10 Mistakes People Make When Freezing Steak

From ribeye and filet mignon to lesser-known cuts of steak like sirloin flap and eye of round, steak can be as diverse as the part of the animal it comes from. For instance, the ribeye features rich marbling and a buttery texture while the eye of round is a much leaner and tougher cut that's ideal for slow cooking. Whatever its origin, each cut features its own characteristics and culinary applications.

Steak is incredibly versatile, making it a must-have freezer staple. After all, next to a freshly butchered cut of meat, a frozen steak can be the next best thing. In fact, when handled and stored correctly, frozen steak can retain its flavor and texture exceptionally well. On the other hand, improperly frozen and stored meat can lose its quality, develop freezer burn, and even become unsafe to eat. To avoid these issues, it's important to be aware of a few common missteps that can ruin a perfectly good cut of meat.

Ready to learn more about what not to do when freezing meat? Check out our roundup of the most common mistakes people make when storing steak in the freezer.

While it's definitely easier to freeze steak in its original supermarket packaging, doing so can lead to a lot of trouble. This is because the thin plastic wrap used for store packaging is usually not airtight, which means that it's likely to be filled with air. The presence of air, in turn, is the main reason why steak gets freezer burn, or discolored, leathery patches. While steak with freezer burn is generally safe to eat, provided that it's defrosted in the refrigerator or the microwave, it can give the meat an unappealing gray appearance and a slightly off taste. That said, be sure to cut away any discolored spots before cooking the meat.

To avoid freezer burn, it's best to wrap steak in an airtight material before placing it in the freezer. To do this, wrap the meat in plastic wrap, aiming for at least two layers of the material — don't use aluminum foil or butcher paper as they aren't airtight. Once covered in plastic, place the steak in a resealable freezer bag, pressing out as much air as possible before closing it securely. If you are really serious about the quality of your frozen steak, it's worth investing in vacuum sealer bags and a vacuum sealer machine to preserve the meat's freshness and flavor.

We've all been there — you buy a large cut of steak or several steaks, place the whole package in the freezer, and then struggle to divide it when you only need to cook a single portion. This, in turn, can lead to other problems. It can be tricky to separate frozen steaks without partially defrosting them first, a process that can lead to food-related safety issues. Defrosting the entire package while you only need a single steak can also result in food wastage when you end up with too many leftovers.

To prevent issues down the line, it's best to freeze raw steak in smaller portions, especially if you have managed to purchase a large batch of meat on sale. Once you get the meat home from the supermarket or your local butcher, simply divide it into meal-sized portions and wrap in airtight packaging. Alternatively, bundle the meat in packages that best suit your family's unique requirements, such as by the number of family members or the specific recipes you plan to prepare.

Pre-portioning steak shouldn't take more than a few minutes and can save you a whole lot of trouble later on. Not only will this result in less potential food wastage, but the meat will be easier and faster to defrost when you are ready to turn it into a delicious meal. As an additional tip, it can be a good idea to place the frozen bundles where they are visible rather than at the back of the freezer where they are easily forgotten.

To maintain the quality of raw steak and protect it from harmful bacteria, the meat should be stored at 40 F or below in the refrigerator and 0 F or lower in the freezer. For best results, keep a thermometer in your freezer to monitor its temperature. This can be particularly important if you use the freezer frequently, as opening and closing the freezer door can cause temperature fluctuations. For optimal results, freeze raw steak in the coldest part of the freezer, such as the bottom shelf towards the back of the freezer. Once frozen, be sure to move the frozen bundle where it's clearly visible to ensure that it's used before it loses its quality.

To maintain the flavor and texture of the steak, freeze it as fast as possible. As a rule of thumb, a two inch steak takes about two hours to freeze. Freezing the meat too slowly can lead to the creation of ice crystals. During defrosting, these ice crystals can damage the cells in the meat, causing it to lose its juiciness. To ensure rapid freezing, place the steak in the "quick freeze" shelf of your freezer, if it has one. In addition, always layer the packages that you are trying to freeze, as stacking them will slow down the freezing process. It goes without saying that the smaller the packages of steak, the faster it will freeze, so it pays to divide the meat into meal-sized portions. After all, you can always defrost multiple packages if needed.

Just as leaving air in the packaging can cause freezer burn, freezing wet meat is also a big no-no. In fact, you should never wash raw meat prior to packaging and freezing — or cooking, for that matter. Rinsing the meat in the sink can lead to splashing, spreading bacteria around your kitchen. It also leaves excess moisture on the meat's surface, potentially leading to freezer burn and discolored, dry patches.

Once it's thawed, always pat raw steak dry with a paper towel before searing or grilling to prevent it from cooking with steam and turning gray. Alternatively, you may not even need to thaw the meat at all prior to tossing it on the pan or grill. Start by searing the frozen steak in scorching oil before transferring it to the oven to finish cooking all the way through. Other home chefs recommend thawing frozen steak in a sous vide for an hour before cooking it, claiming that this method gives the steak a superior texture compared to defrosting in the refrigerator or on the kitchen counter.

While it may be tempting to freeze a cut of steak just before it's about to go off, it's best to bite the bullet and cook it. Remember, you can still turn it into a delicious meal by cutting it into cubes and tossing it into that stir-fry, stew, or a curry. Freezing steak that's on the verge of spoiling may compromise its flavor and texture — and it certainly won't improve its quality.

When purchased, meat normally comes with multiple labels on the packaging. Adhering to these will maximize the quality and flavor of the meat and reduce the risk of food-borne illnesses. Just as it implies, the "packaged on" date denotes when the product was packaged for sale. The "sell by" date indicates the last day the product should be sold by the retailer. The "expiration date" signifies the date by which the meat can be safely consumed. Finally, meat products sometimes also come with a "freeze by" date, which can be handy if you want to extend the meat's shelf-life without compromising its quality too much.

There are many reasons why you may want to refreeze raw steak. It may be that you have thawed the meat in the refrigerator but no longer wish to cook it due to a change in dinner plans. Alternatively, the meat may have partially thawed during a power outage or you may have defrosted more meat that you actually need. Whatever the reason, there may be times when refreezing steak is the only option other than throwing it out.

While refreezing meat can be a big no-no due to potential bacterial growth, there are certain situations where it's acceptable. As a general rule, steak can be tossed back in the freezer if it has been defrosted in the refrigerator, provided that you follow a couple of simple rules. Meat shouldn't be refrozen if it has been left unrefrigerated for more than two hours or for one hour in temperatures over 90 F. In addition, depending on its freshness when frozen, meat should be refrozen within three to four days of thawing.

Even if safe for consumption, refrozen steak may lose some of its texture and general quality as a result of moisture loss during the thawing process. Refreezing meat after it has been defrosted tends to produce more ice crystals inside the protein's cells, which then damage the tissue in the meat and change its texture. Thicker cut steaks and steaks with a higher fat content tend to maintain their quality better during refreezing than leaner and thinner steaks.

According to the USDA, as long as it is kept below 0 degrees Fahrenheit, frozen steak will remain safe to eat indefinitely. However, this doesn't mean that it won't deteriorate in quality. For a delicious and juicy steak, eat it within a year of freezing. You have been warned — keeping the meat in the freezer any longer than this may result in noticeable loss of flavor and texture. A case in point is a recent The Takeout investigation into two-year-old frozen meat, which concluded that while it would still technically be safe to consume, the protein would suffer from freezer burn and a general decline in quality.

To ensure that you don't keep your frozen steak in the freezer for too long, keep your meat packaging organized. This means labeling every package or container with information about its contents — in this case steak — the freezing date, and how long the product can be stored in the freezer. The label can also include information about serving instructions, if applicable. If you are labeling the packaging with a sharpie, it's best to mark the bag while it's empty and at room temperature, as cold temperature can make the writing less legible. Alternatively, buy a roll of freezer labels or stick some masking tape on the storage bag or container before marking it with the relevant information.

Fresh steak is normally bright red in color due to oxymyoglobin, which forms when the meat's surface is exposed to oxygen. However, this vibrant hue can change depending on how raw steak is stored and handled. While in the most extreme cases, a color change can mean that the meat has gone off, it's more likely that the shift in color is due to natural processes rather than spoilage. Nevertheless, it's important to be able to distinguish between a steak that's spoiled and one that's safe to eat.

When frozen, steak often turns from bright red to pale or dark brown. This color change can be caused by a number of things, including freezer burn or overly long storage, and doesn't necessarily mean that the meat is no longer safe to eat. However, if the steak has gone gray or greenish, you may wish to reconsider your next dinner.

Aside from shifts in color, there are other factors that can indicate that red meat has passed its use-by date. These include a slippery film on the surface of the meat, an unpleasant odor, and an off taste. If in doubt, always err on the side of caution and discard the meat to avoid potential food-borne illnesses.

Marinating steak or coating it in a dry rub can go a long way to enhancing its flavor and texture. Firstly, marinades can enhance the meat's taste, infusing it with the flavor of herbs, spices, and other aromatics. Rubbing the meat with herbs and spices can have a similar effect, coating it in a flavorful crust. In addition, marinating protein in acidic ingredients, such as citrus, vinegar, and even yogurt, can tenderize it by breaking down its tough muscle fibers.

While marinating steak prior to cooking is a common practice, freezing marinated meat can pose some challenges. Freezing stops the marinating process, but the meat will start marinating again as soon as it's taken out of the freezer and starts to thaw. This means that you need to remain aware of how long the meat has already been exposed to the marinade before freezing. For instance, leaving marinated steak to thaw overnight in the refrigerator can result in over-marination, particularly if it has already been sitting in the marinade before being frozen.

Freezing steak that has been coated in a dry rub can also lead to undesirable results. This is because the flavor of some aromatics can become more pronounced when they are frozen, which can lead to an imbalance once the meat is cooked. The main culprit is garlic, as its flavor can intensify dramatically during the freezing process, becoming overpowering. In addition, ingredients like cloves and pepper can develop a bitter taste in the freezer.

Whether you sear your steak in a pan or turn it into steak fajitas, beef stroganoff, or steak au poivre, you may inevitably end up with some extras. This is when storing leftovers properly becomes key to maintaining their quality. Additionally, you may wish to freeze cooked steak to streamline your meal preparation. While keeping cooked steak in the freezer can affect its quality, it can still be a great way of saving leftovers, provided that you follow a few simple rules.

For optimal results, freeze cooked steak when it's still fresh — no longer than two hours after it has been removed from heat. Be sure not to leave the beef at a temperature above 40 F for longer than two hours, as this could increase the risk of bacterial growth. In addition, cool the beef before tossing it in the freezer. While it's best to freeze steak right after it's cooked, it can still be safely frozen after three to four days in the refrigerator. Just be sure to reheat and eat it right away after defrosting, as bacterial growth will resume as soon as the meat is thawed. While cooked steak can be kept in the freezer for up to six months, it will gradually lose its moisture, leading to a dry texture.

As with raw steak, cooked steak should be tightly wrapped and placed in an airtight bag prior to freezing. You can also use vacuum-sealed bags if you have access to a vacuum sealer. Don't forget to label the packaging with information about its contents and freezing date to avoid storing the meat in the freezer for too long.