If frozen and short of time, place the meat in a bath of warm water and let sit. Do not thaw meat on the counter. The outside will reach room temperature long before the center has thawed, creating a perfect environment for bacteria and other microbes. Ideally, you planned and placed your meat on a plate in the refrigerator to thaw. Once thawed, meat can live safely in your fridge up to a week.

Keith’s recommendation: Have some meat thawing or thawed in your fridge all the time. This way beef can always be a choice for dinner rather than a wishful proposition because it is always frozen. You will tend to try more marinades or rubs if the meat is available for experimentation.