Can You Refreeze Meat After It’s Thawed? The Simple Rule to Remember
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It happens all the time: you take out a pack of chicken or ground beef, plans change, and now you’re wondering if it can go back in the freezer. The answer is often yes, as long as you thawed it the right way.
Meat thawing in the fridge
The Simple Rule
Thawed in the fridge? You can refreeze it. Raw meat thawed in the refrigerator can go back in the freezer without cooking, according to USDA guidance:Ground meat and poultry: within 1 to 2 days of thawing.
Steaks, roasts and chops: within 3 to 5 days.
Thawed in cold water or the microwave? Cook it first. These methods let the outside of the meat warm up, so cook it before freezing again.
Left on the counter for more than 2 hours? Throw it out. It shouldn’t
be cooked, eaten or refrozen.Advertisement
