Meat: thawing, storage in the refrigerator and freezer

Great care is needed when buying and storing meat in the refrigerator and freezer. Refrigerating meat, freezing meat, thawing meat properly, and never quickly thawing meat or ground meat all require special attention. People often ask me: Can I cook frozen meat? Can I put meat from the freezer in the oven? I’ll tell you no, and explain everything in detail below.

How many days does meat keep in the refrigerator?
This depends on the size of the cut. A small piece of fresh meat weighing around 1 to 1.5 kg can be kept for up to 2 days. A large piece weighing over 2 kg can be kept for up to 4 days in a bowl with a rack, so it does not sit in its juices, and always covered, on the very bottom shelf of the refrigerator at 2 °C.

Storing meat outside the refrigerator
Never leave fresh meat out of the refrigerator, not even for a few hours. The gradual growth of bacteria in raw meat will cause the product to spoil and make it dangerous.

When meat smells strange
If meat has a strong smell, its color has changed, or it feels slimy to the touch, it is spoiled and unfit for any use. The risks posed by raw meat are high if it is not stored properly.

Meat in the freezer
First of all, you must store your meat at the correct temperature in the freezer, at -18 °C.
Do not store meat in the freezer for longer than a reasonable period. The freezer is not a storeroom. Keep meat in the freezer for no more than 2 months. Consume it as soon as you can. It can be kept for longer, but there is no reason to leave it there for so long.
Never put meat from the freezer in the oven for any reason. Just as the meat froze gradually, it must also be thawed gradually. It must be thawed properly and slowly in the refrigerator. The bacteria in the meat went dormant in the freezer at the low temperature of -18 °C, but there is always a risk they will have a party if you don’t thaw frozen animal products properly. Thawing in the refrigerator is the safest method, because the low temperature of 2 °C on the very bottom shelf, where meat should be stored, prevents bacteria from growing on its surface.

Never thaw and refreeze!
Once an ingredient has been thawed, never freeze it again, even after cooking. It must be consumed immediately!

How to thaw meat properly
Put the meat in a large glass or stainless steel container to collect the liquid released as it thaws. Always cover it with a lid. Always thaw it in the refrigerator at a steady temperature until completely thawed. Thawing time depends on the size of the meat. Never thaw it in a bowl of water or at room temperature, as bacteria can grow.
Thawed frozen foods must be eaten within 24 hours of thawing.
Caution! When meat thaws in the refrigerator, none of its juices should drip inside the fridge, onto the shelves, or onto other foods.

3 mistakes when thawing food
Bowls of cold water that you immerse frozen products in.
Frozen meat left on the kitchen counter all night.
Meat taken from the freezer and put in the oven at a low temperature to thaw.
All 3 are strictly and categorically forbidden!

What should I look out for when buying meat? Basic rules for hygiene and storage

1. First of all, we should have complete confidence in our butcher, and the appearance of the shop should appeal to us from the moment we walk in. A good butcher should be able to answer our questions, as any good professional should.

2. Meat we buy should be put in the refrigerator as soon as possible. Check the refrigerator temperature. The ideal temperature on the meat shelf is 2 degrees °C.

3. Don't leave fresh meat, ground meat, or poultry in the car or at room temperature for too long after shopping, especially on hot days.

4. Always handle raw meat with gloves so we don't transfer germs to utensils.

5. We should use a dedicated cutting board for raw meat and disinfect it after every use.

6. If we cut meat with a knife, we must not then use the same knife to cut another ingredient. Thorough cleaning is important after every contact with raw meat, poultry, or ground meat.

7. Avoid keeping meat between 5 and 6 degrees C. Bacteria grow at these temperatures. That's why, when heating or chilling meat, we must do it as quickly as possible. In other words, don't leave cooked meat at room temperature for 5 hours before putting it in the refrigerator. This should be done as soon as possible.

8. If we buy packaged meat, always check the expiration date.

9. If we don't use all the meat we bought, store it in a clean container, preferably with an internal rack (not on paper where blood can pool), for 2-3 days in the refrigerator. Or, even better, wrap it well and freeze it.

10. Never reheat cooked meat more than once.