It’s the day before a big BBQ or maybe the day before Thanksgiving and you just realized your meat is all frozen still. Is there a safe and effective way to thaw your meat that won’t take all day or spoil the meat?
Meat should never be left out on the counter to thaw. The safest way to thaw meat on the counter is to leave it in cool water for about an hour. If you leave frozen meat out on the counter for more than 30 minutes and you notice it is no longer frozen, it should be thrown away.
We have put together a comprehensive list of how to safely handle and defrost your meat. If you are in a pinch for time, do not worry, we have shared all the best and quickest ways to get your meat defrosted as fast as possible!
How Long Can You Leave Meat Out To Defrost?
It is unsafe to leave frozen meat out at room temperature for any amount of time. Meat grows bacteria very quickly and is one of the most common carriers of disease after wheat and grain. Rather than defrosting on the counter, utilize water, fridges, or other devices for safely defrosting your meat.
There are several safe and effective ways to defrost your meat, including:
- Place meat in water to defrost
- Microwave on high
- Defrost directly on the stove
- Defrost in the fridge
To defrost meat safely in water first place it in a sealed bag. Next, place the bag in a bowl of cool water and let it thaw for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, if it’s still not thawed, you can continue this method for another 30 minutes. However, change the water and the bag before you continue.
Microwaving your meat is safe as well, but we recommend you avoid refreezing this meat after. Microwaving meat partially cooks it.
This is alright, but some people believe it tastes bad after being refrozen. Additionally, if it sits out for more than 15 minutes after you microwave it without cooking it or freezing it, you should throw it away.
Defrosting meat in the fridge is really just cooking it while it’s still frozen. This is a good way to defrost it so you can make it into meatballs, meatloaf, or other ground beef dishes.
Last, defrosting your meat in the fridge takes the longest, but it is the best way. Take the meat you wish to use out from the freezer a day before you plan to use it.
Place the meat in a plastic container and store it in the fridge overnight. By the next day, it should be ready to use. Do not store it in the fridge for more than 2 days if you plan to refreeze it.
How Long Does Frozen Meat Take To Defrost In Room Temperature?
Generally, if you use cool water to thaw meat it will take 45 minutes to an hour. Thawing meat on the stove may only take 15 minutes to thaw, but many chefs prefer to pre-thaw their meat for better flavor. This is also true for thawing meat in the microwave. Refrigerated thawing typically takes a whole day.
You should never leave frozen meat out on the counter to thaw. However, if you are using a safe thaw method, the time it takes for it to thaw may vary depending on the type of meat. The cut and style may also impact thawing times.
Here’s a quick list of how long you can expect to thaw your meat based on the type and method chosen:
| Fridge | Chicken 24 hours | Steak 24-28 hours | Hamburgers 20-24 hours | Lamb/goat24 hours | Turkey leg16 hours-24 hours | Whole turkey24-48 hours |
| Microwave | Chicken 2-3 minutes | Steak 5-7 minutes | Hamburgers 3-4 minutes | Lamb/goat3-4 minutes | Turkey leg5 minutes | Turkey should not be microwaved when whole |
| Water | Chicken 35 minutes to 45 minutes | Steak 1 hour | Hamburger 10-30 minutes | Lamb/gpat45 minutes | Turkey leg35-45 minutes | Whole turkey 1-3 hours |
| Stovetop | Chicken 10 minutes | Steak 25 minutes | Hamburger 20 minutes | Lamb/goat25-20 minutes | Turkey leg10-15 minutes | Do not thaw on the stovetop |
How Can You Tell If Meat Has Gone Bad While Defrosting?
Stench and discoloration are the most obvious signs of meat had gone bad while being defrosted. However, this is not usually enough to determine if your meat has actually gone bad or not.
Bacteria and other harmful pathogens can multiply within a few minutes if your meat has reached a temperature below 45 degrees Fahrenheit.
Unless your meat is rotting, it doesn’t exhibit the same obvious tell-tale signs of having gone bad as vegetables and fruits.
This is because it’s more complex and takes longer to actually break down. However just because you do not see or smell anything does not mean there is nothing wrong.
According to the USDA and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), bacteria can double every 4 minutes when in the right conditions.
Meat that has reached a temperature below 45 degrees should be thrown away and not consumed. This is the best way to check if your meat has gone bad.
Can You Refreeze Meat After Thawing It?
Remember that meat will not necessarily look bad when it has gone bad. Meat that has developed large amounts of bacteria during the thawing process should be thrown away, rather than refrozen.
This means any meat which has been left out at below 36 degrees Fahrenheit (2.2 Celsius) for more than 2 hours should be thrown away.
However, meat that has been thawed in the refrigerator can be refrozen, according to the USDA. This is true up until about 2-5 days.
Meat can only last in the fridge for a few days before going bad, so make sure if you thaw your meat you either use it or refreeze it within a day or two.
You might want to marinate your meat if you use refrozen meat. When frozen meat thaws it loses a considerable amount of liquids, so if you do not marinate the meat it might result in your meat being dry.
What Can Happen If You Eat Meat That’s Gone Bad?
Meat that has gone bad can make you very sick if it is eaten. Bad meat develops several types of bacteria, including E. Coli, botulism, and other foodborne illnesses.
These foodborne illnesses can cause vomiting, nausea, and diarrhea. These illnesses do not usually cause death, but in severe cases, they can.
According to the CDC common symptoms of botulism include:
- Blurred or doubled vision
- Difficulty swallowing
- Trouble breathing (laborious breaths)
- Weakness
- Muscle aches
Botulism is one of the more serious foodborne illnesses. If you exhibit extreme symptoms, you should get to the hospital right away. However, typically, the disease clears out of your system in about a week or so.
Common symptoms of E. Coli include:
- Vomiting
- Bloody stool
- Severe diarrhea
- Fever
E. Coli typically clears away within a week of the infection. However, it is extremely important that you remain well hydrated throughout the illness. E. Coli causes the body to lose large amounts of fluids, so it is important to drink lots of water and hydrating drinks.
Keep an eye out for symptoms of hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). Sometimes E. Coli develops into this far more dangerous disease, which starts to surface about 3 days after the patient thinks they are recovering.
Those suffering from this infection will lose the color in their face and have fewer and less frequent urination periods throughout the day. They should get treatment immediately to avoid kidney failure or permanent damage to the kidneys.
How Can You Defrost Meat Faster?
The microwave and stove are the fastest way to thaw your meat. However, the only downside is you should only use this method if you are ready to cook it right away.
This system of thawing is more cooking than thawing and if you do not cook it after heating it to high temperatures it could develop high levels of bacteria.
Thawing meat in cool water is the only safe way to thaw meat on the counter. It is also one of the quickest methods of thawing meat which won’t result in it getting partially cooked.
However, you should not refreeze meat thawed in water. You should only refreeze meat that has been thawed in the fridge.
How Long Does It Take To Defrost Meat In the Fridge?
Meat usually takes 24 hours to thaw in the refrigerator. But this largely varies based on the type of meat and the size of the cut.
Solid steaks, whether beef, veal, lamb, or other solid steaks take the longest time. But, the times vary largely based on the size.
The refrigerator can take up to 48 hours for a full turkey or chicken. This depends on the weight of the chicken or turkey.
Chicken doesn’t usually take longer than a day to thaw on account of it being far lighter and smaller than a turkey.
Make sure you leave the meat in a plastic bowl while you thaw it. It will leak a lot of contaminated juices and blood which can cause a pathogen to your other food if it gets on them.
If you notice the juices have leaked onto any vegetables or other food in your fridge, throw it away right away and sanitize the area with bleach.