Most of the meat procured for use in Navy messes is frozen. Handling procedures, before and after cooking, are extremely important in regard to sanitation as well as to economy and palatability. Meat is a potentially hazardous food. Frozen meat, improperly thawed, can become contaminated with bacteria Uncovered meat surfaces are a perfect area for bacterial growth; therefore, long exposure of the moist surface to air should be avoided. Improper thawing also causes an unnecessary loss of nutrients and meat juices, resulting in a decreased quality of meat.

THAWING METHODS

Frozen meat may be thawed in several ways. The preferred method is slow thawing because there is less drip loss in the meat. Meat thawed slowly yields a juicier and more palatable cooked product. On small ships with limited chill space, or whenever time is limited between meat issue and mealtime, slow thawing is not practical. The Bureau of Medicine and Surgery (BUMED) has approved the use of alternate methods that are recommended for such circumstances.

Once meat has been defrosted or thawed, it should be used as soon as possible and not refrozen. Breakouts should not exceed the amount to be served.

Preferred Thawing Method

Break out the quantity of meat required. Remove it from the shipping container, but leave the meat inside the wrappings. Thaw slowly at temperatures between 36F and 38F until almost completely thawed. The thawing period will vary according to the following conditions:

0 Size of the meat cut (the larger the size, the longer the time required).

0 Bone-in or boneless state. Bone-in meat takes less time to thaw.

0 Air temperature and circulation in chill space. Moving air accelerates thawing.

0 Quantity of meat being thawed in a given area. A large amount will lower the temperature of the room and decrease the thawing action. Spread the cuts out. Do not stack them. It is almost impossible to predict the exact time required to thaw meat unless there is a perfectly controlled set of circumstances. Frozen wholesale beef cuts and frozen boneless beef may require up to 48 hours to thaw at temperatures of 36F to 38F. Cuts from pork, veal, and lamb will probably thaw in about 24 hours under refrigerator temperatures. Alternate Thawing Methods

If it should become necessary to thaw the frozen meat quickly, one of two methods is used. When it is necessary to use either alternate thawing method discussed next, the medical department representative (MDR) must be notified.

1. Thaw in the original sealed wrapper or container at room temperature (not to exceed 80F) for several hours. This procedure is to be used only by small ships when the use of chill box reach-in refrigerators is not available.

2. Thaw in the original unopened container at 50F or lower in the meat preparation room. This procedure is approved for larger ships that do not have thaw boxes or when the use of chill box reach-in refrigerators is not available.

In each alternate method, the container acts as a refrigerator and allows the meat to thaw from the outside toward the center of the package. The outside pieces remain sufficiently cold to prevent spoilage while the center is thawing.

Proper precautions should be taken to make sure potentially hazardous foods are not allowed to remain at room temperature once thawed.