How to Best Freeze Meat

In order to protect your meats until the day of the BBQ here is a reminder of seven tips to follow for better taste and nutrition:

1. Thaw meats in the refrigerator a day or so before use – this helps ensure safety and preserve proteins.

2. Put foods to be frozen in the freezer as fast as you can and in the coldest part of the fridge – the faster meat freezes the better quality it will retain, faster is better.

3. Buy separate refrigerator and freezer thermometers. Keep the fridge between 34 °F and 40 °F and the freezer below 0 °F.

4. Keep the freezer as full as you can and label date frozen foods – this helps keep the temperature

5. Never refreeze meats specially seafood – Texture and taste will be affected and if completely thawed food safety might be a problem.

6. Use packaging materials made for freezing – Freezer bags/wraps help protect food and avoid freezer burn.

7. If you must freeze, buy commercially frozen products – These will generally retain their eating and nutritional qualities better than home frozen products. Your fridge will not freeze food as fast as commercial freezing processes do and they will typically freeze these when they are fresher.

All these tips translate to better taste and nutrition than you can attain at home.