The Raw Meat Refreezing Myth Everyone Should Stop Believing

Imagine this: You put a pound of ground beef into the fridge to thaw, with a super-specific recipe in mind, and then life gets in the way. You find yourself wondering whether it's safe to put the meat back into the freezer, or if you need to toss it into the trash (which is especially painful when some meats, like beef, are so dang expensive). Thankfully, it's a myth that meat can't be refrozen once it's thawed — the USDA says that it's actually perfectly fine to put it back into the freezer.

This doesn't just go for foods that you've frozen at home. If you buy frozen meat at the grocery store, then thaw it out in the fridge and decide to use it another time, you're good to pop it into the freezer (this would be a good time to use a vacuum sealer, if you have one — it can absolutely change your food storage game). However, there are a few things you'll want to keep in mind if you decide to pop food that's been thawed back into the freezer. Even though it doesn't pose a safety risk, refreezing your meat can cause its quality to degrade. Let's take a look at what you need to judge the quality of meat that's been frozen more than once.

If your meat has made its way from the fridge to the freezer and back again, it's still smart to check to make sure it's going to be worth your while to prepare and consume. First, you'll need to be sure you avoided risky meat thawing mistakes, like leaving food out at room temperature for two hours or more (or one hour, if the temperature is above 90 degrees Fahrenheit) — the first time around. If you properly froze your meat and it didn't sit out for an extended period of time, quality (rather than safety) is going to be your main concern.

As your meat freezes, ice crystals that form within the tissue damage its cells, which cause its quality to degrade. The more times meat moves from a thawed-out state to a frozen one, the more likely it is to develop a not-so-appetizing texture. Moving meat from the fridge to the freezer and back again multiple times may cause further damage at the cellular level. You'll also want to consider how long your meat was in the freezer. Generally, ground meat can last for up to four months in the freezer. Poultry pieces can last up to nine months, and fresh beef can last up to a year. While you probably don't want to make it a regular practice in your kitchen, there's nothing wrong (safety-wise) with moving meat from the freezer to the fridge and back again.