You”ve had a busy day at work. On the way home you remember that you didn’t take any meat out of the freezer to defrost. When you arrive home, the kids are clamoring for your attention. They’re hungry. You open the freezer, and there’s hardly anything in it. You haven’t gotten around to doing the grocery shopping yet.
But then you discover a package of lamb chops in the far corner of the freezer. You ask yourself: Should I defrost them first or cook them straight from the freezer?
All cuts of lamb (mutton) meat can be prepared straight from the freezer using a variety of cooking techniques. Larger cuts of lamb meat, such as a leg of lamb or lamb shank, can be cooked directly from the freezer with no problem. However, consider the size of the piece, as larger pieces (15 pounds and more) may need to thaw first. The golden rule for cooking any meat from the freezer is to stay away from a slow cooker.
Can you cook lamb (or mutton) from frozen without defrosting
Yes. According to the Food Safety and Inspection Services (USDA), it is perfectly fine to cook lamb from the freezer. However, it is very important that you follow safety instructions when handling lamb.
Also, keep in mind that lamb must be cooked to the proper internal temperature. Cooking frozen lamb means that the lamb will thaw during the cooking process. As a result, frozen lamb takes longer to cook (about 50% more time) than fresh lamb.
If you want to find out which foods can you cook from frozen, check out my post where I cover all the foods in detail.
When cooking lamb, it is important to make sure that the meat is not in what is known as the danger zone. This is the temperature range at which bacteria forms and is between 40 °F – 140 °F (4 °C – 62 °C).
Certain cooking methods, such as using a slow cooker, may not be ideal for preparing lamb meat. The reason for this is that the slow cooker cooks the meat slowly. In the process, this technique will bring the lamb into the danger zone and keep it there for a longer period of time.
Lamb can be roasted in the oven straight from the freezer, baked, or fried in a deep fryer. Avoid using a slow cooker. Boiling lamb, as is the case when preparing a stew, is also fine as long as the meat is cooked all the way through.
Similar goes for mutton. Mutton meat is tougher, but you can take the same steps when it comes to cooking from frozen. It is best to slow cook mutton or grill it, but never cook it in a slow cooker from frozen.
For measuring the inner temperature of meat, a good meat thermometer will come in handy, I recommend this one:
Can all lamb cuts be cooked from frozen
Yes. Lamb chops are probably the easiest to prepare from the freezer. The same cooking technique applies to cooking lamb chops from the freezer. Lamb chops that are about 1 to 1½” thick can be oven roasted or grilled. When cooking, remember to turn the chops frequently.
Also, cooking fresh lamb chops in the oven usually takes about seven to 11 minutes. Factor in an additional 50% of the cooking time. This means that frozen lamb chops will cook in the oven for about 10 to 17 minutes. Cook the chops to an internal temperature of 145 °F (62 °C) and let them rest for at least three minutes.
A leg of lamb can be roasted in the oven. Set the oven to 325 °F (162 °C). Cooking a five to seven pound leg of lamb takes 20 to 25 minutes per pound for fresh meat and 40 to 50 minutes per pound for frozen meat. For a seven to nine pound leg of lamb, cooking time is 15 to 20 minutes per pound of meat, or about 22 to 40 minutes per pound of meat. For larger pieces of meat weighing more than 15 pounds, thaw the meat before cooking.
Both lamb shoulder and rack can be cooked from frozen by simply adding 50% more cooking time to the original recipe.
Is it safe to cook and eat lamb from frozen without thawing
Yes. Most cuts of lamb can be prepared straight from the freezer. The USDA advises handling the meat properly, cleaning all surfaces and hands before cooking, and bringing the meat to the proper internal temperature before serving or eating.
The only important thing is to keep the meat out of harm’s way during the cooking process. The only variation is the cooking method. Most techniques are safe, but as mentioned earlier, do not use a slow cooker.
Defrosting tray to speed up your thawing process
But if you want to thaw your meat first and speed things then this defrosting tray will come in handy. This tray can actually thaw the meat 8x faster than natural thawing. This is one of the best ones on amazon.
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Can you cook diced lamb from frozen
Whole cuts of meat usually have bacteria on the surface of the meat. These bacteria are destroyed during the cooking process. In cases such as cubed lamb or ground lamb, the bacteria are distributed throughout the meat product.
To safely prepare and eat cubed lamb from the freezer, you need to make sure the meat is cooked thoroughly.
Can you cook ground or minced lamb from frozen
Yes. Minced meat can be cooked from frozen. If you are using the ground beef for a cottage pie or lasagna recipe, for example, simply fry it over low to medium heat until the meat begins to fall apart.
Increase the heat to cook the meat more evenly. It’s also perfectly fine to cook lamb burgers on the grill. Keep in mind that with both recipes, the meat will cook about 50% longer than normal because of the defrosting process.
Can you cook a joint of lamb from frozen
The short answer to this question is yes. You can roast smaller or larger joints of lamb directly from the freezer in the oven.
Joint of lamb is basically the same as a whole piece of meat, except it is rolled or simply tied together with a string.
You can roast smaller ones, such as a five to seven pound (2,2-3,1 kg) of lamb joint or an eight to 12 pound joint (3,6-5,4 kg), directly from the freezer in the oven.
However, for larger pieces, such as those over 15 pounds (6,8 kg), it is better to thaw them first. With such large pieces, it can be difficult to cook the roast in the oven at the right temperature without the meat going into the danger zone internally and drying out externally.
Can you cook lamb from frozen in an air fryer
Yes. An air fryer is a great appliance for cooking lamb from frozen. Keep in mind that smaller cuts of lamb, such as lamb chops, work best in an air fryer.
Simply add an additional five minutes to the cooking time and ensure that the chops or other cut of lamb are cooked to the right internal temperature, a minimum of 145 °F (62°C). Use a thermometer and stick it into the thickest part.
Can you cook lamb from frozen in the oven
Yes. The oven is one of the better appliances for cooking frozen lamb. Smaller pieces such as lamb chops, loin chops, neck and neck fillets can be easily cooked in the oven.
When cooking in the oven, the additional cooking time from the freezer is 50%. This means that if fresh loin chops take about 20 minutes to cook in the oven, then frozen loin chops will take about 30 minutes to fully cook in the oven.
Larger pieces of lamb can also be successfully prepared in the oven. These include smaller legs of lamb, rack of lamb, shanks of lamb, rump of lamb and shoulder of lamb.
A large leg of lamb or any other joint of lamb that is over 15 pounds (6,8 kg) should ideally be thawed out before cooking.
Can you cook lamb from frozen in a slow cooker
Many recipes show how you should cook lamb in the slow cooker. These recipes usually refer to cooking fresh or thawed lamb in the slow cooker.
When it comes to cooking frozen lamb in the slow cooker, things are slightly different. In the slow cooker, the meat is cooked for a longer period of time, so it’s in the danger zone between thawing and actually being cooked. It’s better not to cook frozen meat in the slow cooker.
Can you cook lamb from frozen in a BBQ grill
Yes. This cooking method is better suited for smaller cuts of meat such as loin or lamb chops. Again, it increases the cooking time by 50%. There are chefs and food experts who advise against cooking frozen lamb on the grill because it loses nutrients, flavor and changes the texture of the meat. This is, of course, a matter of personal preference. Always make sure that the meat has reached the correct internal temperature.
Conclusion
Most cuts of lamb can be cooked straight from the freezer without (in my opinion) changing the flavor and texture of the meat. For very large cuts, it is best to thaw the meat before cooking. Invest in a thermometer, as this device will help you determine if the meat is at the correct internal temperature. Most frozen meats require an additional 50% cooking time.
