Sweet Grown Alabama Blogs

You’ve just purchased frozen meat from a local farmer, and it’s time to cook a delicious dinner. Sometimes cooking meat takes advanced planning and handling to preserve quality of taste and ensure safety. Whether thawing meat using the slow-and-steady fridge method or the quicker cold water technique, each step matters. You can master the process and cook the best local meat recipes in an efficient way. 

When asked about the safest thawing method, Rebecca Catalena, Alabama Cooperative Extension Regional Agent and Food Safety Officer recommends the refrigerator. Keeping meat cool in the fridge during the thawing stage prevents the growth of harmful bacteria which can grow when meat is thawed at room temperature. 

Meat can also be thawed in the sink by running it under cool water. Just remember two steps, change the water every thirty minutes and place meat in a leakproof bag. This will preserve its quality. For the quickest method, use a microwave on the defrost setting to thaw meat without cooking it.

In a pinch, electric pressure cookers can handle cooking unthawed frozen meats such as roasts, steaks or whole chickens. Stovetop methods, grills, ovens, and air fryers are suitable for smaller frozen cuts of fish, ground meat and stew meat. Avoid using slow cookers for frozen meat, because the meat will take longer to reach a safe temperature allowing bacteria to grow which cannot be destroyed by cooking. 

“Ensuring meats thaw safely is essential to prevent the increase of harmful bacteria such as E. coli," said Catalena. "It's imperative to avoid thawing meats at room temperature as this can promote rapid bacterial growth, heightening the risk of food-borne illnesses."

Other safety tips include handwashing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds after handling raw meats, poultry, seafood or eggs. Proper cooking temperatures should be followed too, as different foods require specific temperatures to eliminate harmful bacteria.

Future farmer Charlie Upchurch in front of a freezer full of beef

Jordyn Upchurch with Rockin' U Farm gives the general rule of one cubic foot of freezer storage for every 25 pounds of beef, making the suggested requirement an 18 cubic foot freezer for a whole steer, holding 450 pounds of beef. 

A good tip for evenly cooking thawed steak is letting it sit at room temperature for 40 minutes prior to cooking. Cooking a cold steak can result in uneven meat temperatures, this process ensures even results. 

“The most important thing in preserving meat quality is to let it slowly come up to temperature,” Upchurch said. "There is a toss-up between flavor and speed, something to consider when meal prepping."

Frozen half hog

Maegen Benford with Purely Pastured Farm recommends one cubic foot of freezer space for every 15-20 pounds of meat. The recommendations for a whole hog (approximately 120-150 pounds of meat) are 7-7.5 cubic feet of freezer space, and for half a hog (approximately 70-90 pounds of meat) are 3.5-4 cubic feet of freezer space.

There is a special touch in knowing where your food comes from and how it was raised, whilst having the flexibility to handpick the variety of meats you’d like to purchase. Preordering a whole or half animal allows you to customize the cuts of meat you prefer, but often the farmer or the butcher can assist if you are unsure. Most processers provide a cut sheet for you to reference when deciding how you'd like to receive your meat. However, many farmers sell already packaged ground beef, pork sausage, steaks, pork chops and other individual cuts if you aren't prepared to commit to an entire half or whole. 

To Refreeze?

It is common to have a change of dinner plans or pull-out meat you decided you don’t want! All you have to do is cook it as soon as possible, and freeze the cooked meat. You don't want to refreeze uncooked meat because quality may suffer due to lost moisture. Freeze cooked leftovers within three to four days. 

“Being proactive when preparing meat is important. It is not recommended to refreeze thawed meat because there is a higher potential for bacteria to exist and cause food borne illnesses,” said Andy Tipton, Alabama Department of Agriculture Division Director for Food Safety and Agricultural Compliance. “Refreezing thawed meat risks its original quality even after properly cooking it all the way through.”

Armed with this knowledge, you can successfully and safely thaw your frozen local meat and get to cooking. 

Find recipes and farmers selling local beef, pork and chicken at SweetGrownAlabama.org.