Refreezing Meat

[Jazzmin]

Hello,

So i am on my way to making my fist batch of raw homemade cat food. I have everything needed except for a few supplements coming in the mail tomorrow. So here's the thing. I bought the chicken thighs, hearts and liver yesterday and without thinking out them in the freezer. Now I have to thaw them to make the recipe and then refreeze them after for storage. Is is safe to do this? I've heard that your shouldn't refreeze meat. It would just be a small batch that I'd be making anyways, so mayeby I could just keep it in the fridge after making it? How long is it good for when stored in the fridge? Thanks to whoever helps.

 

[missmimz]

No issue. It's perfectly okay to thaw and re-freeze.

 

[maureen brad]

I have large quatities of meat shipped to me. I always re-freeze after prepping meals, everyone does. No worries.

 

[Jazzmin]

Thanks for your help. Do you know how long it can be stored in the fridge for?

 

[Jazzmin]

Also, if I wanted to refreeze the hearts and liver for another batch can I do that? Or is there a limit to how much you can freeze and refreeze meat?

 

[maureen brad]

I would only refreeze after thawing once. I usually let everything partially thaw, make my batch's and refreeze.

 

[orange&white]

Thanks for your help. Do you know how long it can be stored in the fridge for?

One of my cats won't eat the mix after about the 3rd day (really 2 full days plus the morning of the 3rd), even though it should be safe for a 4th day. If you can smell that it has gone "off", your cat definitely won't eat it.

Also, if I wanted to refreeze the hearts and liver for another batch can I do that? Or is there a limit to how much you can freeze and refreeze meat?

That should also be fine as long as you didn't leave them thawed out "soggy" in the fridge for too long. I try to work with partially-defrosted meats and get them back into the freezer as quickly as possible. If they never get really thawed-out/watery you should be able to refreeze a couple of times.

Example: If I buy 3 - 8 pound roasts, they all go from fresh to the freezer (freeze #1) whole. When I have time, I partially defrost in the fridge and cut into chunks and refreeze in quart freezer bags (freeze #2). Next - ready to make a batch - partially thaw again and mix meat/bones/organs together with supplements, put in small serving tubs and freeze (freeze #3).

I freeze liver portions in muffin cups, then pop the pieces in freezer bags, and separate the hearts out into a flat layer in a large freezer bag so I can break off a portion to make a batch.

 

[Jazzmin]

One of my cats won't eat the mix after about the 3rd day (really 2 full days plus the morning of the 3rd), even though it should be safe for a 4th day. If you can smell that it has gone "off", your cat definitely won't eat it.


That should also be fine as long as you didn't leave them thawed out "soggy" in the fridge for too long. I try to work with partially-defrosted meats and get them back into the freezer as quickly as possible. If they never get really thawed-out/watery you should be able to refreeze a couple of times.

Example: If I buy 3 - 8 pound roasts, they all go from fresh to the freezer (freeze #1) whole. When I have time, I partially defrost in the fridge and cut into chunks and refreeze in quart freezer bags (freeze #2). Next - ready to make a batch - partially thaw again and mix meat/bones/organs together with supplements, put in small serving tubs and freeze (freeze #3).

I freeze liver portions in muffin cups, then pop the pieces in freezer bags, and separate the hearts out into a flat layer in a large freezer bag so I can break off a portion to make a batch.

Thanks. This is really helpful! I have one more question. How long would it take to defrost or partially defrost 1.7 lbs. of chicken thighs. Should I put them in the fridge tonight or before I leave for work in the morning if I plan on making the food tomorrow evening?

 

[orange&white]

1.7 pounds should defrost fairly fast, but it depends on the temp in your refrigerator. In mine, they would be icy-but-workable (just where I want them) if I took them out before work early in the morning (6am-ish) for evening prep (6- to 8pm-ish).... 12-14 hours. The smaller the package, the faster the defrost.

You may need to do a bit of trial and error to see how quickly meat defrosts in your fridge. I like to do pet food mixes on weekend days off, so I can "poke" the meat to test it, because defrost times vary depending on how much "stuff" is in the freezer/fridge too.

 

[Jazzmin]

Thanks so much!

 

[ritz]

Everyone has offered good advice. A tip I learned on this site when I first started feeding raw was: portion and the freeze organs in ice cube trays. Easy to pop out and store in a plastic freezer type bag. Also, I find it much easier to cut partially frozen meat versus fully defrosted meat.

 

[lalagimp]

I've been buying my rabbit in 2 lb chubs and the turkey thighs are often on the large side, plus the fridge I thaw them in doesn't get opened much so it takes up to 3 days to thaw them to the point it's manageable to make the food and then I freeze them again in portions. I don't usually keep them for more than 2 days in the fridge on the second thaw. I know the company that gives me the rabbit freezes it pretty much immediately after processing and when I source turkey at the store I try to aim for a minimum of 4 days before the sell by date.