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Can you Refreeze Chicken: Get the Guide and Learn Some Effective Tips
The process of refreezing chicken and using it later on often gets negative feedback. Many consider it not safe to refrigerate chicken multiple times. But, in today’s busy life, it is one of the most common hacks that we can’t ignore. Often, we get involved in multiple tasks too much that we miss out on cooking the chicken taken out from the freeze. As a result, we have to push it to the freeze again.
So, many often ask- can I refreeze chicken? Can I refreeze chicken thighs? Can I refreeze partially thawed chicken? The questions are endless. Let us find the answer here. So, can you refreeze chicken? Learn it below.
Can You Refreeze chicken: Is it Safe?
As per the food experts, there are no such safety hazards associated with refreezing the chicken. Although the quality may deteriorate, it is not unsafe. Whether it is raw meat or any other raw poultry items, you can refreeze them safely. However, you have to make sure that the chicken you will refreeze is thawed in the refrigerator. If you have already kept it outside the freeze for a long time, it is better not to refreeze it. When raw chicken is thawed at room temperature, refreezing is not at all a healthy option.
Well, you can cook it then and put the cooked chicken for further use. That is another alternative way to refreeze the chicken. Now, as you know, it is safe to refreeze chicken; you must know how to do it properly. Otherwise, you may have to end up seeing yourself in sick condition. Here, let us share with you how to refreeze chicken properly.
Can You Refreeze Chicken: How to Refreeze It
When we keep chicken outside freeze, bacteria, and other microbes like salmonella, may attack it. These bacterias can not only cause your ill health but also lead to death. Refreezing helps to prevent that. But, if you do not handle the chicken properly before refreezing it, the foodborne pathogens may remain in it. And it is harmful to you. So, let’s know how to handle chicken before refreezing it.
First of all, you must take care of thawing. If the chicken is not thawed properly, as we mentioned before, there’s no use in refreezing it. It becomes unhealthy even if you put it in the refrigerator. So, if a question like- “can you refreeze chicken?” comes, another question should also come along with it. The question is, “how to thaw chicken before refreezing?” Let’s get the answer below.
As per the USDA (U.S. Department of Agriculture) guidelines, three proven methods for thawing chicken safely. They are :
- in the refrigerator
- in the microwave
- in the cold water
How to thaw chicken in the refrigerator?
It is a slow yet safe process of thawing. Taking boneless chicken breasts, bone-in parts, or the whole chicken will take nearly 1-2 days. Sometimes, it may take longer than that. Once it is completely thawed, you can use it for cooking. If cooking is not your plan, you can refreeze it safely again.
How to thaw chicken in the microwave?
Another method to thaw chicken is to put it in the microwave. First, take it into a microwave-friendly pot. Turn on the defrost settings and heat the chicken. Keep on rotating the chicken so that all of its parts get evenly thawed. Nonetheless, in this process, you have to cook the chicken immediately after it is thawed completely. Once it is cooked, you can refreeze it if you want.
How to thaw chicken in cold water?
Take the chicken packed in its airtight package. If the package is not available, put it in a leak-proof bag. Then, put the whole meat into cold water. Submerge it properly, leaving no part outside water. Keep it for at least 2-3 hours. Usually, a 3-4 pound broiler-fryer or package of parts takes 2-3 hours to be thawed completely. However, if it is a 1-pound package of boneless chicken breasts, it may thaw in one hour or less.
Well, do not forget to change the water after every 30 minutes. It will keep the water cold until the meat thaws completely. For this process also, you have to cook the chicken just after thawing. If you like, you can refreeze it after that.
So, these are the methods to thaw chicken safely. Now, the next step is to refreeze it. Before you go for it, get some facts clear. It will help you to refreeze the meat safely.
- Buy the chicken before the date on the packaging expires.
- Follow the guidelines to use mentioned in the package.
- Do not remove the package until you plan to use the chicken.
- Try to freeze chicken wrapped in its original packaging.
If it is fresh raw chicken, you can store it for up to 1 or 2 days at 40°F or below that. If you manage to refreeze it at 0°F or below, it will be safe indefinitely. However, the quality of the product remains up to a few months or 1 year.
If you take cooked chicken or broth, you can store it for up to 3 to 4 days if kept at 40° F or below that. However, if you keep it at 0°F or below that, the quality remains only 2-4 months.
if you ask, ” can you refreeze chicken “the answer is affirmative. But it comes with a warning. Do not refreeze it if the raw chicken is thawed for more than 2 days. It has already been spoiled.
So, can you refreeze chicken? Yes. We can. But these are the different factors to keep in mind before going for it. Now, let’s learn some quick tips that can help you refreeze chicken safely and maintain a healthy food habit.
Can you Refreeze chicken: Tips to remember
- Refrozen chicken can be safe but may not taste as good as the fresh one.
- Try to refreeze chicken in an airtight package to maintain the quality for a long period.
- Keep it in a shallow container while refreezing to speed up the process.
- Refreezing can change the texture of the chicken also.
- Try to refreeze chicken within their shelf life.
- Never thaw chicken at room temperature.
- Try to place the chicken at the bottom of the freeze as it is the coldest part.
Wrapping it Up- Refreeze and Avoid Food Waste
Refreezing the unused chicken or leftover food is a great idea to avoid wastage of food. But safety concern is always there. Therefore, many people often ask- can you refreeze chicken? Yes, we can, and we have discussed everything about it. We hope you have got all the necessary details that you needed to know. Let us know how you liked it. The comment box is all yours! Now, if you want to enjoy the refrozen chicken with delicious recipes, try dumplings. Click here to get different dumplings recipes.
