Here's How To Thaw Frozen Meat Quickly

It is always a letdown when a meal you've been looking forward to all day can't be prepared because you left the meat in the freezer. While staring down at a solid block of chicken or beef, the mind races, attempting to figure out the quickest way to resolve the situation. The best way to defrost frozen meat is by letting it slowly thaw in the refrigerator overnight, but that opportunity has passed, and you need a solution that works faster now.

The next best option for thawing meat quickly is sealing it in a leakproof plastic bag (like Ziploc Gallon Food Storage Freezer Bags) and dunking it in a cold water bath. This requires a bit of babysitting, as you need to change the water every 30 minutes to keep things safely cold. It also might take a few hours, depending on how much you are defrosting. A pound of meat will require roughly an hour to thaw, whereas three to four pounds will take around two or three hours. When thawing a whole turkey using the cold water method, you can count on it taking 30 minutes per pound.

Then, of course, there is good old reliable Chef Mic. A microwave's defrost setting can sometimes thaw meat in under 10 minutes if the protein isn't too hefty, but read the appliance manual to be sure you understand specific settings and times. If there is no defrost setting, you can nuke it in short bursts at a low power setting. However, this could put your protein in the "danger zone," so cook it immediately after thawing.

When food is between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit, it is in the "danger zone." That is the temperature range where illness-causing bacteria thrive. Certain methods of thawing meat increase those chances significantly.

Some proclaim that leaving frozen protein out on the counter to thaw gets the job done fast, and it very well may, but it remains a common defrosting mistake you want to avoid. When the outside of the meat reaches 40 degrees, the center will still be frozen for some time, which means it is in a state where bacteria can multiply. Food should never be left at room temperature for more than two hours to ensure the safety of the product.

If the hunger pains are so intense that there is no time for defrosting your meat, you can cook it straight from the freezer under certain conditions. You don't want to use a slow cooker to prepare anything frozen because it puts your food in the danger zone for too long. Yet chicken can be cooked frozen on the grill, as can beef and other proteins, though it should only be done if you are famished and that is your only option. The quality will frankly never be as good as when the meat is thawed beforehand, and you can count on it taking 50% longer than usual, but it works in a pinch.