Can you refreeze meat?

[Mike 03]

Three days ago I removed some meat from the freezer and it thawed, and put it in the fridge but did not use it. Tonight (three days later) I decided to put it back in the freezer. I noticed that some liquid had separated from the meat, but the package is very airtight. Normally I would toss it to be safe, but this is organic meat. Not only did it cost a lot, but I despise wasting food, especially animals. (I'm close to vegetarianism, but not 100% there. That is the reason I end up wasting meat; I feel guilty eating it. Yet I continue to buy it periodically.)

ON EDIT:

It just occurred to me, I'm positive--absolutely certain--I've wasted much more meat out of guilt and not wantint to eat it (and sloppy buying habits) than out of actually eating the damned meat to begin with. At least that has been the case for the past three years or so. I don't know why it's so hard just to bite the bullet and quit buying all meat. Anyway, just an afterthought.

[PeaceNikki]

1. You should cook it and then re-freeze it

http://lancaster.unl.edu/food/ciq-refreeze.shtml

[Mike 03]

5. Thank you, that sounds like a better plan. NT

[trof]

8. Miz t., my ultimate food authority, seconds that.

She says NEVER refreeze raw meat.
Cook it and then freeze it for later use.
Sorry.

[Amerigo Vespucci]

2. No

If you defrost it, cook it, or throw it out. If you cook it you can freeze the leftovers, but you should never thaw and re-freeze uncooked meat.

[Mike 03]

7. I will do this. I just took it out of the freezer. NT

[Gormy Cuss]

3. Yes you refreeze, but the quality will degrade.

IF you thawed it properly. Don't trust me, read the USDA info:
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/Focus_On_Freezing/...

It's usually better to cook it and freeze it.

[Mike 03]

9. Thank you for the link. Much appreciated. NT

[Kali]

16. yep

I have refrozen stuff lots of times, but the quality definitely degrades - I would only do it for something that is going to be sauced or stewed or otherwise "enhanced" - never for a good steak or roast.

Better to cook it then freeze that.

[barb162]

21. Yeah, it degrades

[krispos42]

4. My mom lived by the "never refreeze" rule.

And none of us died from food poisoning, so maybe there's something to that.





Or it might have been all the garlic...

[Mike 03]

10. That's good. I won't. Everyone agrees on this question. NT

[trof]

11. Hey, garlic ain't just for warding off vampires.

That might be it.

[krispos42]

12. I got a physical a couple of years ago...

... and the night my test results came in, I tell my boss. The recreational runner who spent 30+ years in the Army and retired a lieutenant colonel. I'm a couch potato and have about 60 pounds on him.


He's sitting there, eating his sandwich (slice of ham on wheat with a piece of lettuce; no cheese or mayo) and sucking down a yogurt cop, I'm busy devouring a big bag of Doritos and washing it down with Diet Pepsi.

So I tell him my blood pressure and cholestorol levels, and he started, then stared at me.

"But that's lower than mine!" he cried plaintively.

"Sucks to be you," I reply, then smile as I crunch on another Dorito.

[Nevernose]

18. I'm a smoking, drinking, overweight couch potato

Yet my cholesterol is phenomenal. I have the cholesterol of a fifteen year old, something like 400 good, 40 bad. My best friend of 20 years, the guy who's been giving me shit since high school, goes to the gym six days a week and only eats meat one or two meals a week has the opposite ratio.

"Sorry, dude," I tell him. "Combination of cheap beer and genetics. Nietzsche at his finest."

[krispos42]

19. LOL

[trof]

24. It's all in the genes. Pretty much.

Choose your parents wisely.

[Deja Q]

6. I'm always frigid.

[QueenOfCalifornia]

13. This is what happens

when freezing meat.

Ice crystals form that explode/rupture the cell walls - the basic structure of the meat - one freezing is fine - refreezing destroys the integrity of the meat and changes the cellular structure. Note *refreezing ground meat is less problematic.

You fucked up your meat. Read this: http://www.cookingforengineers.com/article/27/Freezing-...

[Rabrrrrrr]

14. Well, yes, of course you can. However, it will turn to mealy weird-texture crap.

As someone above said, cook it first, then you can freeze it again without taking any risks on texture and whatnot.

[applegrove]

15. If you eat it and get sick you'll be OFF meat for months anyhow so try it! LOL!

[KitchenWitch]

17. I am going to echo the cook it and refreeze it thing.

[Lil Missy]

20. I'd toss it. Yuk!

But I'm picky.

[Jamastiene]

23. I'll second this.

If meat even smells the slightest bit off to me, out it goes. I don't like gut aches or any type of poisoning.

I go by smell a lot, but if I ever thaw it, I cook it and maybe will freeze the cooked version, but that's as far as I go.

[Nikia]

22. My MIL does it all the time

It is one of her food preparation habits that drives me nuts being a food safety professional. I try to ignore that and other such habits to be polite. Often I feel ill after eating there though.