It's safest to defrost frozen beef cubes in the refrigerator, but if you don't have much time, you can also defrost beef in the microwave. Microwaves defrost less gradually and evenly than refrigerators, so cook beef defrosted in the microwave immediately. If you forgot to thaw your meat the night before, get the rest of your ingredients ready to cook before taking your beef cubes out of the freezer.
Step 1
Remove beef cubes from packaging and place them on a microwave-safe dish. Place the dish in the microwave. Make sure the dish is large enough to contain any leaking juice.
Step 2
Set the microwave to "Defrost" or set it at 30-percent power and consult your microwave owner's manual for cooking times.
Step 3
Pause the microwave halfway through defrosting and turn over the beef cubes with a fork to ensure equal thawing.
Step 4
Check to see whether cubes are thawed by inserting a fork or knife into the center of the cube. Thaw beef until you can easily insert a utensil before cooking it in a slow cooker. If you are cooking beef cubes on the stove, grill or oven, however, partially thawed beef is not dangerous.
Step 5
Cook the beef immediately after defrosting to prevent the growth of dangerous bacteria. Don't put the beef cubes back in the refrigerator or freezer, because the microwave may have caused some parts to begin cooking.
Tips and Warnings
- You can also safely cook frozen beef cubes on the oven, stove or grill without defrosting them. However, they will take longer to cook.
- Don't defrost beef cubes in their original packaging; harmful chemicals may leach into the meat if you heat foam or plastic at high temperatures. Don't serve cooked beef cubes in the dish in which they were defrosted unless you have thoroughly washed the dish with hot, soapy water. Clean your microwave thoroughly with soap and hot water if raw beef cubes leak juice in the appliance. Never defrost meat at room temperature or in hot water. Make sure beef cubes reach an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit before consumption.
Things You'll Need
- Microwave-safe dish
- Microwave
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