Re-freezing meat?

[mrudman]

Hey all!

I'm making a meatloaf tonight, and have just defrosted the ground beef in the microwave (had been in a freezer bag for about 2 months) and mixed it up into the 2 loaves.

If I fully cook the meatloaf, slice it, and put it back in a vacuum freezer bag, is it safe to re-freeze? Or is it not safe to re-freeze beef that's already been frozen?

Planning on having it tonight, but it's going to be way too much for us to eat tonight, and was thinking if I could freeze it in slices, dh could take it to work and just microwave it for lunches.

Thanks!

 

[lizabu]

Its absolutely safe. The only reason they tell you not to refreeze raw meat is because it degrades everytime you freeze and thaw. Refreezing can make the meat spongy and not taste as good. Freezing cooked meat works very well and doesn't degrade the meat much at all.

 

[Brer Shay]

Yes, as long as you cook it first it will be fine. DH loves when I do this with slices of meatloaf. They defrost and heat easily. I refreeze in two slice packages so I only have to heat what I need.

 

[mrudman]

Thanks for the quick replies!

Off to put it in the oven,

 

[seashoreCM]

(copied from another forum)

Rather than thaw out the whole block of meat, take what I want for tonight, and refreeze the rest, I cut off the amount I want to prepare tonight by using a saw. (Yes, a carpenter's hand saw.) The rest, still frozen, goes back into the freezer for tomorrow or whenever.

Or break it into portions before freezing it for the first time home from the store.

 

[briand1023]

I do this all the time, I actually put it in single serve ziploc bags so we can take out a quick meal before an event with the kids.