Can I re-freeze?

georgiagorwell

Hi, I bought some minced beef then froze it, I then defrosted in the fridge and have now made it into burgers by mixing with eggs and onion and shapping into patties. I made 12 burgers, can they then be frozen again?

I know that if made from fresh they are ok to freeze so I'm not worried about whether eggs can freeze, it is the re-freezing of mince I am questioning. Thanks

bex22mcn

NO!!!! Only refreeze if you have cooked the burgers!!! xx

HollyMcCaw

Nope you can't. Maybe next time make the burgers first and then freeze them, that way you can take 1 out at a time as you need/want them

chefchazz

yes. really wrap them good and i wouldnt keep them over a month

TavistockToad

Hiya

You can cook them and then freeze them, but I wouldnt re-freeze them raw.

TT

Vkoons3

Once you have thawed out meat you cannot refreeze it unless it is cooked!

chefchazz

Once you have thawed out meat you cannot refreeze it unless it is cooked!

who told you that??

therobinator

Can anyone on this thread tell us WHY you can't re-freeze? I've done it in the past and have had no issues of any kind.

Is it bacteria? Is it flavor? Something else?

Charli666

cook them, then re-freeze, but unless you like food poisoning never refreeze anything you've defrosted.

note: I've taken food hygiene and food safety courses, so this is legitimate knowledge

Angela4Health

Ditto what everyone else said. NEVER REFREEZE YOUR MEAT UNLESS YOU COOK IT FIRST!

reneelee

Once you have thawed out meat you cannot refreeze it unless it is cooked!

Learned something new today.

georgiagorwell

Thanks everyone, I'm going to cook them all then freeze!

otr12

I know everyone says don't refreeze but I've done it my whole life and it's never caused a problem.

RunHardBeStrong

My husband is a meat cutter and tho I've been told to never re-freeze raw meat he says you can and he says we would be shocked to know how many times our meat is thawed and refrozen before we buy it. I've always been told not to do it and still err on the side of caution even tho he says it is completely ok to do. Just my 2 cents.

tukrainets

oops... i ALWAYS re-freeze... learn something new everyday... but i've done it always and never had issues...

chefchazz

Can anyone on this thread tell us WHY you can't re-freeze? I've done it in the past and have had no issues of any kind.

Is it bacteria? Is it flavor? Something else?

some foods loses their texture like seafood. never refreeze seafood. some of the flavor may change depending on what it is. as for bacteria, if its had not been over 40degrees for over 2hrs than youre fine. i worked in MANY restuarants and country clubs and even though its not normal practice, sometimeS it is done and the integrity of the food is fine. SO THE ANSWER IS YES!

msh0530

From the US Dept. of Agriculture:
Refreezing
Once food is thawed in the refrigerator, it is safe to refreeze it without cooking, although there may be a loss of quality due to the moisture lost through thawing. After cooking raw foods which were previously frozen, it is safe to freeze the cooked foods. If previously cooked foods are thawed in the refrigerator, you may refreeze the unused portion. Freeze leftovers within 3-4 days. Do not refreeze any foods left outside the refrigerator longer than 2 hours; 1 hour in temperatures above 90 °F.

If you purchase previously frozen meat, poultry or fish at a retail store, you can refreeze if it has been handled properly.

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/factsheets/focus_on_freezing/index.asp

charliebird

In the UK the dept of food (and something else which I can't remember!!!) says not to re-freeze unless its cooked. Part of the reason for this is that some of the meat we get from the supermarket has been frozen before it hits the shelves. However my mother always re-freezes! Its possible you will be ok - but there is a risk of food poisining.

Adam13523

I was a meat cutter for 10 years, yes it is safe to refreeze, You may lose some texture and flavor, thats it, your fine. As long as the meat is handled properly and never gets too warm, your good. You do want to cook it or freeze it as soon as possible, the longer you wait you lose freshness and flavor.
But, having cooked burgers in the frezer that you can thaw in the fridge and heat when ready is awesome, makes for a quick dinner on nights you dont want to or dont have the time to cook. My wife and I cook off ground beef and ground turkey, pack it in about 1 lb packs, then use when needed. Thaws in the microwave in 2 minutes and makes cooking so much easier.

CLA2801

I know everyone says don't refreeze but I've done it my whole life and it's never caused a problem.

Same here. No problems ever.

losebyaug

I do it all the time and haven't ever had a problem. I can see where it's questionable, but I continue to do it.

Gettinfit2

I thought most of the meat we purchase was previously frozen.

Rurouni_Kou

I do not re-freeze anymore. I used to but I discovered doing so makes my meat (chicken mostly) tough as hell.
Its not the cooking that makes it tough. I cooked some excess chicken that I refroze with some fresh chicken for some soup and the refroze chicken was tough and chewy but the other was nicely tender; same chicken from the same company, but the re-frozen was awful...

Johnnyswife

I know everyone says don't refreeze but I've done it my whole life and it's never caused a problem.

I've never had an issue with it either. No food poision issues. Its still a good idea to cook patties and re-freeze, just for convinence and portion control. :flowerforyou: