Thawing Frozen Foods

By - BBQBoSSMAN

Gone are the days

when you needed to grill your meat within a day or two of purchase. With the advent of warehouse food stores (think Costco, Sam's Club, Amazon, and others) where it’s not unusual now to purchase your fresh or frozen meat in bulk and place it into a home freezer for future use. With frozen meats, planning ahead is most important if you want to have an enjoyable meal and remain safe from foodborne illness.  There are just a few easy rules to follow for thawing meat the correct and safe way.

First, what you should not do.

Never thaw perishable foods on the counter, or in hot water and never leave it at room temperature for more than two hours.  It’s the outer layer of the food where bacteria will multiply when temperatures are between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit, even when the center may still be frozen. It's best to plan your meals ahead and thaw frozen food in the refrigerator where it can remain at a safe and consistent temperature at or below 40 degrees Fahrenheit.  Note that rapid thawing may produce a mushy texture of what was once frozen. Now that you’re planning your meals ahead of time, here are the best ways to thaw a frozen piece of meat, from ground beef to that 30lb turkey you’ve been saving for Thanksgiving with the outlaws.

Use the Refrigerator

Using the refrigerator is where planning ahead comes in and is key to having an enjoyable meal.  This method will take the most time, from a full day for a pound of ground meat or boneless chicken breasts to several days for that 30lb turkey. With our 30 lb turkey, the rule of thumb is 24 hours for every 5 pounds of weight, approximately 6 days! Please take note that when thawing in the refrigerator, some areas may keep food colder than others. Food will take longer to thaw if the refrigerator is set to a temperature lower than  40 degrees Fahrenheit. If available, use a separate thermometer to verify your refrigerator's temperature. After thawing in the refrigerator, some ground meats, poultry and seafood should remain safe and in good quality for a day or two before cooking.  Other meat cuts such as beef, pork, roasts and steak, will last up to 3 to 5 days before cooking.  Another benefit of thawing food in the refrigerator is that it can be refrozen, although there may be some loss of quality.

Thawing with Cold Water

Bag it, bag it, bag it.   Make sure your food is in a leak proof package or plastic bag. Bacteria from the water or surrounding air could be introduced into the food without it. Wet or damp meat will result in an imperfect cooking experience. Submerge the bag in a bowl of cold water, changing the water every 30 to 40 minutes, as it continues to thaw.  The thawing process may take up to 4 hours depending on weight. Once thawed, the food should be cooked immediately.  Only refreeze cooked food that was thawed in cold water.

Thawing with a Microwave

I’m in a hurry and I want to eat now, so let's thaw it in the microwave.  Sounds familiar and easy right, and it is, but you have to control the thaw, manage the microwave, and manage the placement of the food on a minute by minute basis.   Your microwave likes to think it’s smart but you have to be smarter. Thawing in a microwave is not an exact science.  Too big and the outside will cook while the inside is frozen. Avoid thawing anything over 2 pounds.  Too small and it’ll cook instead of thaw.  For small items, place in a colander and run cold water over until thawed. And always remove the food from its packaging before placing it in the microwave for thawing. Turn, separate and flip. Frozen foods like chicken have a tendency to stick together when frozen and thaw more evenly when they’re turned and separated during the thawing process. Microwave thawing is a two step process.  Start by manually entering the cooking times and power levels (usually reduced) that are right for the food you're thawing.  Microwave at 30 to 50%  power for two minutes, then turn, separate and flip. Microwave at 20 to 30% power for one minute per pound. Be sure to turn, separate and flip after each minute interval. When you're done thawing, it's time to start cooking.  Be sure to cook it all the way through as the internal temperature could vary after thawing.

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