Cooking corned beef from frozen in slow cooker

Slow Cooker Corned Beef

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Ingredients

• 1.5kg piece of corned silverside
• 1 onion, sliced
• 2 carrots, sliced lengthways
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 teaspoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon malt vinegar
• 6 whole cloves
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns

Method

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Corned beef makes a filling and festive choice for St. Patrick's Day, but you can also enjoy it all year. One cost-savvy option is purchasing corned beef on sale, then freezing it for later use. If you plan to boil your meat on the stove, you won't even have to thaw it before you start to cook. Just make sure you start with fresh, raw beef and observe the proper precautions.

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Choosing Corned Beef

Corned beef comes in three major cuts: the whole brisket, the flat and the point. The point contains more fat and more flavor, but it usually costs more. The flat is fairly lean and more consistent in thickness, but it needs careful cooking to prevent toughness. You can also buy the whole brisket and get the best of both worlds. You can expect the meat to shrink by 25 to 40 percent due to the added brine, so take that into account when you determine the size of your cut.

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Freezing

You don't have to cook your corned beef as soon as you bring it home. To preserve it for later use, drain the brine and put the entire piece directly into the refrigerator. According to American Foods Group, corned beef lasts up to six months in the freezer. The United States Department of Agriculture recommends freezing it for just one month to get the best quality, however. After that, the meat is safe to eat but may not taste as good.

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Defrost or Cook Immediately

If you want to cook a frozen piece of corned beef, you can either place it directly in the pot or defrost it for faster cooking. If you choose to defrost, place the meat in the refrigerator with a pan or bowl under it to catch any liquid. Do not defrost meat at room temperature, since it can increase the risk of food poisoning. If you want to cook your corned beef immediately, simply follow your usual recipe and cook it about 50 percent longer. Do not prepare frozen corned beef in a Crock-Pot, however. The relatively low temperatures can increase the risk of bacterial growth or other problems.

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Considerations

While many people refer to corned beef and cabbage as a "boiled dinner," it's best not to let the dish reach boiling temperatures. Allowing your corned beef to boil can make it leathery and tough with an uncooked interior. Instead, simmer the meat at relatively low temperatures for several hours or cook it in the oven covered with foil to keep the moisture in. This produces a tender piece of meat with better flavor than boiling.

Slow cookers are beloved for their set-it-and-forget-it style. The best slow cooker recipes require very little hands-on time and make the machine do all the heavy lifting. Naturally, most of us don't think twice when a recipe tells us to start with frozen chicken. After all, that's the point—to let the slow cooker do the work of thawing and cooking the meat. Right?

Slow Cooker Safety Guidelines

Not so fast, says the USDA. According to their Slow Cookers and Food Safety guidelines, you should always thaw meat or poultry before putting it in a slow cooker. They recommend storing the thawed meat in the refrigerator before adding it in. "The slow cooker may take several hours to reach a safe, bacteria-killing temperature," the guidelines read. "Constant refrigeration assures that bacteria, which multiply rapidly at room temperature, won't get a 'head start' during the first few hours of cooking."

The primary concern is that putting frozen meat in the slow cooker increases its chances of entering the "danger zone," the temperature range between 40° and 140°F where harmful bacteria grow exponentially. Slow cookers operate at temperatures between 170°F and 280°F—well above this zone—but it takes longer for frozen meat or poultry to reach those temperatures than thawed meat, giving it more opportunity to sit in the danger zone.

Instant Pot Safety Guidelines

Here's where things get a little murky. The guidelines for the Instant Pot, which can function as a slow cooker, say there's "no need to defrost the food in the microwave prior to preparing." They recommend increasing the cooking time if beginning with frozen food but do not address any potential hazards. This is perfectly fine advice if using the pressure-cooker function because a pressure cooker can cook frozen chicken or meat fast enough to avoid the "danger zone." But the Instant Pot's website doesn't specify which function the guidelines are referencing.

Crock Pot Safety Guidelines

Crock Pot, one of the most popular brands of slow cookers, also gives a thumbs-up to the practice. "You can cook frozen meat in a Crock-Pot Slow Cooker, but suggested cook time may need to be increased." They recommend using a meat thermometer to ensure the meat is well above 165°F. What they fail to address is the time it takes to reach that temperature.

Better to Be Safe Than Sorry

Today Food took a deep dive into the topic and found that food experts have differing options. Ultimately, they recommend following the USDA guidelines to help reduce the possibility of the development of harmful bacteria. And, because it's better to be safe than sorry, we agree. Additionally, if you're gone during the day while your slow cooker is on, it's a good idea to cook on low rather than set the timer to shut it down in the early afternoon. Food shouldn't sit in a turned-off slow cooker for more than four hours, or it runs the risk of entering the danger zone again.

Can you cook corned beef from frozen in a slow cooker?

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How long does it take to cook a frozen corned beef?

Can you cook corned beef while frozen?