Place the hamburger meat in the refrigerator until fully thawed
Keep the meat in its original packaging or a sealed bag
Put it on a plate or tray to catch any drips
Allow several hours for small portions and up to 24 hours for larger amounts
Submerge the sealed meat in cold water
Change the water every 30 minutes
Cook the meat immediately after cold-water thawing
Use the microwave defrost setting if you need it quickly
Cook the meat immediately after microwave thawing
Do not thaw hamburger meat on the counter
Do not refreeze meat thawed in cold water or the microwave unless it has been cooked first