What's the best way to freeze and thaw steaks?

We like to buy whole, boneless New York strip and cut it down into thick steaks. We bought a bigger cut than usual and would like to freeze the remaining steaks we cut. What's the best way to do this? Wrap in plastic, then in a freezer bag? Also, when we're ready to cook the remaining steaks, how should we thaw them?

My main worry is that the meat was frozen when it got to the grocery, and we would be re-freezing it...but we'll see how it goes.

minibakersupreme
  • 16654 views
  • 6 Comments

6 Comments

Sam1148
Sam1148 September 17, 2014
If you do that with any regularity, I'd suggest a vacuum sealer. But as Susan mentioned, freeze them first and then vac pack them to keep the moisture from being sucked out the steak when vac packing.
 
Susan W.
Susan W. September 17, 2014
Okay don't laugh, but I put everything in Ziplocs. Then zip them and I stick a straw in at the end. Then I Susan Vacuum seal it. :) I wash and re-use all my bags too.

It shocks me how much food I can put into an apt freezer.
 
Susan W.
Susan W. September 17, 2014
Are you sure it was frozen when the butcher received it?

I had a long talk with my butcher about re-freezing. You can do it, but there will be some moisture loss as it thaws.

I recently watched an Alton Brown episode about steak. He freezes his steak uncovered so any moisture on the surface evaporates. Then he wrapped it in plastic and then foil.

Here's the fun part. Americas Test Kitchen has a video that shows how to cook steaks from frozen. They showed how much more even a steak cooks from frozen than a thawed steak. They also suggested you freeze the steaks uncovered. The video was on Huffington Post. I can't link it from my phone. It's pretty mind blowing. I have a flat iron steak that I am going to try it on.
 
Michele
Michele September 17, 2014
I was going to add about the cooking from frozen as ATK did - they said that the steak comes out much more juicy if you do it that way rather than defrost and then cook.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/08/07/cooking-frozen-steaks-americas-test-kitchen_n_5659221.html
 
Susan W.
Susan W. September 17, 2014
Thanks for linking that Michele. :)
 
foofaraw
foofaraw September 17, 2014
If you have a very sharp knife, you should be able to halve it while it is still frozen, so the meat doesn't get the chance of defrosting-freezing again. Also, the best way to thawing is by putting it overnight in the fridge.
 
Recommended by Food52

Popular on Food52