Buying bulk meat to freeze then thawing (person)

[bambooi]

How long is it good for after thawing it? Are you suppose to thaw overnight and cook the next day? Is there a shorter time limit on leftovers?

[jlawrence01]

Originally Posted by bambooi

How long is it good for after thawing it? Are you suppose to thaw overnight and cook the next day? Is there a shorter time limit on leftovers?

First, you should always thaw in the refrigerator. The length of thawing depends on the size of the package of meat. I large roast may take 2-3 days to thaw completely; steaks and chops thaw overnight.

Once the meat is thawed, you have about 3-4 days to cook it off before you need to worry about spoilage.

If you are freezing leftovers, use those as soon as possible after they thaw.

[jim9251]

Like the other poster said, thaw in the refrigerator, then personally, I would cook it immediately.

[Hedgehog_Mom]

I always thaw in the microwave right before I cook the meat. Different microwaves will vary, mine will thaw a pound of meat in 8 minutes.

I use a lot of chicken breast chopped into cubes, so when I buy packages of it, I chop it all up before I freeze it. It saves a lot of time.