How To Properly Store Fresh Lamb Meat

You've just picked up some fresh meat from the store, ready to cook up the perfect roasted leg of lamb. Or perhaps you plan to make an entire rack of lamb with a crisp, flavorful crust. Whatever your cooking goal may be, this protein source is on top in Mediterranean cultures for good reason. But, to enjoy its rich, earthy taste at peak freshness, it's important to practice safe storage methods when it comes to handling lamb.

Fresh lamb can be conveniently stored in the fridge or the freezer. Which appliance you should choose mainly depends on how fast you plan to use the meat. If you know you'll use it within at least two days, the coolest part of the refrigerator is a safe choice. It's ideal to place the package either on a plate or inside a plastic bag to prevent juices from leaking out and contaminating other foods within your fridge.

If you have no intention of using your lamb within a couple of days, the freezer is the way to go. Just like storing lamb in the fridge, it's recommended you keep the meat in a storage bag so that it keeps its liquid to itself. Moreover, this will better protect your food from developing freezer burn. Your lamb can last longer this way, giving you between six to nine months to eat lamb cuts and four months at most to finish off ground lamb.

There are a few ways to thaw frozen lamb once you're ready to prepare it. The first route would be to move your protein from the freezer into the refrigerator. Cuts like steaks and chops should be transferred three to five days ahead of preparation, while ground lamb needs to be moved only one to two days in advance. Alternatively, you can use cold water if you're in a bit of a time crunch and want to get cracking on that Mediterranean-inspired hamburger. Keep the lamb in its packaging with an airtight bag over the top, and dunk it into a bowl of cold water. Change the water out every half an hour to ensure it's still cold and continuously defrosting your lamb. Depending on how much meat you're working with, this process can take anywhere from one to three hours.