Beef Liver Has Been Thawed and Refrozen Is It Okay to Eat
You may find yourself with a little too much liver to cook and eat, and you need a way to store your leftovers without the worry of the liver going bad.
Perhaps you're the one person in your home who eats liver, and you often find yourself having to throw away what you can't eat alone.
But fear not! We have the answers for all your questions regarding how to store any kind of liver for an extra couple of weeks or more.
Liver is one of the most nutritionally rich foods in the world, but like all meat, unless stored correctly it can go bad in very little time.
As you may know already, fresh meat will only last a few days at most in the fridge. Liver is no exception, so you cannot rely on storing the liver in a container and throwing it in the fridge.
That's where the freezer come in handy. So, let's answer the big question;
Can Liver Be Frozen?
It's important to note that the following information applies to all kinds of liver meat, whether that's chicken liver, beef liver, pork liver, and so on and so forth.
You can indeed freeze any kind of liver without worrying about ruining the taste or the nutritional value of the meat. In fact, liver can often be bought frozen.
Once cooked, it's unlikely that you will be able to tell the difference between liver that is cooked fresh or from frozen.
As you most likely are aware, liver is a delicate meat which should only be cooked once.
Reheated liver will have a much worse flavor and texture. Because of this, liver should always be cooked from raw only once. Any surplus meat should be frozen in its fresh state.
Importantly, certain cooked liver dishes can be frozen without spoiling the flavor too much.
Liver pate, for instance, freezes quite well, and it can be stored in the freezer for a while.
On the other hand, sautéed chicken liver should not be cooked twice, before and after freezing. This will lead to a bitter taste and an unpleasant, rubbery texture.
How Do I Freeze Liver?
The process of preparing liver to store it in the freezer is relatively quick and easy.
You only need some containers or freezer bags, paper towels, and a little free space in your freezer.
Let's go through the process step by step.
Drain All The Excess Fluid From The liver
The best and easiest way to get rid of the moisture from the liver is to place the liver onto some paper towels for a few minutes.
This allows the paper towels to absorb any excess moisture from the liver, which makes it better for freezing.
You don't want to discover a frosty block of ice with the liver somewhere deep inside when it comes time to cook it!
Divide The Liver Into Portions
If you have enough liver for multiple meals, you should split it up into individual portions before freezing. By doing this, you can easily thaw the right amount of liver for each meal before you cook it.
Package Up The Liver
Freezer bags or airtight containers are ideal for storing liver ready for the freezer. You can even use the containers that the liver comes in, as long as it is unopened.
If there isn't much space in your freezer, bags may be a more suitable option rather than airtight containers. With freezer bags, you should squeeze out any air remaining in the bag before you seal them up.
Now, all that's left to do is to chuck the liver into the freezer.
How Can I Defrost My Frozen Liver?
Defrosting liver is also an easy and straightforward process.
All you need to do is transfer your frozen liver in the freezer bag or container into the fridge. Then, just leave it overnight so that it thaws slowly.
If you need a quicker way to thaw out your frozen liver, you can speed up this process by submerging the freezer bag in a big bowl of lukewarm water.
Using this method, the liver should be fully defrosted in around 3 to 6 hours.
How Long Can I Keep Beef Liver In The Freezer?
Providing that the liver has been stored correctly in the freezer, it will maintain good quality for about 3 to 4 months.
Beyond this time, it is still safe to eat once thawed. As long as the beef liver is kept frozen at a constant 0 °F (-17.78 °C), it will be safe to keep in the freezer indefinitely.
When thawing the beef liver in the refrigerator, it is safe to keep it in the fridge for an additional 1 or 2 days before cooking. The same applies to other types of liver too.
If the liver has been thawed in lukewarm water, it must be cooked immediately after thawing.
For best results, store the liver in the unopened packaging that it came in. It can be also frozen and thawed in this packaging.
Once cooked, beef liver can then be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. It is not recommended that you reheat the liver.
How Long Can I Keep Raw Liver In The Fridge?
Raw liver of any kind, whether it's beef liver or chicken, should only be kept in the refrigerator for a maximum of two days.
The same applies for raw liver after it is thawed. It must, however, be stored properly in its packaging or in an airtight container at below 40 °F (4.44 °C).
How Can I Tell If My Raw Liver Has Gone Bad?
The best and easiest way to tell if raw liver has gone bad is to take a good look at it and smell it.
If it smells sour, it has gone bad. If the color of the liver has turned dull, or it has a slimy texture, it has gone bad and should be discarded.
Conclusion
Liver is such a healthy food, and it's a great addition to anyone's diet. It's rich in vitamins, minerals, and protein.
It is essential that it is stored correctly and in the right conditions in order for it to keep from going bad.
We hope that this article has cleared up any questions you may have had about storing liver.
- Author
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Hi, my name is Jess Smith, and I love cooking in my spare time. Around three years ago, I decided to give up my day job as a teacher to pursue my passion for food. While I have enjoyed sharing tips and tricks on Social Media, I have decided to expand my horizons through this blog.
Through this blog I hope to help others learn the basics and more intricate details of cooking. I know from personal experience how frustrating it can be to cook a meal, only to realize you are missing one ingredient from your list. This is why I love to write articles chatting readers through some great substitutes that can be used in an emergency.
I hope you will find this blog useful, and that it will help you to develop your culinary skills, to help you cook up a storm!
Source: https://therustyspoon.com/can-you-freeze-liver-how-long-does-beef-liver-last-in-the-fridge-or-freezer/
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