Comments on: How to thaw frozen meat FAST

By: Keri

Keri — Sat, 28 Mar 2020 21:01:53 +0000

I just tried this and it works really well I hate when I’m defrosting hamburger in the microwave and the sides start to cook! Same with chicken. It’s sort of gross. So thanks Rachel for yet another good trick! I just found you and I love your site! Thanks!

By: Rachel Ballard

Rachel Ballard — Fri, 21 Feb 2020 18:57:03 +0000

In reply to Dan Faust.

Hey Dan, I hear you but if you’ll note, the key is fast. I’d never want anyone to do this if they were planning to leave their meat in hot water for hours. It literally takes 15, 20 minutes at the most and then (as I made it incredibly clear with the whole food safety section at the very top) the food should be cooked immediately. The time it takes for cold running water or the fridge is exactly what we were trying to work around and the microwave makes rubbery gross thawed food. I realize those are the “recommended” methods but this version won’t hurt a thing when the food is thawed and cooked ASAP. Food held above 40 degrees for longer than 4 hours is the cutoff for food safety concerns. We are well within that limit with this method. –Rachel

By: Dan Faust

Dan Faust — Fri, 21 Feb 2020 18:44:20 +0000

In reply to suzzan. Actually thawing in hot water promotes bacteria growth at a fast rate. I have taken many food safety courses and that is a big no no. Constant running cold water, microwave defrost or fridge is the safest way however cook right away if done in microwave.

By: Rachel Ballard

Rachel Ballard — Tue, 10 Sep 2019 14:09:40 +0000

In reply to suzzan. Well for some things that works Suzzan, but if you want to preserve the texture of the actual food, this method is going to do that. Microwaves are certainly unpredictable in their ability to defrost food without cooking part of it. --Rachel

By: suzzan

suzzan — Mon, 09 Sep 2019 20:16:16 +0000

I put it on defrost in the microwave for 5 min on defrost ? wAy easier

By: linda

linda — Mon, 11 Jun 2018 18:31:28 +0000

Re defroster plates – I ordered a solid copper plate.
I ordered the 8 x 8 size to use on my gas stove for small pans but use it mainly for defrosting. Amazing how fast this works. For faster defrosting, run copper plate briefly under hot water then place food directly on top. Within a few minutes you can turn over and defrost second side. Unbelievable how well such a low tech device works.

By: Rachel Ballard

Rachel Ballard — Fri, 19 Jan 2018 12:37:51 +0000

In reply to Jack Pugmire.

I’ve seen pans like that Jack! Not in a long time but I am familiar with them. I wish I had one!! And thank you for this idea–maybe a reader will come across one and be able to pick it up. –Rachel

By: Jack Pugmire

Jack Pugmire — Thu, 18 Jan 2018 23:46:01 +0000

Hey Rachel – While panning through your recipes, I was awestruck in finding this in depth article about defrosting food. I would like to add my two cents worth to that subject, if you don’t mind.
About fifteen or so years ago, my late wife gave me an “800” phone number and asked me to call and order a “defrosting plate” for, what else…$19.95 plus the usual. At the time I thought she’d been sucked into one of those telemarketing schemes…how wrong I turned out to be. When the package arrived, I tore it open, as I could hardly wait to see this pig-in-a-poke I had bought. The plate is a metal, coated in a black finish, with eleven, even groves cut in the top surface. It measures about 14″ x 8″ and weighs 2-1/2 lb. The instructions simply said to run it under hot tap water for one to two minutes and place the food to be defrosted on a piece of plastic wrap for forty minutes, and then turn over for another thirty minutes.
My wife, Hilda, always wrapped meats in the same procedure when preparing for freezing. First remove all store packaging, next rinse and dry all pieces (as required), next wrap in waxed paper then heavy aluminum foil and finally place in a freezer zipper bag, When she defrosted, she’d open the bag and dispose of the foil and put it back in the bag to defrost on the plate. She found that the foil acted as an insulator and greatly slowed the defrosting time by half.
Wow it took me longer to explain this “wizard” than to use it! So why did I bother you with all this superfluous nonsense..,well, simply because I know these plates to still be available, just not from a telemarketer…these things are still showing up at flea markets, consignment shops, etc., and normally at next to nothing prices. I can truly say this is one kitchen tool that has been used at a maximum. Just thought you might want to know.