This study investigated the impact of air thawing (AT), water thawing (WT) and ultrasound-assisted immersion thawing (UT) at different power levels (200, 300, 400, and 500 W) on the emulsifying and gelling properties of the myofibrillar protein (MP). UT at 300 W (UT-300) significantly improved the solubility and the absolute ζ-potential value of MP, reduced the turbidity and the particle size of MP, lowered the loss of gel strength and water holding capacity, and promoted the formation of a stable emulsion (P < 0.05). Compared to the AT and WT samples, the UT-300 MP gels had shorter T21 and T22, which revealed that UT-300 had reduced mobility and losses of the immobilized and free water. The observation of the gel microstructure indicated that the UT-300 samples had compact and homogeneous MP gel network. As a result, appropriate ultrasonic power reduced the losses of the emulsifying properties (emulsifying activity index and the emulsion stability index) and gelling properties (gel water-holding capacity and gel strength) of MP. Display omitted •Ultrasound-assisted immersion thawing (UT) reduced loss of gel strength and WHC.•UT at 300 W (UT-300) decreased the turbidity and particle size of MP samples.•An appropriate ultrasound power promoted the formation of stable emulsion.•UT-300 samples had less mobility and losses of immobilized and free water.•The samples treated with 300 W had compact and homogeneous MP gel network.