How Many Times Can You Thaw and Refreeze Meat?
Is it safe to refreeze thawed meat? Can you do it again and again? These are the questions I often ask myself as I continue on my journey as a questionable home cook.
To be clear, it’s never my intention to thaw and refreeze meat again and again, like I’m stuck in some Food Network version of “Groundhog Day.”
But it’s what often ends up happening anyway. Most of the time it’s because I’ve forgotten to separate the ground pork I bought into smaller portions, and I have to refreeze the remnants I didn’t cook.
I’m certainly not a stranger to yoyo-ing meat in and out of the freezer, though it’s only recently that I’ve begun to wonder whether this is all safe.
Is It Safe to Defrost and Refreeze Meat?
It’s safe to defrost and refreeze meat again and again, provided you do it properly. However, what will begin to happen with repeated freezing and thawing is that the meat will become dryer and less tasty, says Donald W. Schaffner, PhD, an extension specialist in food science and a distinguished professor at Rutgers University in New Jersey.
Consumer Reports’ Guide to Food Safety
Should You Refreeze Meat Again and Again?
Here’s the thing: As I���ve said, if you’re able to thaw and refreeze your meat properly, the main thing you need to worry about is its potential loss of quality over time.
But if we’re being realistic, it’s hard enough to get people to thaw their meat safely one time. So to do it improperly many times just increases the risk of a foodborne pathogen making people sick.
The best advice? Follow safety guidelines and be aware that every time you thaw food, you’re taking the chance of allowing any bacteria present to multiply and maybe cross-contaminate your kitchen surfaces.
What Are Some Best Practices for Freezing Food?
Freezing your food as rapidly as possible prevents large ice crystals from forming and will help you retain the food’s quality better. The best way to do that is to break up large amounts of meat into smaller packs, Martin says.
And if you freeze in smaller portions, you need to defrost just the amount you need the next time you cook, says Trisha Calvo, CR’s health and food deputy editor, who has been covering food, nutrition, and food safety for over 25 years.
In case you’ve fallen into the habit of defrosting more than you need for a meal, you can try to cook all of it and then freeze the remaining meat. Or you can use the leftovers in other dishes that week, Trisha suggests.