Everyone has been there: it is barbecue day and the meat is still a block of ice in the freezer. Should you grill it from frozen, thaw it in a hurry, or postpone? The United States Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA FSIS) has clear guidance on safe thawing, and it gives a different answer for grilling than for smoking. The temperatures below are US federal figures, in Fahrenheit as USDA gives them.
What goes wrong with unsafe thawing
USDA says raw or cooked meat and poultry are safe indefinitely while frozen. As soon as they begin to thaw and warm above 40°F, bacteria that were present before freezing can begin to multiply. USDA says perishable foods should never be thawed on the counter or in hot water, and must not be left at room temperature for more than two hours. The reason is that while the centre of a package may still be frozen, the outer layer can sit in the “danger zone”, between 40 and 140°F, where bacteria multiply rapidly.
USDA also says never to thaw food in a garage, basement, car, dishwasher or plastic rubbish bag, or out on the kitchen counter, outdoors or on the porch.
The three safe ways to thaw
USDA lists three safe methods:
- In the refrigerator. This is USDA’s preferred method, because food stays at a safe, constant 40°F or below, but it needs planning. A large frozen item such as a turkey needs at least a day for every 5 pounds, and even a pound of ground meat or boneless chicken breasts needs a full day. After thawing in the refrigerator, USDA says items such as ground meat, poultry and seafood stay safe for an additional day or two before cooking, and red meat cuts such as roasts, chops and steaks for 3 to 5 days. Refrigerator-thawed food can be refrozen without cooking, although there may be some loss of quality.
- In cold water. This is faster but needs attention. Use a leak-proof package or bag, submerge it in cold tap water and change the water every 30 minutes. USDA suggests a pound of meat may thaw in an hour or less and a 3 to 4-pound package in 2 to 3 hours. Food thawed this way must be cooked immediately, and cooked before refreezing.
- In the microwave. Plan to cook the food immediately afterwards, because some areas may become warm and begin to cook. USDA says food thawed in the microwave can go straight to grilling, and must be cooked before refreezing.
Grilling from frozen
If there is no time to thaw, USDA says it is safe to cook foods from the frozen state. The cooking will take approximately 50% longer than the recommended time for fully thawed or fresh meat and poultry. That guidance is general, so use a food thermometer (see our guide to using one correctly) and cook to the usual safe minimum temperature. USDA’s smoking page also notes that defrosted meat cooks more evenly, which is a further reason to thaw first when you have the time.
Smoking: thaw completely first
Smoking is a different matter. USDA’s guidance on smoking meat and poultry says to thaw meat or poultry completely before smoking. Because smoking uses low temperatures, the meat would take too long to thaw in the smoker, allowing it to linger in the danger zone between 40 and 140°F where bacteria can multiply. It adds that defrosted meat also cooks more evenly.
Put together, USDA’s general thawing page says cooking from frozen is safe, while its smoking page makes smoking the exception, because the low temperatures involved leave the meat lingering in the danger zone. USDA’s smoking page also repeats that food should never be thawed at room temperature, and says the best way to thaw meat and poultry safely is in the refrigerator, to cook or refreeze within one or two days.
A practical thawing plan
These planning tips are our own, based on USDA’s timings. Move a big cut such as a pork shoulder or brisket to the refrigerator days before, since a pound of meat takes a day and a large cut takes many. Put it on a tray or in a container so that no juices reach other food. If you are short of time, use cold water for a small cut and cook it straight away. And if you smoke regularly, keep a note of thaw dates on the packaging so nothing is left to chance.
The bottom line
Thaw in the refrigerator when you can, in cold water or the microwave when you cannot and you will cook straight away, and never on the counter. On the grill, USDA says frozen cooking is safe if you allow about half as long again, but for smoking USDA says to thaw completely first.
Keep reading
- Smoking Meat Safely: A USDA and UK FSA Checklist
- Cooking at the Campsite: USDA Food Safety Guidance for Coolers, Fires and Stoves
- Making Jerky Safely at Home: What USDA Says About Heating, Drying and Marinades
- Safe Internal Cooking Temperatures for Grilling and Smoking (USDA Guide)