How To Thaw Stew Meat. Once the raw ground beef thaws, it will be safe in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days. It is best to eat thawed beef stew immediately and not leave it out for long.

Place the wrapped meat in a large bowl and fill with cold water. The cold water bath has a couple of things going for it. Do the same with the sauce.

How To Defrost Stew Meat Quickly. After thawing, ground meat, poultry, and seafood should keep well in the refrigerator for. Smaller items, like steaks and ground beef, should thaw within 30 minutes to an hour.

Once the pieces are defrosted enough to be separated, pull them apart. Not much time for thawing? Try to remove the beef and flip it around every 45 seconds so that each side of the beef gets an even chance to defrost, which will also make the meat towards the center defrost far quicker.