS guidelines, which say: Raw or cooked meat, poultry or egg products, as any perishable foods, must be kept at a safe temperature during "the big thaw." They are safe indefinitely while frozen. However, as soon as they begin to thaw and become warmer than 40 °F, bacteria that may have been present before freezing can begin to multiply.

Perishable foods should never be thawed on the counter, or in hot water and must not be left at room temperature for more than two hours.

[Night Elf]

No, I never did get on the instant pot bandwagon. Really, we have a very small list of meals we cook and they are very simple. In fact, not many of them are even recipes. We usually have a meat, like broiled chicken or pork chops, rice or potatoes, and one vegetable. I think the only recipe I follow is shepherd's pie and even that is a simple mixture of 5 ingredients.

[Suzanne in ABQ]

Growing up, we always just put it on the counter on a plate and let it thaw.  In the afternoon, we'd poke it, and when it thawed, we'd put it in the refrigerator until dinner time.  Nothing bad ever happened, and I do that now if I happen to think about dinner early enough.  That doesn't usually happen, so I put it in the microwave for 2 1/2 minutes, then cook it in the pan.  It's not completely thawed, but it's soft enough to chop with a spatula.  I just keep chopping it up until it's cooked.  (If I go longer than 2 1/2 minutes in the microwave, it starts to cook on the corners, and it's very tough, so I don't like to do that).  

[regentrude]

Sink with water. If you are thawing it immediately before cooking, you can use warm water to speed up the process. It is much quicker than thawing it on the counter.

Edited April 24, 2017 by regentrude

[Melissa in Australia]

Add me to the list that defrosts just about all meat on the bench. I even have a pretty fly net that I cover it with while it is defrosting

[regentrude]

It depends on how strictly you want to follow FSIS guidelines, which say: Raw or cooked meat, poultry or egg products, as any perishable foods, must be kept at a safe temperature during "the big thaw." They are safe indefinitely while frozen. However, as soon as they begin to thaw and become warmer than 40 °F, bacteria that may have been present before freezing can begin to multiply.

Perishable foods should never be thawed on the counter, or in hot water and must not be left at room temperature for more than two hours.

 

The bolded is nonsense. If I cook the ground beef, how are the 15 minutes I am thawing it in hot water immediately before cooking going to make a difference? I could would put the meat into a skillet and start cooking, it would take about the same amount of time until it's thawed. 

 

I always thaw salmon in hot water, too, because that takes less than ten minutes. About the same time as thawing it in the pan while cooking.

 

These rules make no sense.

[Farrar]

If I thaw in water I change the water every 30 to 60 minutes. I don't actually know the "why" of that, but most cookbooks and other sources say to do it.

 

 

It's to speed up the process a little. If you leave it in the water, the water becomes very cold. It basically has a block of ice sitting in it, after all. Changing the water out (or, for something small, like, say, frozen shrimp or a single burger patty or fish fillet or something, keeping it running) keeps the temperature safe but a little higher.

 

If you have enough time, you can just leave the water and not change it out.

 

Or, if you're going to cook it right away, you can use warm or hot water. As Regentrude pointed out, there's not really time for the bacteria growth if you're tossing it in to be cooked a couple of minutes later.

[Mergath]

The bolded is nonsense. If I cook the ground beef, how are the 15 minutes I am thawing it in hot water immediately before cooking going to make a difference? I could would put the meat into a skillet and start cooking, it would take about the same amount of time until it's thawed. 

 

I always thaw salmon in hot water, too, because that takes less than ten minutes. About the same time as thawing it in the pan while cooking.

 

These rules make no sense.

 

Their rules have always erred ridiculously far on the side of caution. They've lightened up a little over the last couple years, but for a long time following their minimum food temp guidelines would leave you with inedible shoe leather. They still say that you should always cook eggs until the yolk is firm (ew) and that steaks need to be cooked to 145 (no thanks, I'll have mine medium rare the way nature intended, lol).