Frozen steak is still steak. Freezing does not turn sirloin into a lesser cut; it just puts it on pause. The mistake is cooking a wet or half-frozen block and serving a grey outside with a cold centre. Here is how to cook frozen steak the butcher's way: how to defrost it, how to cook it once thawed, how to cook a steak straight from frozen when you have to, and defrost and cooking times for each pack.
Skip the middle man! Our frozen steaks include the Sirloin Steaks 900g-1.1kg (Frozen) family pack, the bigger Sirloin Steaks Frozen Pack (1.8–2.2kg) and the Tomahawk Steak 800g-1.2kg (Frozen). They are packed in a cold box and arrive at least partly defrosted.
How to defrost frozen steak
In the fridge (best). Unwrap the steaks, lay them on a rack or plate over a tray to catch drips, and leave them on the bottom shelf overnight. Slow thawing keeps the most juice in the meat. Once fully thawed, cook within 24 hours, in line with Food Standards Agency guidance.
In cold water (faster). Seal the steak in a leak-proof bag and submerge it in cold water, changing the water every 30 minutes. A single 6oz–8oz steak takes about an hour. Cook it as soon as it is thawed.
In the microwave (last resort). The defrost setting is quick but uneven and can start cooking the edges, so cook the steak straight away. Never thaw steak at room temperature or in warm water. More in how to defrost meat safely.
Frozen steak defrost and cooking times
Times are a guide for thawed steak cooked in a very hot, heavy pan. Probe the thickest piece: take it off at 52–54°C for medium-rare or 57–60°C for medium, then rest.
| Steak | Fridge defrost | Cold-water defrost (sealed bag) | How to cook once thawed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6oz sirloin (about 2cm) | Overnight, 12–24 hours | About 1 hour | 2 minutes a side for medium-rare, rest 5 minutes |
| 8oz sirloin (about 2.5cm) | Overnight, 12–24 hours | About 1 hour | 2½–3 minutes a side for medium-rare, rest 5 minutes |
| T-bone 500–600g | About 24 hours | Not recommended for a thick steak | Sear 2–3 minutes a side, then 6–8 minutes at 180°C, rest 8 minutes |
| Tomahawk 800g–1.2kg | 24 hours or more | Not recommended for a thick steak | Sear, then 180°C oven to 52°C, rest 10 minutes |
| Bulk sirloin pack 1.8–2.2kg | Separate the steaks as they loosen; a full day or more | Steaks you have separated: about 1 hour each | As 6oz or 8oz sirloin above |
How to cook frozen steak once it is thawed
1. Dry it properly. This is the step that matters most with frozen steak. Thawed meat gives off moisture, and a wet surface steams instead of browning. Pat it dry with kitchen paper, then leave it uncovered on a plate in the fridge for 20–30 minutes if you can.
2. Salt and heat. Salt both sides, get a heavy pan smoking hot with a thin film of oil, and cook one or two steaks at a time.
3. Cook to time and rest. Use the table above, render the fat strip on sirloin by standing it on its edge for a minute, and rest the steak on a warm plate before slicing. From here it cooks exactly like fresh: see how to cook sirloin steak or steak in the air fryer.
Sirloin Steaks 900g-1.1kg (Frozen) Shop Sirloin Steaks 900g-1.1kg (Frozen) |
 Sirloin Steaks Frozen Pack (1.8–2.2kg) Shop Sirloin Steaks Frozen Pack (1.8–2.2kg) |
How to cook a steak from frozen
Forgot to defrost? A thin steak (up to about 2.5cm) that you froze flat at home can be cooked from frozen. Our own frozen steaks should be thawed fully first, as each product page says, and that gives the best result.
Pan then oven: heat the oven to 200°C. Wipe away any ice crystals, oil the steak lightly and sear it in a very hot pan for 2–3 minutes a side until well browned. Season, then move it to the oven and cook until the probe reads your target. Expect it to take about half as long again as a thawed steak.
Air fryer: 180°C for about 8 minutes, turning once, then 200°C to colour it, checking with a probe. It works, but it will not match a pan crust.
Never try to cook a thick T-bone or tomahawk from frozen: the outside will be overcooked long before the meat by the bone has thawed. Thaw those for a full day; see how to cook a T-bone steak and how to cook tomahawk steak.
Is frozen steak as good as fresh?
Steak frozen well, thawed slowly and dried before it hits the pan eats very close to fresh. Frozen packs are about planning: a freezer full of steak nights at a better price per steak. Fresh chilled packs suit the nights you can name this week. Our frozen sirloin packs vs fresh packs and frozen vs fresh meat guides compare the two.
Storing and refreezing steak
Our frozen packs arrive at least partly defrosted, and the product pages say they are suitable for refreezing, so put anything you will not cook within 24 hours straight back in the freezer when your box arrives. With the bulk pack, separate and wrap the steaks in portions before they go back in, so you only thaw what you need. Once you have fully thawed a steak at home, cook it within 24 hours. Our meat freezer guide shows how long each cut keeps. Freezing chicken too? See cooking chicken from frozen.
Stock up with freezer packs, chilled sirloin steaks and family steak packs, or browse all beef steaks.
Shop the cuts in this guide
How we pack your order
Your order is packed at our butchery at St Stephen, near St Austell, in a double-walled box with a sealed thermal liner and gel ice packs, then delivered by DPD next-day on the day you choose. Free delivery over £85.
Extra strong boxWhite double-walled corrugated cardboard
Thermal linerAir-infused, padded and sealed
Gel ice packsRecyclable film, non-toxic food-grade gel
DPD deliveryOn the day you choose
Frozen steak FAQs
Can you cook steak from frozen?
Yes, a thin steak (up to about 2.5cm) can be cooked from frozen: sear it in a hot pan, then finish it in the oven until the probe reads your target. It takes about half as long again as a thawed steak. Our own frozen steaks should be thawed fully first, as the product pages say, and thick steaks such as T-bone and tomahawk should always be thawed.
How long does steak take to defrost?
In the fridge, allow overnight (12–24 hours) for 6oz–8oz steaks, about 24 hours for a 500–600g T-bone or a tomahawk, and longer for a big bulk pack. In a sealed bag in cold water, a single steak takes about an hour.
How do you defrost steak quickly?
Seal it in a leak-proof bag and submerge it in cold water, never warm or hot, changing the water every 30 minutes. Then pat it dry and cook it straight away. The microwave defrost setting works in a hurry, but it can start cooking the edges, so cook the steak immediately after.
Is frozen steak as good as fresh?
Properly frozen steak, thawed slowly in the fridge and dried well, cooks and eats very close to fresh. The usual complaint, a grey steak with no crust, comes from cooking it wet, not from the freezing.
Can you refreeze steak?
Our frozen packs arrive at least partly defrosted and the product pages say they are suitable for refreezing, so freeze what you will not cook within 24 hours as soon as your box arrives. Once you have fully thawed a steak at home, cook it within 24 hours. Cooked steak, cooled quickly, can be frozen.
