Can you cut frozen meat (and if so, how do you do it?)
Suppose you want to eat meat tonight, and that meat is in the freezer. It’s just too large to eat all in one evening. Can you cut the frozen piece and leave the part you’re not using in the freezer? We looked into it.
Tips for cutting frozen meat
Let’s get straight to the point: yes, it is possible to cut frozen meat. There are two tricks that make cutting it as easy as possible. Trick 1 is to let the meat soften a little before cutting it. There’s no need to thaw it for hours: simply hold the meat under the lukewarm tap for a few minutes. This makes the outside soft enough to cut through.
Trick 2 is to use the right cutting tool. An electric knife, in this case. It has several advantages. You glide smoothly through the meat, hardly need to use any muscle power and it’s a quick solution. Some electric knives have a special meat blade that you install on the handle. Perfect for cutting frozen meat.
What if there are bones in the meat?
Well, things get a little rougher then. Your electric knife probably isn’t suitable for cutting through bones. The solution? Some chefs recommend a butcher’s saw or bone saw. They have sharp, wide teeth, which makes it easy for them to cut through meat. A hacksaw could also work if you (perhaps quite understandably) don’t have a butcher’s saw or bone saw at home. In any case, be careful! Otherwise, ask the nearest butcher if they can help you out.
Thawed meat: what do you do with it?
Refreezing meat once it has thawed is not recommended. Too many bacteria can settle in the meat, making it unsafe to eat. What’s more, it loses a lot of flavor and moisture. Not very tasty, then. If you don’t want to cut the frozen meat, it’s best to cook it all right away. Eat it immediately, or leave it in the refrigerator for the next day. Also check out our tips if you want to freeze and thaw meat properly.
So how do you actually cook that meat really well?
Time to head into the kitchen. How do you make a wonderfully juicy steak? Gordon Ramsay gives you 10 tips to make your steak perfect. Also useful: this tip for creating a fantastic seared crust on your steak. Because honestly, it really does make your steak so much better. Show your guests what you can do tonight!
Also read:
- 5 things you want to know about meat but don’t dare ask the butcher
- Red meat isn’t nearly as bad as you think
- The fastest and best way to thaw meat
Source: Tasting Table
