How to Refreeze Cooked Beef
Often, when you thaw out those cooked beef burgers or that great leftover spaghetti sauce you made last week, you still end up with leftovers. Refreezing the cooked beef dish leftovers is not only practical, it is economical. This practice is safe provided you follow a few basic instructions and the dish will be just as good to eat the second time around. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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Thaw the cooked beef dish in the refrigerator, the microwave or in cold water. Thawing beef, cooked or otherwise, on the counter is not safe.
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Warm the cooked beef dish to at least 165 degrees. This includes beef patties or beef used in casseroles or sauces.
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Allow the cooked beef dish to cool for no more than one hour after the meal is finished.
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Place the leftovers in freezer bags or shallow freezer containers. Bags should have as much air as possible removed before sealing. Freezer containers should be as close to full as possible.
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Place in the freezer and store in the freezer. Frozen cooked beef products should be used within three months.
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Tips & Warnings
The same basic principles of freezing apply to all beef products, whether they have been pre-cooked or if the dish was prepared using raw beef. Saving small amounts of cooked beef in the freezer is an excellent way to have a variety of beef cuts in soups and stews. Once the meat has been thawed, simply combine with other soup or stew ingredients and cook. When refreezing cooked beef, attempt to package the beef in portions that will be needed the next time you serve the dish. This creates less waste as it is not recommended that your refreeze cooked beef repeatedly, i.e., frozen prepared spaghetti sauce should not be thawed, reheated and then refrozen multiple times.
