Meat that is merely refrigerated loses nutrients quickly and is a sponge for contaminants. Freezing meats at peak freshness ensures they lose virtually none of their nutritional value right up to the moment you’re ready to eat.
Grocery shoppers never really know where that ‘fresh’ meat has been, who has handled it, at what temperature, and how long it’s been since harvest.
This has always been pretty concerning to us, so we are committed to flash freezing our meat at peak freshness in a sterile environment. This way we can be sure that the meat arriving on your doorstep is as fresh as it was at the moment of harvest.
Buying frozen meat means you will have the extra step of thawing your meat but we promise, thawing ostrich is easy! The three options below are the safest, most simple methods to get your fresh meat from the freezer to your plate.
REFRIGERATOR THAWING
What is the best method? Prepping ahead of time. Pulling your filets or ground meat out of the freezer a day ahead of time and giving it at least 24 hours in your refrigerator is ideal. A pound of meat should take no longer than a day to fully thaw; our 4-6lb Ostrich Tip roasts can take up to 3 days.Once thawed in this manner, meat is safe to use for at least 5 days. Meat thawed in the refrigerator is also safe to refreeze within this time frame.
Sometimes, during shipping, individual vacuum-sealed packages can rub together and create small punctures, so to prevent a mess and keep your refrigerator sanitary we recommend placing your meat in a ziplock bag to prevent leaks.
COLD WATER THAWING
Craving an awesome ostrich cut but forgot to pull it out to thaw? You can still make that outstanding meal happen in just a couple short hours. Thawing in cold water is much faster than the refrigerator, but requires more attention. Cold water thawing requires a waterproof package or bag to keep water out of your meat.
To be on the safe side, we always recommend you put your AOF meat packages into a waterproof, ziplock bag to keep any errant juices from escaping your vacuum-sealed meat packages in the event there was a micro puncture somewhere along the way, as discussed above. Your waterproof bag should be submerged in cold tap water, changing the water every 30 minutes so as it continues to thaw. Small packages of meat typically thaw in an hour or less. Larger cuts of meat can take several hours.
Once thawed, it is recommended that the meat be used right away and not refrozen prior to cooking.
MICROWAVE THAWING
While we don't recommend it, thawing in the microwave is might be your best option if you're in pinch, as it's the fastest thawing method there is. After thawing in the microwave, always cook immediately after and do not refreeze prior to cooking.
For the healthiest and safest red meat, choose American Ostrich Farms sustainable, humanely raised premium ostrich meat. From steaks to burgers to delicious delicacies, ostrich is the a responsible choice that delivers taste and health while ensuring animal welfare and greatly reducing the impact on our environment.
