fbpx

How to Thaw Ground Beef, Steak, Organ Meat, and More

Frozen beef - ground beef, steak, organ meat

It’s happened to all of us: You ask a family member to take the meat out of the freezer in the morning, but when you come home at 5 p.m., you find the meat still in the freezer. Keeping your freezer stocked with frozen beef, steaks, and even organ meat is always a good idea, but what happens when dinner is in an hour, and you need to quick-thaw? We’ve got your back. Knowing how to thaw ground beef and more—fast— is important so you don’t sacrifice flavor, tenderness, or taste!

Why You Need to Thaw Meat Safely

Meat that’s vacuum-sealed, flash-frozen, and shipped is much fresher than the unfrozen steaks you see at the store and gives you the longest possible shelf life. But as soon as the meat begins to thaw and the internal temperature goes above 40 degrees, bacteria that may have been present before freezing begins to multiply. Thawing meat safely is important to prevent foodborne illnesses caused by E. Coli, Salmonella, and Campylobacter.

How to Thaw Ground Beef, Steak, and Organ Meat Fast

There are three safe ways to defrost meat: in the fridge, in cold water, and in the microwave. The refrigerator is the safest and most recommended method, but if you are in a rush, cold water or microwave will work. With these tips and tricks, you’ll thaw meat safely and in time for dinner.  

Refrigerator (10 to 24 hours)

Thawing frozen meat in the refrigerator is the safest and most convenient method but also the slowest. Stew meat, ground beef, and steaks defrost within a day, whereas bone-in and whole roasts can take up to two days. To thaw meat in the refrigerator, remove it from the freezer and place it in a container or dish on the fridge’s bottom shelf to prevent dripping and cross-contamination. The meat is safe in the refrigerator for three to five days. If you decide not to use the beef during this time, you can still safely refreeze it.

Cold Water (30 minutes to 1 hour)

You have one hour until dinner time and a pound of frozen ground beef in your hands. What do you do? Defrost the meat in a bowl of cold water. First, ensure the frozen meat is sealed in leak-proof packaging, if it’s not, wrap the meat tightly in a resealable plastic bag, then submerge it in a bowl of cold tap water. Change the water every 30 minutes to ensure it stays cold and continues to thaw the meat. Foods thawed with cold water should be cooked immediately before consuming or refreezing.

Microwave (5 to 10 minutes)

Thawing in the microwave is the quickest method and is the go-to for many in a hurry. Open the package of ground beef, steak, organ meat, etc., and transfer it to a suitable-sized bowl or shallow dish. Put the bowl in the microwave and push the defrost button, or manually set your microwave to 50% power. Defrost for eight to ten minutes per pound, flipping the meat every few minutes until thawed. Some of the meat may have started to cook during defrosting, which is safe, but make sure you cook the meat immediately after thawing.

Now You Know How to Thaw Ground Beef—That’s a Job Well Done.

Thawing meat quickly can be a convenient solution when you’re short on time, but it’s important to do so safely to avoid the risk of bacterial growth or foodborne illness.The refrigerator, cold water, and microwave methods will come in handy as the summer grilling season approaches. At Oreganic, we ship to Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Nevada, and California, so now’s the time to stock up your freezer for those delicious summer dinners! 

Grass-Fed and Finished Organic Beef Co., Oreganic, Sponsors Los Angeles Rams Safety, Taylor Rapp, After Rapp Chooses Oreganic to Keep Him Fed On- And Off The Field

Taylor Rapp Oreganic


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  September 15, 2022 Bend, Oregon  Grass-fed and finished organic beef company, Oreganic, sponsors Los Angeles Rams Safety, Taylor Rapp after Rapp chooses Oreganic to support his performance on and off the field.

“I choose to eat certified organic, 100% grass-fed and finished beef, specifically from Oreganic Beef, because my body is like a supercar, and why would you put anything less than premium or the best possible fuel in your body? Because of what we’re asked to do on a daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly basis as professional football players, you cannot afford to put anything but the best fuel in your body — and Oreganic Beef is truly the best of the best nutritionally and will keep your body running on all cylinders! The certified organic, 100% grass-fed beef from Oreganic is 1000x superior to any other beef, protein, or food. It also tastes that much better than everything else. You can truly taste the difference in Oreganic Beef as soon as you take your first bite into any of their products,” said Taylor Rapp.

“I have been fueling my hardest training this off-season and throughout training camp with Oreganic, and I have never felt better. From how my body feels every day, to how it is recovering from long practice and training days, to how I’ve been performing out on the grass in general — it truly has been a game changer for me. I feel like it has given me that slight edge over my opponents, and I can’t wait to fuel the upcoming season with high-quality protein from Oreganic Beef,” continued Rapp.

“Oreganic is excited to partner with Taylor Rapp because the partnership happened organically. Taylor came to us and said, ‘[Our] beef is pretty much the only beef he eats.’ So naturally, we wanted to provide him with as much grass-fed organic beef as he needs. Since our family-owned cattle ranch is based out of beautiful Central Oregon, California is home to our second largest client base. We ship fresh, organic, grass-fed beef daily throughout the Los Angeles basin and greater California, even across the country.” – Devin Ceciliani, Co-Founder/Rancher, Oreganic.

The benefits of grass-fed beef for athletes are numerous. Grass-fed beef provides a quality source of protein, iron, vitamins, and minerals and is a good source of healthy and leaner fats. It contains plenty of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), with benefits ranging from better athletic performance to weight loss and lean muscle gains. Since humans can’t produce their own CLA, it must come from our food. CLA is a highly-regarded performance supplement in the weight loss and fitness world. 


About Oreganic

Oreganic Beef Company was founded in 2019 by Darrell Ceciliani Jr. and his three sons, passionate about organic ranching and land stewardship. The Ceciliani’s are third, and fourth-generation ranchers and have an appreciation for animal welfare, sustainable ranching, and traceable products. Oreganic Beef Company is the result of 30 years of planning, building partnerships in the community, and becoming third-party verified to deliver beef consumers can trust.