Can you defrost hamburger meat in the microwave

But defrosting it the wrong way can risk the growth of potentially harmful bacteria. Fortunately, we have the easiest and most efficient strategies for thawing ground beef quickly and safely:.

If you know ahead of time that you want to use your ground beef, thawing it in the refrigerator is the safest way to do so. It takes about 24 hours to fully thaw one pound of ground beef in the refrigerator, but if your beef is in smaller frozen batches it will defrost faster.

Be sure to place the package on a plate to catch any drippings or juice that sneaks out as the meat defrosts. The best part: If your dinner plans change, the ground beef will keep raw in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days before it needs to be cooked. With only an hour or so to go before supper and a pound of frozen ground beef in your hands, you can defrost it in a bowl of cold water. Is that safe? Filed under: freezing , food safety. Feel free to use and share this content, but please do so under the conditions of our Creative Commons license and our Rules for Use.

Box Fargo, ND Site Manager:. Susan Finneseth. If you are not in a hurry and you have planned your meal ahead, you can thaw the frozen ground beef in the refrigerator. Transfer the frozen meat from the freezer to the refrigerator the night before you plan to cook it. Make sure that you put the meat in a dish to prevent leaking to other food products.

Basic knowledge of proper freezing and thawing your meat is essential to preparing safe and healthy food for your family. How to defrost ground beef in microwave is simple and easy. However, you should still be careful that you do it safely.

You can send us a note too. How To Freeze Meat Safely. To store ground beef in the freezer, follow these steps: Remove the meat from its original packaging. Place the ground beef in a freezer-safe sealable plastic bag. Before sealing, use a rolling pin to flatten the meat. It should be half an inch thick. Seal and label the bag.