How can I avoid my steaks from being tough and dry after I defrost them?

Question

I often buy steak/meat in bulk and freeze it for later use. To defrost the steak, I take it out of the freezer the night before, place it in a bowl and leave it in the fridge to slowly defrost.

I notice that the bowl fills up with blood from the meat as it defrosts, which I think is causing it to be dry and tough. Is there a way to avoid the blood escaping when defrosting meat as the taste and texture really are not enjoyable or satisfying?


Thanks.

Answer 1

Keep the steak tightly wrapped in plastic wrap and put it into a zip-lock freezer bag. When defrosting, keep it wrapped in plastic and in the zip-lock bag and immerse it into a container of water to slowly defrost it. Never let it contact the water.

Answer 2

You might want to look at the quality of the meat you are buying. Most supermarkets have "select" grade beef which is often chewy and tough. Also look at the cut of steak you are getting as well. Some are meant to be cooked more slowly so that the fibrous tissue will loosen up and it will be less tough. Also, some cuts are meant to be sliced on the bias to avoid being tough. Losing the blood in the defrosting process is not unusual and shouldn't make a noticible difference in how your meat tastes or whether its moist.

Answer 3

You need to put the steaks in the fridge and make sure they are COLD before you freeze them.

When you defrost, also defrost them in the refrigerator the day before.

Answer 4

Try marinating them to get some juices back into the steak. Also don't use a fork on them when you turn them on the grill. Piercing will cause juice loss. Use tongs instead. Let them rest a few minutes before you cut into them.

Answer 5

I get my beef from my Uncle......he raises the best beef in TX.

Let them thaw just as you usually do. Once thawed, marinate them in Italian Salad Dressing for 12-24 hours. Before grilling, allow the meat to come to room temperature. They'll cook faster and won't dry out as much.

Answer 6

i always let my meat come to room temp before i cook it this way you are not cooking it too cold when it hits a hot grill or pan and always season before you cook it with a little salt and pepper. always let meat rest after cooking for about five minutes . this way you don,t lose all the juices or you can put them in a marinade before you freeze them.

Answer 7

Defrost in a pan of water.

Answer 8

defrost it in the microwave but not all the way defrosted then cook it while it is still a little frozen

Answer 9

when ice crystals form they rupture the cells of the meat, allowing
the meaty goodness to ooze out. the reason that they are dry is that you cook them too long. just sear them on a hot grill and serve rare or medium rare. (searing will not "sear in the juices" that is hooey, just lightly cook them.)