Can I refreeze cooked pork?

Asked by: Elizabeth Parker

If you thawed pork in the refrigerator, and can’t use it right away, you can safely refreeze it, whether it’s been cooked or not. Just place it back in the freezer within a few days of thawing. It might be a touch drier when you go to use it (due to the second thawing and reheating), but it will still taste great.

Can you refreeze cooked meat that was previously frozen?

Yes, it is safe to refreeze any food remaining after reheating previously frozen leftovers to the safe temperature of 165 °F as measured with a food thermometer.

Can you freeze pork that’s already been cooked?

Yes, you can freeze cooked pork. Cooked pork can be frozen for around 3 months. If you’re planning to use your cooked pork within a few days, you can wrap and refrigerate them in portion sizes and take them out whenever you’re ready to enjoy them.

What happens if you freeze pork twice?

Meat is often frozen to preserve and keep the product safe when it’s not going to be eaten right away. As long as the meat has been stored properly and thawed slowly in the refrigerator, it can be refrozen safely multiple times. If done correctly, refreezing meat does not pose any health risks.

How many times can you refreeze cooked pork?

If the meat is already cooked, you will lose a lot of the texture and flavor if you thaw and refreeze it again, so we do not recommend refreezing cooked meat. You should also not freeze (or refreeze) any meats that have been sitting at room temperature for longer than 2 hours or at a 90˚ or higher for more than 1 hour.

Why can’t you refreeze cooked meat?

So thawed food will have some bacteria that can multiply at room temperature, meaning that if the food is refrozen, there will be an increase in bacterial count by the time it is thawed again.

Can you refreeze pork chops?

Yes, it’s permissible to refreeze pork chops, even if you haven’t gotten around to cooking them off yet. As long as the meat has only been in the fridge for 3 to 4 days and you stored it at temperatures below 40 degrees the entire time, refreezing the pork chops shouldn’t cause any food safety issues.

Can you reheat cooked pork?

You can reheat pork safely in the microwave, oven or on the hob. Remember to ensure that it’s piping hot throughout before serving. If keeping a freshly cooked pork dish to reheat, you must store it in the fridge or freezer within 2 hours, consume within 3 days and only reheat it once.