How to quickly defrost chicken, pork and beef

Mistresses periodically face the question: how to quickly defrost meat? Unforeseen circumstances happen in life: you were suddenly visited by guests or you just forgot to get chicken or pork from the freezer before going to work. With the advent of the microwave, the problem of quick defrosting has become less common. However, many avoid this method, considering it harmful.

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

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

Proper defrosting

There is bad news for housewives who puzzle over how to quickly defrost meat without losing their taste and softness. Defrosted 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 it takes will depend on the size of the piece and the temperature in the refrigerator. You can’t cook pork, beef or chicken until it has thawed completely. The temperature in the refrigerator should be 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: do not re-freeze foods that have been thawed.

Tip

Do not freeze fresh meat in huge chunks: it will freeze for a long time and thaw for a long time.

Microwave

Most people are perplexed why it is impossible to use the auto-defrost function in the microwave, because it is very convenient and fast. You can defrost food in the microwave, but the taste and juiciness of meat will suffer noticeably from this. It is better to leave the product in the refrigerator until completely defrosted.

It is important to set the defrost time correctly. How much the product defrosts 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 determines how many minutes the process will last. Chicken fillet, which usually weighs 200-300 g, is thawed in 5-7 minutes. Thawing a whole chicken carcass or a large piece of pork can take up to 30 minutes.

Using a microwave saves time. Household assistant helps out when you need to cook a meat dish "in haste." However, the microwave also has many disadvantages.

• Thawed meat loses its juiciness and becomes tough.
• The meat product can “cook” on top, and remain icy inside.
• Fish after defrosting in the microwave may cook or lose elasticity.

Tip

Stop the microwave every three minutes and turn the product over.

Water

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

1. Cold water. The procedure will take from 1 to 3 hours. It is advisable to thaw chicken, beef or pork under running water. You can pour water into a container and place the meat product in an airtight bag. How long it takes for the meat to become soft 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, bacteria that are harmful to human health quickly multiply in a warm, humid environment.

If you decide to defrost the product in water, put it in a bag. Only cold water may be used.

Slow cooker (double boiler)

There is another popular way to thaw chicken and pork at home. To do this, you need a steaming mode. The frozen meat piece is laid out in a special basket, water is poured into the multicooker bowl and the necessary program is set. How long it takes to defrost depends on a 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 a 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 find out the rules for freezing.

1. Only a fresh product can be frozen. If it has been previously thawed, it must not be placed in the freezer. The cooked dish will be tough and tasteless. A musty smell may appear.
2. It is necessary to freeze portioned pieces. In advance, divide a large piece of freshness into convenient portions (for cooking meals for the family). Place prepared portions in airtight bags, release excess air.
3. Meat products should be frozen at -24 ° C. The meat is stored for up to 24 months if temperature jumps do not occur in the freezer.
4. It is not recommended to freeze the product in store packaging. After purchase, rinse it and place it in a clean airtight bag. In this form, send 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 in advance for tomorrow and thaw meat products only in the refrigerator.

We recommend that you read the article on how and how much to cook chicken breast