Frozen steak: For Better or for worse?

With Independence Day right around the corner and summer menus aflame with grilled steaks, we decided to take a hard look at our freezers. A common question and myth is whether freezing and defrosting will change the overall quality of the steak. So, we asked the experts to find out the truth about frozen steak.

Question:

Does the freezing and defrosting process significantly affect the overall quality of steak?

Analysis Process:

An analysis was performed comparing two identical ribeyes to see if freezing a steak causes it to lose weight and make it tougher to eat.

One steak was thoroughly frozen and defrosted while the second was kept fresh.

Weights were taken at three optimal times: before freezing, after thawing, when the steak was prepared for cooking, and after resting.

Results:

Frozen Steak

Fresh Steak

Conclusion:

It was determined that there was no noticeable difference of the weight and the quality between the two steaks during this experiment. When stored properly and for short periods of time freezing proteins such as steak does not significantly affect the quality or weight of the product.