[Thorough guide to preserving meat] Preservation methods, expiration dates, thawing methods, rapid freezing

Do you know the best way to preserve meat?

Freezing is the best preservation method to preserve the quality of meat and extend its shelf life.
Freezing can suppress bacterial growth and oxidation, so it can be stored for about 2 weeks to 1 month.

However, if you just freeze it, it will lose its deliciousness.
In order to eat deliciously, there are some precautions to be taken when freezing and thawing.

I would like to explain in detail how to freeze and thaw it, and how long it can be stored.
We will also introduce a rapid freezing method that allows you to maintain higher quality and delicious food.

Points to note when freezing meat

choose fresh

Even if you freeze meat that has already deteriorated in quality, you will not be able to eat it deliciously.
When you buy it at a supermarket, buy it fresh without any drips, and if you don't use it right away, you need to freeze it.

If you keep meat in the refrigerator for a long time, it will lose its freshness, so it is important to freeze it while it is still as fresh as possible.

do not expose to air

It oxidizes when exposed to air, so it is important to wrap it in plastic wrap to create a vacuum as much as possible.

If you freeze the food while it is still in a tray, it will be exposed to air and its quality will deteriorate.
​Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, put it in a storage bag, and freeze it to better preserve its quality.

It is important to wrap any meat, including processed products such as pork, chicken, beef, ham, and sausage, in plastic wrap and freeze it.
Another tip: when wrapping the meat in plastic wrap, you can wipe off the moisture from the meat with parchment paper to remove the odor.

Freeze in portions

It takes time to freeze chunks of meat or thick meat, so it is important to freeze it in as small and thin pieces as possible.

It's easy to use when divided into single-serve portions, and it doesn't take much time to defrost.

Cut chicken breasts and thighs into sizes that are easy to use, thinly sliced meats and steaks so they don't overlap, and freeze ground meat as thinly and flatly as possible.

Guidelines for refrigerating and freezing meat

For example, if you bought meat today and want to cook it tomorrow, you may wonder whether it is better to keep it refrigerated or frozen. It is easier to cook if you store it in the refrigerator for a short period of time since there is no need to thaw it.

How long it can be refrigerated depends on the shape of the meat.
Approximate length of time meat can be stored in the refrigerator

When refrigerating food, just like when freezing it, it is important to follow these three precautions: choose fresh food, avoid exposing it to air, and portion it into small portions.

Additionally, storing food in a chilled room or partial room will keep it fresher for a longer period of time as the temperature is set lower than in a regular refrigerator.

That said, freezing can prevent quality deterioration, so we recommend freezing if you are not going to use it right away.

Storage period and expiration date of frozen meat

Estimated storage period

If frozen, it can be stored for about a month, but considering the quality, it is better to cook it within two weeks.

At -18℃, which is the temperature of a home freezer, fats and proteins oxidize even though the temperature is low, so the quality will deteriorate if stored for a long time.

Also, refreezing thawed meat will reduce its quality, so be sure to use up the meat once it has been thawed.

Best-before date for each type of meat

For more details, we will explain the shelf life of meat.

Perishability varies depending on the shape and type of meat. Regarding the shape, it is the degree of processing. The more you separate it, the faster it will be. Steak meat spoils more easily than chunk meat, and ground meat spoils more easily than steak meat. Also, regarding the type of meat, the closer to the internal organs the faster the damage occurs.

In addition, the moisture content varies depending on the type of meat, and if there is a lot of moisture, bacteria will breed easily, which will lead to quality deterioration.

Chicken storage period (best before date)
・Minced meat: 1-2 weeks
・Breast meat, thigh meat, chicken fillet: 2-3 weeks
・Chunk of meat: 3-4 weeks

Pork storage period (best before date)
・Minced meat: 2 weeks
・Thinly sliced meat/block meat: 2-3 weeks
・Steak meat: 3 weeks
・Chunk of meat: 4 weeks

Beef storage period (best before date)
・Minced meat: 2-3 weeks
・Thinly sliced meat, block meat, steak meat: 3 weeks
・Chunk of meat: 4 weeks

Shelf life of processed meats such as ham and bacon: 3 to 4 weeks

The susceptibility to quality deterioration varies depending on the shape and type of meat, so in order to eat it in a more delicious state, you need to pay attention to the storage period.

Tips to extend shelf life

Cooked foods have a longer shelf life of 1 to 2 weeks than raw foods.
This is because heating can prevent bacterial growth and delay deterioration of quality.

Additionally, simply seasoning with seasonings can inhibit the growth of bacteria on the surface, extending the shelf life.

If you want to preserve it for a longer period of time, we recommend that you prepare it by cooking it, seasoning it, etc. before freezing it.

>> [Explanation with photos! ] How to freeze chicken, storage period, and 5 recipes!

>> [Explanation with photos! ] How to freeze pork, expiration date, and 5 recipes!

>> [Explanation with photos! ] How to freeze beef, storage period, and 5 recipes!

How to defrost meat

Best thawed in the refrigerator

The best way to thaw frozen meat is to thaw it in the refrigerator.
The temperature inside the refrigerator is low, which prevents the growth of bacteria.

In addition, since the food thaws slowly, it prevents drips from leaking out and thaws in a high-quality state.
If you cook meat in a frozen state, it will come out unevenly as it cooks, so it needs to be thawed properly.

However, if you thaw the food completely, the flavor components will leak out, so it is best to cook it at least partially thawed.

If you are in a hurry, thaw in the microwave.

Thawing in the refrigerator is optimal in terms of quality, but it takes time. Therefore, if you are in a hurry, we recommend defrosting in the microwave.

Unwrap the meat, place it on kitchen paper and heat it in the microwave. Using a microwave oven can defrost food in a short time, but the disadvantage is that it may cause uneven defrosting.

One thing to keep in mind is that if your microwave doesn't have a thawing mode, you can heat it at a low wattage of 150-200W, keeping an eye on the situation, to avoid over-thawing.

How to use rapid freezing to improve the quality of meat

Advantages of rapid freezing

In order to freeze meat in a better quality state, it is important to rapid freezing.

With normal freezing methods, meat freezes slowly, so when the water in the meat freezes, ice crystals grow larger. Then, the cells are destroyed and water flows out along with the flavor components.

When you defrost meat, red meat juice comes out, and this is the flavor component called drip. The more drips run out, the less delicious it will be.

By rapidly lowering the temperature, ice crystals can be frozen while remaining small. As a result, it is possible to prevent cell destruction and suppress the outflow of drips.

Compared to meat frozen using normal freezing methods, rapid freezing meat has less drips and maintains its quality. Since the flavor components do not escape, the flavor is good and the texture is juicy, allowing you to enjoy the original deliciousness of the meat.

For commercial use, there are rapid freezer that specialize in freezing functions, and can freeze food without sacrificing freshness or quality. It is used to freeze a variety of foods, and there are many frozen products on sale that are as good in quality as fresh products.

rapid freezing method that can be done at home

rapid freezing method that you can do at home is to cool the food by placing it on a metal tray. Metals have high thermal conductivity, so they can quickly remove heat.

In particular, aluminum has a higher thermal conductivity than stainless steel, so it can cool down more quickly.

You can also increase the cooling capacity by increasing the cooling mode of your freezer and by opening and closing it as little as possible to prevent cold air from escaping.

Conclusion

The best way to preserve meat that you have bought too much or have leftover is to freeze it.

Freezing prevents deterioration of quality and allows for long-term storage.

If you follow the precautions and freeze and thaw your food in the proper way, you can enjoy it much more deliciously.

You can also protect the quality of food by rapid freezing it, so you may want to try rapid freezing method, which you can do at home.

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