How to Defrost Minced Beef

You can safely defrost minced beef using three methods, and the choice of method mainly depends on the amount of time you have available. This article will walk you through all three methods for defrosting minced beef.

Table of Contents

Defrost in the fridge

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Plan 1-24 hours in advance to defrost meat completely. If you freeze minced beef in a thin bag (less than 5 cm thick) you can defrost beef in the refrigerator in under an hour. ^{[1] X Source of Research} On the contrary, you need to plan 24 hours in advance for every pound of minced beef that needs to be defrosted. ^{[2] X Research Source}

Keep in mind that the colder you adjust the refrigerator, the longer it will take to defrost the meat. Minced beef will defrost faster in the refrigerator at 4°C than at 2°C.

Place minced beef in a plastic bag or plate. Minced beef can leak juices out of the package during defrosting and create a breeding ground for bacteria. Placing the frozen beef package in a different container will reduce the amount of water coming out and reduce the amount of bacteria that form during defrosting.

No need to wrap the beef, just leave it in the supplier’s packaging.

Place the beef on the lower shelf in the refrigerator. Find a spot deep inside the refrigerator to put the beef bag. It is best to place the beef on the bottom shelf to prevent water from dripping down. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

Place the beef on the inside of the refrigerator to ensure a steady temperature.

Inspect minced beef before use. Wash your hands, then gently press down on the package of minced beef. If you leave a dent in the center of the meat, the meat is defrosted and ready to use.

For a closer inspection, you will split the meat in half and press your hand in the center of the meat. If the meat is tender when pressed, it is completely defrosted. If some part of the meat is still hard, defrosting is not complete.
If needed, you can finish defrosting in the microwave.

Use the meat within 1 or 2 days. Defrosting minced beef in the refrigerator is the most time consuming method but is ideal because it produces the least amount of bacteria. When defrosted this way, minced beef can be kept in the refrigerator for an additional 24 to 48 hours after defrosting.

You can also freeze meat after it has been defrosted this way. If you don’t want to use ground beef after defrosting, you can put it in the freezer, but only within 24 to 48 hours of defrosting.

Defrost with cold water

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Plan to defrost 60 minutes per 450g of beef. Start defrosting at least one hour before the time of use. This will give you enough time to defrost the meat. ^{[4] X Research Sources}

Remember, the larger the bag of beef, the longer it will take to defrost. A 1.4-1.8 kg bag of meat will require 2-3 hours of defrosting. ^{[5] X Trusted Source Food Safety and Inspection Service of the USDA Go to Source}
Very thin bags of meat (less than 1.5cm) can be defrosted in 10-20 minutes. ^{[6] X Research Source}

Place minced beef inside a zippered plastic bag. Place the meat pack in a waterproof plastic bag and seal the bag tightly.

If the plastic bag absorbs water, bacteria can enter the meat through water or air. In addition, the beef will also become soft and wet if it absorbs too much water.

Soak the beef bag in cold water. Place the well-wrapped bag of minced beef in a large bowl of water or plate and soak in cold water. Make sure the beef bag is completely submerged in the water. Place the bowl of beef broth on the counter while defrosting.

Use only cold water. Warm, hot, or even room-temperature water can create a breeding ground for bacteria.
You can also pour cold water into a clean sink and soak the bag of minced beef in it. Just make sure the drain hole is covered and the water tank is clean before defrosting begins.

Change the water every 30 minutes. Discard the old water and add clean cold water to the bowl to further defrost the meat and prevent the build-up of bacteria in the water.

Also, you need to make sure the water is cold enough. Add 1-2 ice cubes if the water is too warm.

Check the defrosting progress of the meat. When you press on the meat and it’s tender, most of the meat has been defrosted.

Separate the minced meat and press it in the center of the inside of the meat. If the meat is hard, the inside has not been defrosted.

Use the meat immediately. To prevent bacteria from forming on meat, use thawed minced beef within 2 hours.

Do not freeze beef that has been thawed in cold water. It is not safe to freeze thawed minced beef in cold water. If the beef cannot be used within 2 hours of defrosting, it is best to prepare it before freezing the beef.

Microwave defrost

Place the minced beef in a glass dish that is safe to use in the oven because of the waves. Remove the beef from the package and place the beef neatly on the plate. Then cover.

This is a very quick defrosting method that you can do right before preparing dinner. You don’t need to worry much about having to defrost meat in advance for a long time.
It can be difficult to remove minced beef from its packaging if it is completely frozen and placed in a styrofoam tray. If you are having trouble removing the meat from the package, you can place the minced beef in a zippered plastic bag, zip the top of the bag, and wash the surface with the foam tray under cold running water until the tray is no longer sticky and you can take out the meat.

Place beef on a microwaveable glass dish. Be sure to use a dish deep enough to prevent water from spilling out. Cover the dish with a lid or use another plate to cover. ^{[7] X Research Sources}

Put each 500g of meat in the microwave operating at 50% power for about 3 minutes. Use 50% power instead of 100% to not overcook the meat. ^{[8] X Research Sources}

Some microwave ovens have a defrost setting. This mode automatically calculates the operating time and power to defrost meat. You only need to select the defrost mode if your microwave has it and put in the amount of minced beef to defrost.

Check the meat every 45 seconds, especially after the first minute. Even with defrosting, meat may defrost unevenly. You should turn the sides every 45 seconds, as well as check the defrost level. ^{[9] X Research Source}

Most microwave ovens have a turntable and rotate continuously during operation. If your oven doesn’t have a turntable, it’s a good idea to rotate the dish each time you check the meat.

Check that the meat is completely defrosted. Press into the center of the meat to see if there are any hard spots left.

If necessary, you can split the meat in half and press down on the center of the meat to look for areas where the meat is still frozen.

Use the meat immediately. Minced beef thawed in the microwave must be used within 2 hours to be safe.

Do not attempt to freeze minced beef that has been defrosted in the microwave. However, you can prepare the beef and freeze it immediately.

Advice

Consider preparing beef while frozen or partially thawed. Since minced meat is often used to make patties, meatballs and hamburger patties, you can’t use frozen minced beef. If you need shredded meat to use in pasta sauces, stir-fries, or to make soups, you can separate the amount you need and have it both defrosted and cooked at the same time. However, note that your cooking time will be more than twice as long.

Warning

Don’t try to freeze minced beef at room temperature. Minced beef should not be kept between 4°C and 60°C for long periods of time, as this is the ideal temperature range for bacteria to form.

Things you need

Glass dish for use in the microwave
Zippered plastic bag

Steps