Can I defrost and refreeze lamb?

[LizzieVereker]

My DP buys a big batch of fresh meat chicken etc from Smithfield, which we break up into smaller batches and freeze. However he has accidentally bought a frozen boneless leg of lamb which is much too big for us to eat in one go.

Would it be safe to defrost it, chop in 1/2 and refreeze a (raw) 1/2 to use later? Or would I need to cook it first? I am always v confused about "the rules" of defrost/refreezing meat.

Also, any splendid ideas/recipes about what to do with the lamb, please?

I would never refreeze meat even after cooking it. Once it's defrosted, that's it - you have to eat it.

Invite some friends for lunch and eat the lamb together!

You'd need to cook it.

I would slow roast the leg, have a roast dinner and then make a stew or curry with what was left over or mince it and make shepherds pie.

Yes, you would have to cook it first before it was refrozen. I had a freezer failure once and my local env health team advised me that I could refreeze meat but only once I'd cooked it. They did warn me that it wouldn't be quite as tasty though as it would have been through the freezing and cooking process twice.

Not sure about recipes - am sure someone with fab ideas will be along in a mo though

you can freeze raw meat then defrost, cook and then refreeze it once cooked. You should not defrost and then refreeze without cooking

cook then refreeze.

Agree wit all saying cook and then refreeze. You cannot refreeze raw meat.

Thank you, everyone, that's what I suspected but wasn't sure. Will take your advice, and do a roast and then cut the left overs into chunks and do a hotpot the following day, maybe. And lamb sandwiches all round. And lamb on toast. Anyone for lamb vol au vents?