How to Thaw a Frozen Steak

When your Caroland Farms Wagyu steak arrives at your door, it’s been flash-frozen at peak freshness to lock in its rich marbling, buttery tenderness, and signature flavor. This method not only preserves the taste, but it also ensures our steaks arrive in perfect condition to savor. To enjoy Wagyu at its absolute best, we’ve assembled a defrosting guide to help you safely thaw your Wagyu. 

Here’s your step-by-step guide to defrosting and preparing your Wagyu for an unforgettable dining experience.

How to thaw a frozen steak

Here’s a step-by-step guide to the most popular methods of defrosting frozen meat. 

1. Refrigerator Thaw 

Thawing frozen steaks in a refrigerator is our preferred method of defrosting Wagyu beef. This slow, gentle thaw keeps your Wagyu in the perfect safe temperature range, preserving its sublime texture and flavor. Though refrigerator thawing takes the longest, it is the safest, simplest, and most straightforward way to prepare your steak for cooking. The delicious outcome ultimately more than makes up for the extra planning required! 

How to thaw your steak in a refrigerator: 

1. Keep your steak in its vacuum-sealed packaging to preserve freshness.
2. Place your steak on a plate or tray to catch any condensation.
3. Set the tray in the coldest part of your refrigerator.
4. Allow the steak to thaw for a minimum of 24 hours. 

How can I tell when my meat is defrosted? 

Gently press down on the thickest part of the meat with your thumb. You’re looking for a soft, pliable texture that “springs back” when pressed. If it feels firm on the outside but hard and icy as you push down, it's likely only partially thawed. 

Pro Tips:

• We recommend this method for all of our Wagyu beef! Whether you’re thawing steaks, burgers, ground beef, roasts, ribs, or organs, the refrigerator method is the safest and most reliable solution. 
• Thawing time will differ depending on the thickness of the cut of meat. Many steaks will be ready for the grill after 24 hours of refrigeration. However, thicker steaks, like a juicy tomahawk, may need 48 hours before its ready to cook. Roasts may take several days to thaw, depending on their size.  
• Steaks thawed in the refrigerator can be refrozen as long as they haven’t been removed from cold environment. This may result in a loss of quality and texture, but this method also allows you to save the meat for a later date if your plans change.
• Wagyu has such pronounced marbling, the fat stays firm even when thawed — so don’t mistake cool, firm fat for ice.

2. Cold Water Thaw

Cold water thawing is still safe and gentle, and is a much faster process than refrigerator thawing. This is easily the safest way to defrost meat quickly, though it does demand a more hands-on approach. With a cold water thaw, your steaks can be ready in about 45 minutes to two hours, depending on the thickness and cut of the Wagyu. 

How to thaw your steaks with cold water: 

1. Keep the steaks in their sealed packaging.
2. Submerge the meat in a large bowl of cold water.
3. Change the water every 30 minutes to maintain cold temperatures and slowly thaw the meat. 

Pro Tips: 

• Never use warm water to thaw meat. This encourages bacterial growth and can make you and your guests ill. 
• Plan ahead and set timers. Depending on the size of the steaks, you may need to change out water multiple times. Though it’s inconvenient, you don’t want your beautiful steak to be compromised by bacteria!
• You can thaw multiple steaks at one time with this method, but make sure they aren’t stacked on top of each other! If they’re too close together, this can result in uneven temperature distribution and greatly increase thawing time. 
• Thawing time varies per cut, but general advice recommends 45 minutes per pound.

Can I thaw my Wagyu steaks in the microwave?

If you are absolutely pressed for time, you can resort to microwaving to thaw your steaks. However, we strongly advise against this method. It leads to an uneven distribution of heat, which will damage the taste and texture of your steak. You also risk cooking the outer edges of the meat while leaving the center frozen solid. 

Wagyu is an elevated delicacy and deserves to be treated as such. Microwaving your Wagyu steaks will destroy the extraordinary flavor profile and incredible fat marbling. You’ve invested in a luxury experience, so prepare the meat with the care it deserves! 

Can you cook steak that is still frozen?

You can cook steak that is frozen, though it requires a much longer and more involved cooking time and you’ll be challenged to obtain the same nice sear. Cooking a frozen steak can be a last-minute strategy if you’ve forgotten to take your meat out of the freezer ahead of time. However, Wagyu is meant to be savored and celebrated, so we’d recommend thawing our steaks in the refrigerator before preparation. If you are going to cook your steak frozen, using cooking methods like sous vide or a combination of pan searing and oven finishing to evenly cook the steak without overcooking the exterior is advised.

What’s the best method for cooking frozen steak?

If you must cook a steak thats still frozen, it’s widely recommend to pan sear it before finishing it in the oven. This ensures even browning and consistent internal cooking. This works for both regular and Wagyu, but with Wagyu’s premium quality, take extra caution with heat.

1. Preheat your oven to 275°F (135°C).
2. Sear first: Heat a cast-iron pan with a neutral high-heat oil until very hot. Sear each side of the frozen steak for about 90 seconds to get color.
3. Finish in the oven: Move the steak (still in the pan or on a wire rack) into the oven. Cook until it reaches your desired internal temperature:

• • Rare Wagyu: 120-125°F
  • Medium-rare Wagyu: 130–135°F
  • Medium Wagyu: 135–145°F