According to experts, the best thing to do would be to let meat, vegetables and frozen foods defrost in the refrigerator, but in some cases you may not have enough time. When a food is left to defrost outside the refrigerator, the main risk is that bacteria that are dangerous to health develop. Fortunately, there are several ways to defrost foods quickly and safely without the bacteria having time to start proliferating. Meat can be defrosted by placing it immersed in hot or cold water, however, using hot water you must be careful to keep the temperature constant. Vegetables, thin cuts of meat, pasta and fruit can also be defrosted easily using the microwave. Instead, for bread and baked goods it is better to use the traditional oven to keep them crunchy.
Steps
Method 1 of 4: Defrosting a Food Using Cold Water
Step 1. Seal the food in a waterproof bag
Open the freezer door while holding a plastic bag of the appropriate size. Prepare more than one bag if you want to defrost several foods at the same time. Quickly insert the frozen food into the bag. If you take it out of the freezer and bag it on the kitchen counter, you could introduce bacteria, so pack it inside the freezer to be safe.
- Ideally, the food you store in the freezer should already be in a sealed bag, so this step may be unnecessary. If you have them wrapped in aluminum foil, you will need to unwrap them and place them in a resealable food bag.
- This method saves you time if you don't have the option to let a food defrost in the refrigerator and is safer than using hot water.
Suggestion:
this method is excellent for meat and cooked dishes that need to be reheated. If you need to defrost cheese, bread, or other baked goods, it's best to use a different method.
Step 2. Place the bag in a large bowl and immerse it in cold tap water
Get a large glass or metal bowl. It must be large enough to allow you to keep the food completely submerged. Place the food on the bottom of the bowl and let the cold water run to fill the bowl to the brim.
Depending on the type of plumbing, you may have to wait 20-30 seconds to allow time for the water to reach the lowest possible temperature
Step 3. Let the food defrost in cold water for 2-3 hours
When the bowl is full, make sure the food is completely submerged. Leave the container in the sink or transfer it to the kitchen counter being careful not to spill the water. The time it takes to defrost the food will vary based on size, type and texture. A 1.5-2kg piece of meat will defrost in about 2-3 hours, while small foods may defrost within an hour. On the other hand, large foods, such as a whole turkey, can take up to 12 hours.
- You can tell if a small food has defrosted simply by touching it: it must be as soft as if it had never been frozen. However, to know if a large food has defrosted, it is not enough to touch it, as it may be soft on the outside, but still hard in the center.
- Use a spoon or spatula to push the food under the surface of the water if it is floating.
Step 4. Change the water every 30 minutes to prevent it from heating up
If you want to use this method to defrost a food, you need to make sure that the water temperature always remains considerably lower than that of the room you are in to prevent the development of harmful bacteria. To keep the water at a temperature below 4 ° C, which is the threshold below which dangerous bacteria cannot proliferate, you need to change the water inside the bowl every 30 minutes. Empty it and refill it with cold running water to make sure the food does not heat up as it defrosts.
Cook the food as soon as it has defrosted completely
Method 2 of 4: Defrosting a Food Using the Defrost Function of the Microwave
Step 1. Take the food out of its packaging and place it in a container suitable for microwave use
Choose it according to the size of the food you want to defrost. Glass is a material that you can use safely in the microwave, as is unglazed ceramic. On the contrary, polystyrene containers are not suitable for use in the microwave. For the plastic ones, check the label. Remove the food from its packaging and place it on a plate or in a container that can accommodate it comfortably.
- This method is suitable for defrosting bread, pasta, broth, fruit and vegetables. Meat, on the other hand, tends to defrost unevenly in the microwave.
- If you are unsure whether the bowl you have chosen is suitable for microwave use, turn it over to see if it says "microwave safe" on the bottom. Alternatively, there could be the international symbol with which utensils suitable for microwave use are identified which is represented by 3 overlapping wavy lines.
- If you want to defrost meat using the microwave, make sure that the individual pieces weigh no more than 1 kg.
Warning:
never place food in the microwave wrapped in cling film, foil or plastic bag. Otherwise, in addition to making it inedible, you risk starting a fire.
Step 2. Set the "defrost" function and the weight of the food
If the oven can be programmed according to the type of food to be defrosted, press the "defrost" button and then select the corresponding option. Set the weight of the food so that the microwave calculates the necessary time automatically. When the timer indicates half the time has elapsed, open the oven door and turn the food over.
For example, if there is a dedicated "Chicken" button on the microwave and you need to defrost 750 g of chicken slices, place the dish in the microwave and press the "Chicken" button. At this point, set the weight by turning the appropriate knob and press the power button. When half the time has passed, turn the slices of meat with the kitchen tongs or a spatula and press the power button again to complete the defrosting process
Step 3. If the oven cannot be programmed according to the type of food to be defrosted, set the power to 50% and 2-3 minutes on the timer
When you need to defrost food for which there is no special program, it is best to use the normal cooking mode, setting the microwave to 50% of the power. Adjust the power using the "Power" button, place the bowl in the center of the turntable and heat the food to 50% power for 2-3 minutes (depending on size and thickness).
- For example, defrosting broccoli or spinach will take about 2 minutes, while defrosting potatoes or cucumbers will take at least 3 minutes.
- The first time you will have to go by trial and error. Examine the food as you turn it over or take it out of the microwave. If it hasn't fully defrosted yet, consider how long it is best to reheat it.
Step 4. After 2-3 minutes, touch the food with the fork or spoon
Open the microwave door and check the consistency in the center. In the microwave, the heat is not distributed evenly, so it is important to turn or stir the food at regular intervals.
If you are defrosting a portion of pasta or vegetables, try to separate them with a fork. Be careful not to use too much force to not push them off the plate
Step 5. If necessary, return the food to the microwave and heat it for another 60-180 seconds at 30% power
When you touch it with your fork or stir it, try to determine if it is still frozen in some places. If it is still very hard, heat it for another 3 minutes. If it is almost completely thawed, start the oven for 1 more minute. Set the microwave to 30% power to make sure you don't overheat the food.
Cook the food as soon as it has defrosted
Method 3 of 4: Defrosting a Bakery Product
Step 1. Preheat the regular oven to 165 ° C and prepare a baking sheet
Take a high-sided baking tray in the kitchen cabinet and turn on the oven to 165 ° C. This temperature is suitable for defrosting most baked goods.
- Remember that if you thaw a whole loaf of bread, the center may remain moist due to ice crystals that formed during freezing.
- This method is not suitable for defrosting stuffed baked goods.
Suggestion:
if you wish, you can line the pan with aluminum foil. Baked goods shouldn't stick to the paper if they're already cooked, but if you don't want to take any chances, you can grease it with a little oil.
Step 2. If you need to defrost a whole loaf, place it in the oven for 15-30 minutes (depending on size)
Place it still frozen on the baking sheet. Leave it in the oven for 25-30 minutes if it's very large, or 15-20 minutes if it's small or thin. Put on oven mitts when it's time to take it out of the oven and cut it as you like.
If you want to defrost a whole loaf of bread, you don't need to put it in the microwave first and then in the regular oven. If, on the other hand, you want to defrost sliced bread or small sandwiches, it is better to use the microwave first and then the traditional oven to make sure that they remain soft
Step 3. Thaw sliced bread in the microwave for 15-25 seconds at maximum power before putting it in the traditional oven
Take a microwave-safe container (for example, a glass or unglazed ceramic dish) and place sliced bread or small rolls in it. Microwave them on full power for 15-25 seconds, depending on the amount.
- If you intend to toast the bread, you can skip this step and place it in the traditional oven while it is still frozen.
- By heating sliced bread or sandwiches in the microwave, you will ensure that the water produced by the ice crystals evaporates while keeping the bread soft. Heating a whole loaf in the microwave before putting it in the oven is superfluous.
Step 4. Heat the sliced bread and small rolls in the traditional oven for 5 minutes at 165 ° C
After heating them in the microwave, transfer them to the baking sheet. If you want the slices of bread to become crunchy, separate them and place them horizontally. If, on the other hand, you want them to remain soft, reassemble the loaf by placing the slices vertically. Heat the bread in the oven for 5 minutes.
- With this same method, you can also defrost muffins, croissants and any small baked goods that have not been sliced.
- Wear oven mitts when it's time to take out the pan and serve the bread.
Method 4 of 4: Defrosting a Food Using Hot Water
Step 1. Fill a large bowl with boiling water
Take a large glass or ceramic bowl, turn on the hot water tap and let it run until it reaches the maximum available temperature. Fill the bowl and measure the water temperature with a thermometer to make sure it is above 38 ° C. If it's not hot enough, pour it into a saucepan and heat it up on the stove before putting it back in the bowl.
Among the various methods, this is the riskiest one, since if the water cools, the bacteria will have the possibility of proliferating on the surface of the meat. In order not to take this risk, you must perform all the steps very carefully. To keep the meat safe, the water must remain at a temperature above 38 ° C, so you will have to mix it to prevent it from getting too cold in some places and you will also have to change it frequently
Warning:
you can use this method to defrost meat in about 15 minutes only if the individual pieces weigh less than 1-1.5 kg. Larger cuts of meat would take too long to thaw, allowing bacteria to proliferate on the outside.
Step 2. Put the meat in a waterproof bag
If you put it in a food bag before freezing it, simply make sure it is waterproof, without worrying about changing it. If you wrapped it in foil or cling film instead, open the freezer door while holding a resealable food bag and seal the meat in the bag while it is still in the freezer.
- By placing the meat in the bag before you even take it out of the freezer, you will ensure that hot kitchen air does not enter the bag.
- Remove the air from the bag before sealing it. The meat must remain immersed in water, so it is important that there is no air in the bag, otherwise it will float.
Step 3. Dip the meat in the water and make sure it stays submerged by placing a skimmer over it
Dip the bag into the water and push it to the bottom of the bowl. If the bag tends to rise to the surface, open it slightly, squeeze it to release excess air and seal it again.
Step 4. Stir the water and monitor the temperature
Gently swirl the water over the bag using the skimmer. Since the meat is frozen, the surrounding water will cool faster than the water in the rest of the bowl. Keep stirring to get the hot water flowing around the meat. Check the water temperature with the thermometer every 60-120 seconds.
Stirring also serves to speed up the defrosting process
Step 5. Change the water in the bowl to keep it above 38 ° C
Keep stirring and monitor the temperature often. If you notice that the temperature drops below 38 ° C, empty the bowl slightly and quickly top it up with hot water. Continue to partially empty and refill it until you have replaced most of the water and the temperature has risen above 38 ° C. This way, you'll make sure the water doesn't cool enough for bacteria to proliferate.
You may need to change the water 2 or 3 times, depending on the size of the piece of meat and the initial water temperature
Step 6. After 10-15 minutes, remove the meat from the water and cook it immediately
As soon as the meat appears to have thawed, remove the bag from the bowl. Act quickly and immediately put it to cook in the oven, pot or microwave, so that the bacteria don't have time to start proliferating. On average, it will take about 10-15 minutes to defrost beef slices or chicken breasts.
To understand if the meat has defrosted, take the bag out of the water for a few moments by lifting it with a skimmer and feel it gently. If it is soft, it means it is ready to be cooked
Advice
- The best way to defrost raw foods is to leave them in the refrigerator for 24-48 hours.
- Many foods can be cooked without defrosting them, including bread, meat and cheese. In this case, you will not be able to marinate or season the meat before cooking, but you will be able to season it once it is cooked. Increase the cooking time by about 50% to make sure the food warms up or even cooks in the center.
- Cut the bread into slices before freezing it so that it defrosts faster.
