Q: If I freeze meat a day before the sell-by date, how long can the meat thaw when I get it out later? If something is frozen days before the sell-by date, can it thaw longer?
— Chris Gleason, Fremont, Mich.
A: Freezing meat (or other foods that qualify) by the sell-by date is a good way to preserve it so it doesn't go to waste. Keep in mind that just because a product has reached its sell-by or expire date, doesn't mean it's no longer good. Food waste is a timely topic because about 40 percent of all edible food is wasted, including food that is discarded when it's still good.
The amount of time that meat can be thawed doesn’t depend on the sell-by date.
According to www.fsis.usda.gov
When thawing foods, meat in this case, it’s recommended that it be thawed in the refrigerator. Do not leave it out on the counter to thaw. When you do that, it becomes a food safety issue. Highly perishable foods should not be left out more than two hours or they enter the bacteria danger zone. If you use the microwave to thaw food like meat, the USDA says you should cook it immediately once it’s thawed. The reason is that there might be some nearly cooked spots where bacteria can develop.
Meat that is frozen, depending on the size, will take at least one to two days to thaw completely in the refrigerator. Large cuts, like whole roasts and whole poultry products, will take longer. Once thawed use the meat within two to three days.
Most foods that are ideal for freezing can be kept in the freezer indefinitely, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). It is not a food safety issue, rather a quality issue. When freezing meats and poultry, it’s best to keep them in their original wrapping and then wrap them well again with freezer-quality foil or plastic wrap. You can also put them in freezer quality plastic bags and squeeze out the air.
Do not refreeze items that were thawed in the microwave because they might have nearly cooked spots where bacteria could develop. When freezing and refreezing foods, wrap them well with freezer-quality plastic wrap and store them in freezer-quality bags for best results.
For more information, you can call the USDA’s Meat and Poultry hotline at 888-674-6854. They are open 10-6 p.m. weekdays year-round including limited hours Thanksgiving Day.
Read on for a terrific recipe for marinated flat iron steak.
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GRILLED AND MARINATED FLAT IRON STEAK
Serves: 4 / Preparation time: 10 minutes / Total time: 30 minutes, plus marinating time
1 1/4 pounds flat iron
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce or tamari
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled, crushed
2 teaspoons unseasoned rice vinegar
1 tablespoon light or dark brown sugar
Salt and black pepper, optional
Place the flat iron steak in a plastic sealable bag. In a glass measuring cup, whisk together the soy sauce, canola oil, garlic, rice vinegar and brown sugar until the sugar dissolves.
Pour the marinade over the steak and seal the bag. Press the outside of the bag with your fingers, rubbing the marinade into the meat. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Remove the steak from the marinade about an hour before grilling and place it on a plate. When ready to grill, preheat or prepare the grill for medium-high heat.
Pat excess marinade off the meat. Season both sides of meat with salt and black pepper if desired or favorite seasoning.
Grill the steak about 4-5 minutes on high heat to get a good sear and nice grill marks. Turn the steak over and move to cooler heat (about medium) or indirect heat to finish the cooking, about another 8 minutes depending on the thickness and desired degree of doneness.
Remove from heat and let the steak rest a good 5 minutes before slicing on the diagonal into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Serve with grilled vegetables.
Cook's note: For grilled vegetables, slice some red or sweet onion into 1/2inch-thick slices. Slice small zucchini in half lengthwise. Brush both with a little olive oil and season with kosher salt and black pepper. Do the same with some mini peppers. Grill vegetables beside steak until crisp-tender and they have good grill marks.
From and tested by Susan Selasky for the Free Press Test Kitchen. Nutrition information not available.
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