Can thawed meat be refrozen? Here's what food experts say
Meat that has been thawed in the refrigerator and stayed cold can generally be refrozen, though its quality may suffer. Meat thawed in water or a microwave must first be cooked before refreezing.
According to "Martha Stewart" magazine, whether thawed meat can safely go back into the freezer depends largely on how it was thawed in the first place.
The thawing method matters most
Meat thawed in the refrigerator that has remained cold throughout can usually be refrozen, as long as it hasn't spoiled and hasn't exceeded its safe storage time. Meat thawed in water or a microwave, however, needs to be cooked first before it can be safely refrozen.
Food safety depends heavily on temperature, since bacteria multiply much faster in warmth. The longer meat sits at room temperature, the higher the risk of spoilage. Thawing in the refrigerator is considered the safest method because low temperatures slow microbial growth. It's also worth noting that refreezing doesn't reset the storage clock — what matters is the total time elapsed since the meat was first thawed.
When to throw meat away
Meat that has sat out of the fridge for too long, or that shows warning signs such as an unpleasant smell, a sticky surface, or an unusual color, should not be eaten regardless of how many days it has been stored.
Quality suffers even when the meat is still safe
Even when refreezing is safe from a food-safety standpoint, the meat's texture can decline. Freezing causes ice crystals to form inside the meat, damaging its tissue structure, and moisture escapes once it thaws. Refreezing repeats and worsens this process, leaving the meat drier and tougher, so repeatedly freezing the same piece is not recommended.
To avoid this, it helps to divide meat into portions before the first freeze, pack it with as little air as possible, and label packages with the freezing or thawing date.
