Home Ā» Freeze It! Ā» Meat
Helpful: 100%

Can You Freeze Ribeye Steaks?

Last Updated:

By Ross Young

*This post may contain affiliate links. Please see myĀ disclosureĀ to learn more.

4 minutes

Ribeye steak is carved from the rib section of a cow and is one of the most sought-after cuts of steak you can buy. Itā€™s typically juicy with the right amount of fat and is incredibly rewarding when cooked to perfection. But whatā€™s the best way to preserve it?

Can You Freeze Ribeye Steak?

Yes, you can freeze ribeye steaks for up to 3 months. You can freeze steak before or after it has been cooked, but you will need to wrap it tightly in foil and bag it up, so itā€™s not affected by freezer burn

Do Do Ribeye Steaks freeze well? Yes

Can you refreeze Ribeye Steak? No

How to Freeze Ribeye Steaks

You can freeze ribeye steak before or after cooking it. Frankly, we would advise you to freeze your steak raw, as it will taste much better when you come to cook it in the future.

Either way, itā€™s entirely up to you, and you can follow the same steps as listed below.

The only difference is that you need to leave cooked steak out at room temperature until it has cooled completely, as you should never freeze steak that is still warm. Hereā€™s what you need to do: 

  1. Cool
    As mentioned, if youā€™re freezing cooked steak, make sure it has completely cooled before you freeze it. You should leave the ribeye standing out at room temperature for around an hour or so, covered with a paper towel.Ā 
  2. Wrap
    Place your ribeye steak in a large piece of tin foil and wrap it tightly, ensuring there are no tears or gaps in the wrapping. If youā€™re freezing more than one steak, you should wrap them individually in foil and not in the same wrapping.Ā 
  3. Bag Up
    Place the wrapped steak into a suitably sized freezer-safe bag. If youā€™re freezing multiple steaks, you can place them in the same bag. Before you seal the bag, push as much air as you can out, as this will protect the steak from freezer burn.Ā 
  4. Label and Freeze
    Write todayā€™s date and the use-by date on the front of the bag and place it in the freezer. Remember, you can freeze ribeye steak for around three months.

3 Tips for Freezing Ribeye Steaks

Now you know how to freeze them, we’ve got our 3 top tips which we strongly recommend following when freezing ribeye steaks to have the best results:

Freeze It Raw
We would advise you to freeze ribeye steak before cooking it. This is because reheated steak doesnā€™t taste anywhere near as good as steak that has been freshly prepared.

If you have a particularly large cut of ribeye, weā€™d recommend slicing it up and freezing the part that you donā€™t plan on eating, rather than cooking it all at the same time.

Freeze Any Cut of Steak
Although weā€™ve focused on freezing ribeye steak in this article, you can freeze any type of steak by following the steps listed above. Itā€™s always best to freeze steak when itā€™s raw (rather than after it has been cooked), as it will taste much better when you come to enjoy it.

Freeze Ribeye Steaks

Freeze Right Away
If youā€™ve purchased some ribeye steaks from the butcher, weā€™d recommend wrapping them up and freezing them right away, rather than storing them in the fridge. This will ensure theyā€™re super fresh when you come to defrost them, which will ensure they taste just as you would hope!

How Long Can You Freeze Ribeye Steaks?

You can freeze ribeye steak for around three months. We wouldnā€™t recommend freezing steak for any longer than this, as the ice crystals that form during the freezing process can cause it to deteriorate in taste and texture.

If you donā€™t want to freeze your ribeye steak, it should be good in the fridge for 2-3 days, but itā€™s always best to enjoy your steak as soon as you can to ensure it tastes delicious once cooked.

You Can Freeze Ribeye Steaks for up to 3 Months

How Do You Defrost Ribeye Steaks?

The best way to defrost ribeye steak is to transfer it from the freezer to the fridge the night before you plan to cook it.

This will give the steak sufficient time to thaw thoroughly, and it will be ready to cook in any way that you choose.

You should never thaw ribeye steak (or any other meat) at room temperature, and you should avoid thawing your steak in the microwave, as it can affect its taste once cooked.

Can You Refreeze Ribeye Steaks?

No, you should only freeze ribeye steak once. The main reason for this is that the more you freeze and refreeze steak, the more likely the meat is to toughen due to the aforementioned ice crystals.

Given that ribeye steak is a real treat that you have no doubt been looking forward to enjoying, we wouldnā€™t recommend ruining it by freezing and refreezing it multiple times!

Do Ribeye Steaks Freeze Well?

Ribeye steak freezes well. The main thing to remember is to wrap your steaks tightly in tin foil before bagging them up, as this will protect them from freezer burn.

Providing you follow these instructions and thaw your steaks in the fridge, you shouldnā€™t notice any difference between fresh ribeye and a steak that has been frozen and thawed.

If you’ve still got questions about freezing ribeye steaks or steaks in general, then these may help:

Does Freezing Ribeye Steak Make it More Tender?

Some scientists have confirmed that freezing steak can make it more tender but this does depend on the cut. Ultimately, you can get a tender steak by cooking it correctly in the first place.

Does Freezing Steak Affect the Taste?

No, it does not… Although it can! As long as you wrap it well and keep it protected from freezer burn then the taste (or texture) will not be impacted.

Was this helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

Leave a comment