Well, youre in luckbecause thats exactly what were about to tell you.
But before we get to thawing, you should know some of thebest practices to freeze food.
Next, wrap another layer of aluminum foil around the meat or seal it inside a zip-top freezer bag.
Packaged like this, meat can be kept frozen for at least three months.
Avoid room temperature
The first rule of thaw club is that we dont talk about room temperature.
Just keeping your frozen food out on the countertop for a long time is asking for trouble.
But as a general safety practice, its better to avoid thawing at room temperature.
So what are your alternatives?
The other benefit is that a fridges temperature is controlled, so your thawing process is more even.
You do need to ensure that the temperature is 40F or below.
Additionally, there isnt a rapid cool-down from the freezing temperature so again, you get some uniformity.
Food thawed in the refrigerator can be refrozen without cooking, although there may be some loss of quality.
But the freezer-to-fridge method takes time.
Not everyone plans their meals that much in advance.
You will need to wrap your food in a sealed plastic bag, making sure there are no leaks.
Since we are going to submerge this in water, youre better to be safe than sorry.
Grab a bowl in which your frozen food can fit and fill it with cold tap water.
Submerge your sealed food into this water.
But thatll use up a lot more water.
In those situations, itll takeabout 30 minutes per pound.
The USDA is adamant about one point: youneed to cook the foodafter a cold water bath.
It cant be refrozen.
But you will need water that is at 140 degrees Fahrenheit, ideally.
But for a quick steak, its a great last-minute solution.
And without infusions of hot water or heat from a burner, the icy food cools the water bath.
And yeah, like the cold water bath, you better cook this after thawing; theres no refreezing.
There are a few things to keep in mind here.
Like with the hot water bath method, this is best left for thinner slices than large meats.
If you do need to microwave larger meats, thenfollow the manufacturers instructions on the back.
This is a two-in-one trick since it speeds up the process while also tenderizing the meat.
The vinegar lowers the freezing temperature while its acid deliciously breaks down connective tissues.
And it can be rinsed off later if necessary.
You are better off putting them directly in boiling water.
Vegetables are usually flash-frozen directly after picking, which means they retain most of their nutrients.
The thawing process can release these nutrients.
Letting the corn sit after thawing or cooking causes sogginess.
Leafy greens, such as turnip greens and spinach, cook more evenly if partially thawed before cooking.
The cooking process is up to you.
You dont want to end up with a mushy mess.
When can you refreeze thawed food?
You cancook the food and freeze it again, though.
How do you tell if the food has completely thawed or not?
The best way is to use an appliance thermometer and test whether it has hit 40F.
If its still below that, you might safely pop it back into the freezer.
Above 40F, you will need to cook it.
This story was originally published on 4/28/14 and was updated on 7/19/19 to provide more thorough and current information.
