Frozen meat

[PaulR]

I just read something on another site:

"Freezing meat is just as bad as overcooking your meat because it destroys the cell membranes and causes the meat to loose moisture..."

I've always felt that a piece of meat after it was defrosted tastes different (my wife doesn't agree) but like most people we have a freezer and store a fair amount of uncooked meat.

Would you agree that freezing meat is bad or ???

[jdbower]

My father's side of the family raised black angus cattle on their farm, nothing's better than sticking your fork in a cow and popping what comes out on the grill

Freezing certainly isn't good for meat, but I've found that if it's frozen fresh and not left in too long while being protected from desiccating airflow (causing freezer burn) it's still acceptable. To compensate I usually defrost in a salt solution which restores some moisture that can be lost as well as flavoring the steak. With most meat I try to buy fresh and cook it right away, burgers are an exception since the quality is pretty low to begin with anyway. I also keep around some frozen Omaha steaks which seem to keep well for those times when I'm too lazy to go shopping.

In short, freezing isn't good but it's much better than leaving the steak on the counter for a few days

[Curly]

I have frozen both cooked and uncooked and have no problems with it. We buy bulk whole ribeyes and cut them up and food saver and then freeze, as well as many other items. And of course we cook several butts at a time and many racks of ribs at a time and then food saver and freeze, among many other things.

I certainly don't know any science behind it, but as long as it's got the air out of it and doesn't get frost bite...I'm good. Foodsavers are great

[Sanny]

Funny you should mention this. There was an article the other day on this very topic. The context was whether meat could be frozen more than once; however, the principle applies generally to all frozen meats.

As you know, when liquid freezes it expands. So, it pops the little cell that held it in. When the meat is thawed, the liquid runs out of the meat, and is lost.

According to the article, the slower the meat was frozen, the more the expansion, and the more liquid is lost. Freezing meat will make it a bit spongy. RE-freezing uncooked meat will make that sponginess even more pronounced, and more liquid will leave the meat, making it dryer and less flavorful.

The article recommended freezing as quickly as possible, and not freezing more than one time (although it is not harmful to health to do so if it has not been left out to grow cooties).

[ThreeDJ16]

Yup, exactly what Sanny and Paul1927 said. The cell walls burst due to the moisture inside the cell expanding (and sharp ice crystals) bursting the cell walls. But certain times that could also be a good thing. While I would never re-freeze something (as it gets mushy), but since it is breaking down the cell walls, it can change the texture too (ie, tenderizing). The most noticeable example you can try is with fresh fruits. Freeze and then thaw some berries and they are completely soft then. I have used this technique before pressing fresh fruits for wines.

I think any meats are better fresh; but I also think pork or tuff cut of beef can be a little more tender after freezing. I am not a fan of freezing poultry, as it tends to turn mushy.

-=Jasen=-

[DennisLinkletter]

Blast/Flash freezing..

The problem with home freezing is that large ice crystals tear and rupture cell walls..

Blast/Flash freezing is when something is frozen so quickly that only small ice crystals can form and cell walls are not damaged. If the cell walls remain intact,it will not loose fluid when defrosted.

The only way to flash freeze your own meat is with dry ice.. wear gloves as dry ice is -109f. Pour about 4" of DI in a cooler then put some tin foil on it. Place some parchment paper on that so your meat won't stick to it, then your meat parchment paper, more tin foil and some more DI on top. Close ice chest but not seal as the DI produces carbon dioxide at pressure.

In about a half hour you will have very solid steaks...

Kids don't try this at home with the dog!

[primeats]

Clarence Birdseye discovered that fresh vegetables, when frozen at -20 F , did not experience the cell wall failure that has plagued many attempts at freezing and maintaining foods. This will apply for fresh meats as well. This is why during the 60's and even today you may have seen or your parents may have purchased large bundles of packaged meats from a "locker plant". My father operated one for 25 years.