The best way to defrost frozen meat is to keep it in the freezer until it is completely thawed. This way the meat doesn't enter the dangerous temperature zone (5°C to 57°C) where bacteria can multiply quickly, and the meat has more time to reabsorb the water from the ice that has melted between the meat fibers, which gives it a better texture after cooking.

Thawing slowly in the refrigerator freezer is indeed the safest method of defrosting currently available, but it is also inconvenient due to the length of time it takes to defrost. In fact, there are some tips to thaw frozen meat quickly, while still ensuring the flavor of the ingredients and dietary safety.

Frozen steak

Decomposition of frozen

Many people are accustomed to buy meat back directly into the freezer to freeze, but this will often be faced with the problem of eaten and repeatedly frozen, so just buy back the meat is best to cut and then frozen, pay attention to the use of plastic bags will be separated from the meat, with a small piece of each time to take a defrosting will also be faster.

The cold water defrosting method

This method is recommended by the National Restaurant Association and is best suited for smaller cuts of meat, such as pork tenderloins, chicken breasts, steaks, and stuffed meats, but not, for example, for whole chickens and large cuts of meat.

First, place the frozen meat in clean plastic with as much air as possible out of the seal (otherwise, the pieces will float and won't melt as quickly). Then, submerge the bag in a tub of cold water. Change the water every half hour until the meat melts. Using this method, a pound of meat will usually thaw in half an hour, but it's best not to take more than an hour. Separating the pieces of meat that have melted from those that have not fused will speed up the thawing process. Finally, be sure to clean the container thoroughly after the meat has thawed.

A tray of frozen meat

The warm-water thawing method

If you're thawing more than a pound of meat, thaw frozen meat and place it in a bowl of warm water at about 40°C. Thawing can be accelerated by stirring the frozen pieces of meat around constantly, or by switching back and forth between multiple bowls of warm water.

Drip defrosting

This is a trick found in cooking school textbooks. By placing frozen meat in a plastic bag under a fast-dripping faucet, the water around the meat stays at a constant temperature, and the long drip speeds up the heat exchange and encourages the ice to melt quickly. Drip thawing is enough to minimize the growth of bacteria during the thawing time of the meat.

Microwave defrosting

Use a microwave oven set to defrost (at 50 percent power) to defrost meat in minutes. Many microwave ovens also allow you to enter the weight needed for defrosting and automatically calculate the recommended defrosting time. However, microwave defrosting requires constant attention to the progress of the defrosting process, as defrosting too quickly can affect the texture of the meat and therefore the cooking results.

Steaks

Cooking without defrosting

If you're in a hurry to cook a whole chicken, the best option is to cook it straight from frozen. Cooking frozen meat directly is perfectly safe, but this method takes about twice as long as cooking meat that's already thawed. It's also never a small amount of money when you consider the gas bill required in the long run!

Steak defrosting in two pans

Taiwanese cable TV once described a steak defrosting method that can safely defrost a frozen steak about 1 centimeter thick in less than five minutes. Prepare two metal pots or pans by tipping one over and placing the frozen steak flat on the bottom. Then fill the other pan with water and press the bottom of the pan against the steak. The metal conducts heat quickly, and the weight of the pan and water will also make it fit more snugly to increase the contact area and further accelerate the melting.

The double boiler method

The vinegar method

If you feel that the above defrosting methods are still not fast enough, you can pour a little vinegar over the frozen meat. Vinegar lowers the freezing point, which not only speeds up the defrosting time, but also tenderizes the meat. If you don't need vinegar to flavor your cooking, you can just rinse it off after thawing.

Heat-conducting plate defrosting method

The heat-conducting principle of the defrosting plate is derived from the scientific heat-conducting model of the heat dissipation data model of the airplane engine, so it is faster and safer than the general defrosting method, and it can be defrosted quickly while retaining the moisture and nutrition of the food will not be lost.

Anodized products are more corrosion-resistant and have a longer service life:

Defrosting Methods Not To Be Used

Do not defrost naturally at normal room temperature or in a cool place, as these higher-than-refrigerator-temperature environments accelerate the reproduction of bacteria, which can easily lead to food poisoning. While cooking meat thoroughly will kill bacteria such as E. coli, as a general safety rule, it's better to avoid thawing naturally at room temperature.