Freeze Meat: Steak And Filet

Ever wondered how to properly freeze meat without sacrificing quality? We’ll give you the right information.

Shelf life of different types of meat

An important question that is often asked in everyday kitchen practice: How long does the respective type of meat keep? Because there are some deviations that should be considered, as this depends on the type and texture of the meat. We at eat.de have created a table for you that you can use to find out the shelf life of frozen meat at a glance.

Type of meat –  Shelf life

• Pork (lean) – 6 to 8 months
• Pork (fat) – 4 months
• Beef – 10 to 12 months
• Poultry – 8 to 10 months
• Calf – 9 to 12 months
• Venison and deer meat – 12 months
• Wild boar – 6 to 10 months
• Rabbit – 8 months
• Sausages – 1 to 2 months
• Ground beef (lean) – 2 to 3 months
• Minced meat (fat) – 1 month
• Lamb – 6 to 10 months

Tip: Label the contents of the freezer with the name and date you freeze it.

The right container

Take extra care to repackage the packaged meat into a freezer-safe container, such as glass, stainless steel jars, or a freezer bag. This is how you play it safe that chemicals are dissolved through the use of plastic cans. Basically, it can be said that the fresher the meat and the lower the temperatures in the freezer compartment, the better the quality is retained. Likewise, with the packaged content, care should be taken to unpack the packaging in which it is bought in the supermarket beforehand and to use a new container. Otherwise unwanted bacteria can get into the newly frozen meat, causing it to go rancid. Cleanliness is therefore the be-all and end-all when it comes to freezing. Below you will find exact instructions on how to freeze meat so that nothing goes wrong.

Instructions for freezing meat

1. First, remove the meat from the packaging.
2. Pat meat dry to avoid bacterial development.
3. Also, trim tendons and fat to maximize durability.
4. You can then vacuum seal the meat or place it in an airtight container jar. Seal the meat, which has been dabbed dry, in a vacuum bag. Make sure you suck out all the air. If you weld it too early, not only will the durability suffer, but there is also a risk of freezer burn.
5. Finally, you can write names and dates on the meat.

Tip: So that you get the maximum shelf life when freezing meat and it stays nice and juicy, simply wash it off with salt water beforehand.

Defrost meat

Here it’s the other way around: slow thawing is important to preserve the flavors in the meat. If you want to thaw meat, place it in a bowl and place it in the fridge overnight. Ideally on a draining grid and a bowl underneath. However, if you want it to be quick, put the meat in a cold water bath to rest for a few hours. Make sure that it is never warm water, otherwise, the quality will be lost and the meat will become tough.

Before it goes into the pan, it should be warmed up to room temperature for 1 to 2 hours to prevent the temperature difference in the pan from being too great. Advantage: This keeps the meat nice and tender. If you follow these steps, the quality of your meat will not decrease. For more information on how to freeze minced meat, for example, you can find out here.

Note: Under no circumstances should you freeze meat twice, as the risk of harmful germs forming during the thawing process is too great.