Meat and Poultry Freezing guide

I made the most delightful Prime Rib a couple nights ago. Two very dear friends came for a socially distant dinner at our 10 person dining room table. I have 3 Honeywell room purifiers going and although we didn't do our usual hugs, we all enjoyed being together, chatting, sharing a meaningful prayer and eating a delicious meal, that included Blue Cheese and Rosemary Scallop Potatoes, Roasted carrots and Asparagus with lemon-Parmesan and Instant Pot Sticky Toffee Pudding.

 

 With just four people eating, a 6 lb. Prime Rib left plenty of left overs. I thought about dinners I could make using the left overs, Prime rib dip, Prime rib tacos, Prime Rib Stroganoff.....however, that's beef over load and I'm looking to roast another Prime Rib on Christmas day, 4 days away!!! I want to package and freeze the left over in portions and it got me to thinking maybe some of you are in the same situation. When is it safe to freeze your meats?

 

Zoom chats with family and friends have become the norm of recent. And our family pets are more important than ever!

So here is a guide to freezing meats. It contains USDA standards concerning re-freezing, power outages and quality assurance along with some facts about dreaded freezer burn. 

Don’t Get Burned
Unpleasant but not harmful, freezer burn occurs when air comes into contact with the food’s surface causing dehydration and oxidation. Meat contains thousands of naturally occurring water molecules. Water evaporates at all temperatures (even from what appears to be solid ice) so when water molecules migrate to the exterior of the meat, crystals of ice form on the surface. The parts now deprived of moisture become dry and shriveled. Exposure to air causes fats to oxidize giving freezer burned meat brown or grayish spots and a leathery appearance. Temperature fluctuations in modern auto-defrost freezers contribute to freezer burn also. Meat with freezer burn, though dry and wrinkly is safe to eat however in most cases, freezer burn will lend an unpleasant flavor and texture. For lightly freezer burned meats, trim away the dry, discolored portions and cook as usual. If you meat is heavily ‘burned’ it’s best to discard.

Refreezing
The USDA states that if food is properly thawed in the refrigerator, it is safe to refreeze it without cooking. From the USDA’s website, “After cooking raw foods which were previously frozen, it is safe to freeze the cooked foods. If previously cooked foods are thawed in the refrigerator, you may refreeze the unused portion. Freeze leftovers within 3-4 days. Do not refreeze any foods left outside the refrigerator longer than 2 hours; 1 hour in temperatures above 90 °F. If you purchase previously frozen meat, poultry or fish at a retail store, you can refreeze if it has been handled properly.”

Freezer Failure
If you have a power outage or if your freezer ever fails – all may not be lost. According to the USDA, a freezer full of food will keep for about 2 days without power if the door is kept closed. A freezer that is half-full will keep for about 1 day. From the USDA’s website… “To determine the safety of foods when the power goes on, check their condition and temperature. If food is partly frozen, still has ice crystals, or is as cold as if it were in a refrigerator (40 °F), it is safe to refreeze or use. It's not necessary to cook raw foods before refreezing. Discard foods that have been warmer than 40 °F for more than 2 hours. Discard any foods that have been contaminated by raw meat juices.”

Quality Assurance in the Freezer According to the USDA, frozen foods remain safe indefinitely. However, to ensure optimal quality there are some guidelines for storage times. Cooked meats retain quality for up to 6 months whereas uncooked meats, poultry and game retain quality for up to 12 months.

From left Bentley Boy, Beamer RIP 2020 (my son and families doggies), Moose and Bandit our doggies. 

Cheers to a healthy and happy 2021!

JJ