Can You Refreeze Meat?

It depends on how the meat was thawed. Penn State Extension says meat or poultry that was thawed in the refrigerator can be refrozen, before or after cooking, but that meat thawed using a different method should be cooked before refreezing. It says thawed meat you want to refreeze should go back in the freezer within 1 to 2 days to preserve maximum quality and safety. Clemson Cooperative Extension notes that microwaves heat unevenly, so parts of the food can enter the temperature danger zone during microwave thawing, which makes it crucial to cook the food immediately after thawing.

Some meat should not be refrozen at all. Penn State Extension says meat or poultry left in the temperature danger zone for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour in temperatures above 90°F, will not be safe to refreeze using any method and needs to be thrown out. University of Minnesota Extension says food that has completely thawed and warmed to room temperature, or was left out of the refrigerator for more than 2 hours, should be thrown out, and that this applies to meat, poultry and shellfish.

Refreezing mostly costs quality. Penn State Extension says refrozen meat can show freezer burn, moisture loss and color changes, and that meat frozen or refrozen following USDA guidelines can be kept for up to 1 year in the freezer. The FDA refrigerator and freezer chart says freezing at 0°F keeps food safe indefinitely, so its recommended freezer storage times are for quality only.