How to separate frozen pork steaks?

daisiegg

Went to the freezer this morning to get the pork out for dinner tonight and realised that OH, bless him, has just bunged the whole pack of 6 pork loin steaks in as it is. I would have separated them before freezing - we are only two so would never use more than two at once. I opened the pack and tried to separate them but failed - I tried all the tricks I could think of, big knife run under boiling water, etc...

For today they have just gone back in the freezer and I've got something else out for dinner but I'll have this problem next time. I know I can't defrost them and then freeze them again uncooked, but what can I do? I don't really want to defrost all 6, cook the spares and then freeze the cooked pork - I can't think what I'd use that for.



Any tips??

beedeedee

I bung them in the microwave on defrost till they just separate with a knife between. Then I put what I don't need back in the freezer. Do it for 10-20 seconds at a time then the steaks themselves won't defrost too much - although I was always taught that meat from things with four legs can be refrozen.....and we're all still here!

scheming_gypsy

daisiegg wrote: »

Went to the freezer this morning to get the pork out for dinner tonight and realised that OH, bless him, has just bunged the whole pack of 6 pork loin steaks in as it is. I would have separated them before freezing - we are only two so would never use more than two at once. I opened the pack and tried to separate them but failed - I tried all the tricks I could think of, big knife run under boiling water, etc...

have you tried the bloke way? smash them on the work surface.

CH27

scheming_gypsy wrote: »

have you tried the bloke way? smash them on the work surface.

I'm female & do that:D

SailorSam

I throw them on the floor until either they come apart or break the tiles.

scheming_gypsy

CH27 wrote: »

I'm female & do that:D

but do you do the other bloke way...... don't bother separating them and just cook them all on a huge pile of mash

CH27

scheming_gypsy wrote: »

but do you do the other bloke way...... don't bother separating them and just cook them all on a huge pile of mash

I do not

Linda32

I bang them on the work top until they eventually part. They usually do.

Hellyboo

You can refreeze things as long as they've been defrosted slowly (ie in the fridge rather than the microwave) according to the food standards agency. But I would let it defrost ever so slightly just until they can be separated, and then take what you need and freeze the rest. Or chuck it about a bit!

daisiegg

Much banging and chucking and hitting and whacking and stamping (...in frustration, not on the pork!) took place - they are well and truly welded together.

Thanks for the microwave tip, that sounds just the ticket!

borokat

I would pour on boiling water from the kettle, or run them under the tap till they slide apart.