Growing up, defrosting meat was a daily routine. We knew when we came back from school that one of the first things we had to do was to take out the meat from the freezer and defrosting it so it was ready when my mother came back from work.
And we did this without a microwave.
Even today, I rarely use a microwave to defrost meat. I do my best to plan and let meat defrost outside the fridge. But sometimes the mood for a certain dish strikes and I just need to get a frozen chicken thigh or breast or a few steaks defrosted quickly and that becomes a stressful moment.
Here’s how you can go about defrosting meat the safer way. Picture: Supplied
I sometimes do use the microwave but I would find that the meat still has a frozen centre and I will then use hot water to defrost it fast. However, I have always asked myself, is this method safe?
I do prefer using the hot water method because it is often faster and the meat defrosts evenly. I’m sure that I’m not the only one. So, when this happens, what do we do to get that meat pan-ready quickly and safely?
According to wikiHow, here’s how you can go about defrosting meat the safer way.
Here’s how you can go about defrosting meat the safer way. Picture: Supplied
Thawing meat in the fridge
The refrigerator method is easy and safe, requiring very little hands-on time. Place the frozen meat on a plate. Choose a large, sturdy plate that is big enough to hold. Since refrigerator defrosting is such a gentle method, you don’t need to cook the meat right away. Instead, you can refreeze it for later use or cook it at a later date. at least twenty-four hours all of the meat.
Using cold water to defrost meat
This method of defrosting is much faster than the refrigerator. Place the meat in a resealable bag. The re-sealable bag will protect the meat from any bacteria in the air or the water.
Submerge the bag in a bowl of cold water. Choose a large bowl and place it in your sink. Fill the bowl with cold tap water. Next, place the re-sealable bag of meat into the water, submerging it completely. Cook the thawed meat immediately. Even though the meat has been submerged in cold water, it has been exposed to warmer temperatures.
Here’s how you can go about defrosting meat the safer way. Picture: Supplied
Defrosting food in the microwave
This quick method works best with smaller pieces of evenly cut meat.The microwave will defrost the meat in a matter of minutes. However, this method can also partially cook the meat or make it tough, affecting the quality of the dish.
First, remove any plastic packaging from the meat. This packaging will retain moisture that will “boil” the outside of the meat. Each brand of microwave is slightly different. However, most brands have a special “defrost” button.
To thaw the meat, place the meat in the microwave and press the “defrost” button. Every minute or so, pause the microwave and check on your meat. Gently touch the sides to see if they’re warm. If they are, let the meat cool for a minute or so before continuing to defrost the meat. Once the microwave has finished defrosting the food, remove it from the microwave.
When you use a microwave to thaw frozen meat, you expose the meat to warm temperatures that can encourage the growth of bacteria. Therefore, the meat must be cooked immediately to avoid any food contamination.