This method of thawing works for either ground beef or cuts of beef such as steak.
Never use hot water to thaw beef because this will greatly increase the chances of dangerous bacteria developing on the meat.
If you are thawing big packets of ground beef or large chunks of beef, it can take longer than an hour.
If it takes longer than an hour to thaw your frozen beef, then keep changing the water every 30 minutes.
It’s ok to cook the beef even if it has not thawed completely. The frozen parts will just take a bit longer to cook.
This method works for both ground beef and any cuts of beef. Never thaw frozen beef on the counter because bacteria can develop on the outer surfaces of the meat as they warm up first.
Your fridge needs to be set to 40 °F (4 °C) or below to safely thaw the beef.
If the beef isn’t thawed all the way, keep in mind that it is perfectly safe to cook it while it is still partly frozen. It will just take about 50% longer to cook this way than thawed beef.
You can thaw either ground beef or cuts of beef in the microwave. Don’t put the beef in the microwave in its store packaging because it can melt or catch on fire.
If you are defrosting pieces of beef, like steak, then flip them over after the first 2 minutes to defrost the beef evenly.
If there is only a small part of the beef that is still frosty, but the majority of it is defrosted, go ahead and start cooking it to avoid cooking parts of it in the microwave.
