How to quickly defrost chicken, pork and beef

Housewives periodically face the question: how to quickly defrost meat? Unforeseen circumstances happen in life: you have unexpected guests or you simply forgot to take chicken or pork out of the freezer before leaving for work. With the advent of the microwave, the problem of rapid defrosting has become less common. However, many avoid this method, considering it harmful.

How to defrost meat without losing its properties? The most popular methods:

1. in the refrigerator (the most correct and healthy way);
2. in the microwave (fast, but incorrect method);
3. in water;
4. in a slow cooker (or double boiler);
5. in air at room temperature.

Proper defrosting

For housewives who are puzzling over how to quickly defrost meat without losing taste and softness, there is bad news. Thawed meat will remain juicy and tasty if it takes at least 12 hours to defrost. Ideally, it should be in the refrigerator for at least a day.

There are two basic rules:

1. freeze as quickly as possible;
2. defrost - as slowly as possible.

Since meat products are frozen in production, you can only ensure proper defrosting. Thaw whole pieces of meat, chicken or minced meat in the refrigerator. How long this will take depends on the size of the piece and the temperature in the refrigerator. Do not cook pork, beef or chicken until it is completely defrosted.The temperature in the refrigerator should be from 2 to 4 degrees above zero.

If you are going to bake a goose, it will take two days. The rule for thawing meat products applies to pork, beef, lamb, poultry and all types of fish. Remember: you cannot re-freeze food that has been defrosted.

Advice

You should not freeze fresh meat in huge pieces: it will take a long time to freeze and take a long time to defrost.

Microwave

Most people wonder why they can’t use the auto-defrost function in the microwave, because it’s very convenient and fast. You can defrost food in the microwave, but the taste and juiciness of the meat will noticeably suffer. It is better to leave the product in the refrigerator until completely defrosted.

It is important to set the defrosting time correctly. How long the product is defrosted depends on the size of the piece and the freezing temperature. Most microwave ovens themselves determine the time required for defrosting. You need to set the weight of the product, and the microwave sets how many minutes the process will last. Chicken fillet, which usually weighs 200-300 g, defrosts in 5-7 minutes. Thawing a whole chicken or large piece of pork can take up to 30 minutes.

Using a microwave saves time. A household assistant helps out when you need to whip up a meat dish. However, the microwave also has many disadvantages.

• Thawed meat loses its juiciness and becomes tough.
• The meat product may “cook” on top, but remain icy inside.
• After defrosting in the microwave, fish may become cooked or lose its elasticity.

Advice

Every three minutes, stop the microwave and turn the food over.

Water

If you don't have time to properly defrost for 12 hours in the refrigerator, you can reduce the time to 2-3 hours. There are two “water” defrosting options: cold and hot water. The first method is more correct, but requires more time. Using hot water will speed up the process, but will reduce the taste of the finished meat dish.

1. Cold water. The procedure will take from 1 to 3 hours. It is advisable to defrost chicken, beef or pork under running water. You can pour water into a container and place the meat product in it in a sealed bag. How long it takes for the meat to become tender depends on its size.
2. Hot water. This method is suitable for impatient housewives. Meat or poultry thawed in hot water will be tough and tasteless. In addition, in a warm, humid environment, bacteria that are dangerous to human health multiply quickly.

If you decide to defrost food in water, place it in a bag. Only cold water can be used.

Multicooker (steamer)

There is another popular way to defrost chicken and pork at home. To do this, you will need a steam cooking mode. The frozen piece of meat is placed in a special basket, water is poured into the multicooker bowl and the required program is set. How long it takes to defrost depends on the piece of meat. You need to periodically look under the lid so that pork, chicken or beef does not cook.

On air

This method is similar to defrosting in the refrigerator, but the temperature is much higher. The meat must be removed from the freezer, placed in a bowl and covered with a towel or warm cloth. The higher the temperature “overboard”, the faster the product will defrost.

How to freeze meat?

Having figured out how to properly defrost meat, you need to learn the rules of freezing.

1. Only fresh product can be frozen. If it has been previously defrosted, it should not be placed in the freezer. The cooked dish will be tough and tasteless. A musty smell may appear.
2. You need to freeze portions. Divide a large piece of fresh meat into convenient portions in advance (for preparing a meal for the family). Place prepared portions in sealed bags and release excess air.
3. Meat products should be frozen at -24 °C. Meat can be stored for up to 24 months if there are no temperature fluctuations in the freezer.
4. It is not recommended to freeze the product in store packaging. After purchasing, rinse it and place it in a clean, sealed bag. In this form, send it to the freezer.

So, the quality of a defrosted product depends on how much time you are willing to spend on defrosting. Try to plan your menu for tomorrow in advance and defrost meat products only in the refrigerator.