Can You Freeze Salt Beef?

3 minutes

Salt beef is often purchased in large cuts that you simply cannot get through in one sitting – it would be impossible! So, how do you store those leftovers?

How to Freeze Salt Beef

Freezing salt beef is a simple process, but we would recommend following our steps to ensure you get it right and don’t waste your food.

1. Remove Packaging: The packaging that most food is sold in isn’t designed for freezing food in. To ensure that your food stays in the best shape, you can make sure to remove it from the packaging that you might have bought it in.
2. Wrap: Loose baking paper makes a great first layer as it forms a non-permeable barrier around the meat you’re freezing and the air surrounding it. In turn, you will allow moisture from the meat to move around, leading to better airflow in the freezer.
3. Wrap Again: Wrapping the salt beef in tight cling film protects the salt beef from gaining or losing moisture as it sits in the freezer. To that end, ensure that the cling film forms a tight seal – that will allow it to maintain its flavour well while frozen.
4. Freeze: Keep the salt beef in the centre of the freezer, where it will be as far as possible from the frost front that forms at the edge of the freezer.

3 Tips for Freezing Salt Beef

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

Freeze With Aromatics
Salt beef is often cooked with various aromatics, from dill to juniper berries. Give the beef a little extra flavour by adding a range of different aromatics to the container that you’re freezing it in. While in the freezer, the aromatics may transfer some flavour to the beef itself.

Consider Your Uses
Consider what you’re going to be using the beef for when you’re freezing it. If it is going to be used for sandwiches, for instance, consider freezing it in slices, as that will allow you a greater amount of control over the final sandwiches that you make.

Vacuum Seal If Possible
This might sound a little overkill, but it can be ideal for reheating the meat. For instance, if the meat is pre-packed in a vacuum bag, it can be placed directly into a sous vide pot, which will bring it to the correct temperature with very little effort.

How Long Can You Freeze Salt Beef?

You can freeze salt beef for up to 6 weeks without there being any level of degradation within the meat itself.

After that point, it may begin to degrade a little, since it’s such a high protein item – the texture may be damaged over time.

How Do You Defrost Salt Beef?

The best way to defrost salt beef is in the fridge. Transfer the entire package into the fridge the night before you’re planning to use it, and then allow it to come to temperature over a long period of time.

This will also allow for the salt beef to remain stored at a safe temperature for a long time, which is ideal for food safety.

Can You Refreeze Salt Beef?

No, you cannot refreeze salt beef. The main reason for this is that it’s meat, which really should never be refrozen!

When thawed, meat can become contaminated with a range of different bacteria, meaning that it’s quite dangerous to refreeze the beef for later consumption.

Does Salt Beef Freeze Well?

Yes, salt beef does freeze well.

The main reason for this is that since it is meat, the protein structure is very dense, meaning that the beef itself will take a long time to succumb to freezer burn.

Related FAQs

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