Freezing Meat Twice: How bad is it?

Q-Dat · May 31, 2011

I have come to find out the many supermarkets get a good deal is their meat in frozen. This is especially true when there are really good sales going on.

For example the Supermarket that I work for gets these really great St Louis cut ribs in pretty often. These would really be great to use in competitions. The problem is that they don't always have them in stock. I would like to grab one of these and freeze it every time I spot a particularly nice one, but they are all previously frozen. The meat department gets them frozen and thaws them before putting them out.

Anybody have any experience with freezing twice. I have never done it because I have always heard that it affects the taste and texture in a bad way on a cellular level.

Is it really that bad?

Bbq Bubba · May 31, 2011

If your not worried about using fresh, don't matter how many times you freeze it.

JiveTurkey · May 31, 2011

I used to work in a grocery store back when I was in college. I wont say the name but it rhymes with Safeway. All of the meat that came in on the trucks was frozen then taken into the meat cooler. It was then put in the display bins. So by the time you buy that steak or rack of ribs chances are that it's already been frozen once. Taking it home and freezing again does not hurt. I'd be more concerned that it's fresh than how many times it's been frozen.

Q-Dat · May 31, 2011

I don't think freshness is an issue, I just was under the impression that it turned the meat mushy.

landlocked · Jun 1, 2011

I would be more worried about getting moisture loss, both from the cell rupture and from freezing and the freezer environment itself, than I would be worried about any food safety concern.

Only my opinion.

Fishhook · Jun 1, 2011

I'm probably wrong, but I was under the impression that once something was frozen, it can no longer be sold as "fresh". That is why it must be labeled "previously frozen". So that it cannot be mistaken for "fresh"...That being said, I personally know some seafood establishments buy "fresh" scallops in the winter and freeze them for "Fresh" sale in the summer...

cameraman · Jun 1, 2011

Maybe if you asked the meat manager to hold some frozen for you he would.

Q-Dat · Jun 1, 2011

cameraman said:
Maybe if you asked the meat manager to hold some frozen for you he would.

He will. I just was wondering what the truth was about double freezing.

The_Kapn · Jun 1, 2011

I am no expert, but I have thawed and refrozen meat many times with no noticable problems.

Now, in my experience, shellfish and fish do tend to get mushy if refrozen.

Just my thoughts.

TIM

---k--- · Jun 1, 2011

I don't know. I suspect most people haven't done enough controlled testing to give you an accurate example and mostly just repeating what their momma told them.

In this book:
Amazon.com: Great Sausage Recipes & Meat Curing: 4th Edition (9780025668607): Rytek Kutas, Ben Kutas: Books@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61aCX2oWywL.@@AMEPARAM@@61aCX2oWywL

The author claims that for sausage, he has found that he can freeze meat up to three times without noticeable changes.

results might be different with ribs or butts used for pulled pork. But, it is a start.

NRA4Life · Jun 1, 2011

landlocked said:
I would be more worried about getting moisture loss, both from the cell rupture and from freezing and the freezer environment itself, than I would be worried about any food safety concern.

Only my opinion.

I was under the impression that the quality of the meat diminished due to the cell rupture and subsequent moisture loss due to freezing and re-freezing.

rescue_ranger · Jun 1, 2011

According to the FDA:
Refreezing
Once food is thawed in the refrigerator, it is safe to refreeze it without cooking, although there may be a loss of quality due to the moisture lost through thawing. 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.

Here is the link Hope this helps
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/Focus_On_Freezing/index.asp#14

jestridge · Jun 1, 2011

This what the USDA say::
Refreezing
Once food is thawed in the refrigerator, it is safe to refreeze it without cooking, although there may be a loss of quality due to the moisture lost through thawing. 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

jestridge · Jun 1, 2011

Sorry about that ranger

Q-Dat · Jun 1, 2011

So while its not just an old wives tale, the effects aren't nearly as bad as commonly perceived.

Still gonna try and stick with fresh for comps but this is good to know.

Thanks Brethren!

Freezing Meat Twice: How bad is it?

Q-Dat

Babbling Farker

Bbq Bubba

somebody shut me the fark up.

JiveTurkey

is one Smokin' Farker

Q-Dat

Babbling Farker

landlocked

Is lookin for wood to cook with.

Fishhook

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cameraman

Babbling Farker

Q-Dat

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The_Kapn

Moderator Emeritus

---k---

is One Chatty Farker

NRA4Life

is Blowin Smoke!

rescue_ranger

Guest

jestridge

somebody shut me the fark up.

jestridge

somebody shut me the fark up.

Q-Dat

Babbling Farker

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