Thawing raw ground beef for several hours at room temperature

It is advised to let frozen raw meat gradually defrost in the refrigerator for 24 hours before using. Additionally, you must set your defrosting meat on a sizable plate or sheet pan that may catch any potential juice leaks from uncooked meat. Then, in the event that it overflows, put this plate or pan at the bottom of the refrigerator. Although this procedure is generally error-free, occasionally you might forget to take frozen meat out of the freezer a day in advance. In these circumstances, it could be tempting to forego the suggested technique and instead let frozen ground beef completely defrost at room temperature.

But one of the biggest mistakes people make when defrosting meat is doing this. Between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit, a refrigerator prevents defrosting meat from entering the risky temperature range that promotes bacterial growth. According to the National Agriculture Library, you should only jump-start your defrost for a maximum of two hours while it is at room temperature. Your defrosting meat should be transferred to the refrigerator to finish the procedure after two hours.