Why You Should Never Thaw Ground Beef on the Countertop
It’s happened to all of us: There’s a pound of ground beef in the freezer in a big, frozen block and you need it to get dinner on the table stat.
Thawing ground beef properly is important to ensuring that your ground beef dinner is not only delicious but also free of harmful bacteria. To help avoid harmful bacteria it’s important to understand the danger zone. The danger zone is the temperature range, between 40°F and 140°F, where bacteria grows most rapidly. Any perishable foods should never stay in the danger zone for more than two hours.
Below are three methods for thawing ground beef, from the fastest to the slowest, that are all recommended by the USDA. While they all have advantages and disadvantages, one method will certainly fill the bill and get you get cooking in no time.
Thawing Ground Beef in the Microwave
When time is of the essence, using a microwave is the quickest way to thaw ground beef. While this method is fast, it does require some babysitting and can be a little glitchy; microwaving can partially cook the beef, which can affect the texture and cause the beef to lose some moisture, resulting in ground beef that is tough and rubbery. It also typically doesn’t thaw evenly which requires more time in the microwave thus exacerbating the previous problems. Because beef defrosted in the microwave may start to cook in parts, it must be fully cooked immediately after thawing.
How to thaw ground beef in the microwave:
Start by discarding the original packaging and placing the frozen ground beef in a microwave-safe plate or bowl.
All microwaves are different, and some have a defrost settings and recommendations, so start by checking the manual for any manufacture’s guidelines. If you don’t have the manual, simply set the microwave to the defrost setting or at 30% power.
Microwave the beef for three to five minutes, flipping it halfway through until it’s fully defrosted.
This method is best for ground beef that will be used in chili, stews, or in casseroles. Avoid this method if you want to make hamburgers.
Thawing Ground Beef in Cold Water
If you have about an hour to thaw your ground beef, the cold-water method is an excellent option.
There are two ways to use cold water to defrost ground beef; letting the cold water run over the meat or fully submerging the beef in cold water. With either method, it is very important that the ground beef is in a leak-proof plastic bag. Also, the beef should be fully cooked as soon as it is fully defrosted.
How to thaw ground beef in running water:
Discard the original package and place the ground beef in a leak-proof zip-top bag; remove as much air from the bag as possible.
Place the bag in a colander and run cold tap water over it.
Shift and turn the bag occasionally until the beef is completely defrosted.
This method will take about 1 to 1 1/2 hours to thaw 1 pound of ground beef.
How to thaw ground beef by submerging it in water:
Discard the original package and place the ground beef in a leak-proof zip-top bag; remove as much air from the bag as possible.
Place the bag in a large bowl of cold water; depending on the amount of air in the bag, it may need to be weighed down so that it’s fully submerged. Using a large bowl will ensure that the meat is completely submerged and prevent you from having to change the water too frequently.
Change the water every 30 minutes or so to ensure it remains cold. If you don’t want to completely change the water, you can also throw a handful of ice cubes in the water to lower the temperature.
This method will take about 1 to 1 1/2 hours to thaw 1 pound of ground beef.
These methods works great for any way you plan on using the ground beef.
Thawing Ground Beef in the Refrigerator
From a food safety standpoint, thawing ground beef in the refrigerator is by far the safest method as it allows the beef to thaw gradually at a consistent, safe temperature. Make sure that your refrigerator is set between 35 and 40ºF. While this method is the safest, you will need to plan as it also takes the longest. Another advantage of this method is that the beef doesn’t have to be cooked immediately. It can stay in the fridge for a day or two before being used.
Place the ground beef, still in its original container, on a plate or other container to catch any drips. Place the plate in the refrigerator below (so that it doesn’t drip onto anything) and away from (so there is no chance of the beef touching anything else in the fridge) any other food.
This method will take about 24 hours to thaw 1 pound of ground beef.
Beef thawed in the refrigerator can be used in any recipe.
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