Freezing meat and poultry makes it easy to stock up when shopping for great sales at your favorite grocery store or meat market. Do you know how to freeze meat properly? It’s not as simple as throwing the package in the freezer which can reduce the quality of the meat. Start with fresh, high-quality meat and freezing when at its prime will yield the best results. Our friends at BBQGuys offer these great tips on how to properly freeze meat.
Why Freeze Meat?
Freezers maintain temperatures of 0° F or slightly colder, so that the bacteria naturally found in meat is held in a state of suspension. Since the harmful microbes cannot reproduce, long-term food storage is possible. Freezing meat does not kill microorganisms like bacteria, yeast, and mold; it makes them dormant and prevents growth. If you don’t thaw frozen meat properly, these microbes will become active and potentially cause foodborne illness.
In addition to food safety, freezing preserves meat’s flavor, texture, and vitamin content over time. Minor reductions in the meat quality are likely to occur over extended periods of storage, but you can expect meat to come out of the freezer in the same state it was at the time of freezing.
Tips for Freezing Meat
Your freezer does most of the work when it comes to quality preservation and food safety. There are a few extra steps to make the process as effective as possible. These simple tips on how to freeze meat will ensure frozen meat tastes as fresh and flavorful as possible.
Freeze ASAP
Meat that goes into the freezer at the peak of quality will come out at the peak of quality. As you are meal-planning, immediately freeze meat that you know will end up in the freezer. You’ll be glad you put in the extra effort when you pull out that steak or ground beef in a few weeks.
Repackage Store-Bought Meat
Freezing correctly is just as important as freezing quickly. Tossing store-packaged meat in the freezer is not the best action. The plastic wrap used in most store-bought meat is permeable, which allows dry air to rob moisture from the meat and causes freezer burn. Follow these steps to help meat sustain its quality in the freezer:
- Remove the meat from its packaging.
- Wrap it as tightly as possible in butcher paper or plastic wrap, leaving as little air as you can.
- Wrap again in heavy-duty aluminum foil before placing it in the freezer.
High-quality, vacuum-sealed products are packaged with long-term quality preservation in mind. Home vacuum-sealing is an effective way to package meat for the freezer.
Pre-Portion Meat
Pre-portioning frozen meat is an excellent way to food prep when buying in bulk and helps with quality preservation. Smaller portions will freeze and thaw faster, locking in the quality and freshness that much sooner. Then you can thaw exactly what is needed for each meal.
Pre-portioning is also helpful for storage – you can stack flatly packed meat to free up freezer space. It’s always a good idea to label the packaging with the date, approximate weight, and type of meat inside.
How Long Can Meat Stay Frozen?
According to the USDA, you can freeze meat indefinitely. However, the quality, taste, and texture of frozen meat will decline with lengthy freezer storage. No one wants to spend time gnawing on dry, tough meat simply because they left it in the freezer for too long. Limit your meat storage to months, not years.
How to Prevent Freezer Burn
Air is the chief culprit of freezer burn resulting in dry, tough, dehydration spots that can affect taste and texture. Ensure meat is packaged with little to no air pockets inside the wrapping. Follow steps outlined above for repackaging store-bought meat.
Make Sure Freezer Is Set to Correct Temperature
Properly freezing meat hinges on your freezer being set to 0°F, which is the temperature that microorganisms are held in suspension. To ensure your freezer remains at 0°F, install a hanging appliance thermometer and check it from time to time.
Here’s a hack for monitoring temperature if you’re heading out on vacation or will be out of the house for a while:
- Fill ⅔ a Styrofoam or plastic cup with water, then freeze overnight.
- When the water is frozen, remove the cup from the freezer, place a quarter on top of the ice, and return the cup to the freezer.
- When you return home, If the quarter is still on top of the ice, then everything remained frozen while you were away. But if the quarter is near or at the bottom of the cup, this means your home temporarily lost power and the ice thawed into water and allowed the coin to sink. That’s your signal that everything in your freezer has spoiled and must be thrown out for your safety.
Now you know all about how to freeze meat. Buying meat in bulk and stocking up the freezer is a convenient way to save money, reduce trips to the grocery store, and make sure you always have something to eat at any moment!