Can I freeze raw meat, let it thaw and then refreeze the raw hamburger meat?
By Dannielle from Wichita, KS
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I have always heard that it is unsafe to refreeze completely thawed raw meat. If it is only part way thawed, it is supposed to be OK to refreeze.
Check this link: stilltasty.com/
It's a great site to bookmark for all kinds of food safety questions; this says that if the meat has been thawed in the fridge and it's been two days or under since the thaw--it can be safely refrozen.
Actually to be on the safe side do not do it. You can cook the thawed hamburger then freeze it. There is always the possibility that you might refreeze the hamburger then refreeze it then forget you have refrozen it then refreeze it again.
Don't do it - cook it thoroughly, then refreezing it will be safe. You might get away with refreezing partially thawed meat as stated in the prior feedback - but only solid cuts of meat, chops or roasts or steaks, not chopped meat.
One of my friends ate chicken livers that had been thawed and refrozen (inadvertent on her part, the market had not labeled the chicken as previously frozen) - she became so violently ill she was taken to the emergency room in an ambulance - couldn't even walk to her car!
According to the USDA any meat can be re-frozen if it has been thawed out in the refrigerator. If you used the microwave or cold water then it has to be cooked before it can be re frozen.
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