Defrost minced meat in water. How to quickly defrost minced meat: useful tips. How to quickly defrost minced meat in the microwave

Minced meat can be quickly defrosted in the microwave (Auto defrost function) or in a multicooker (Steam cooking mode). To speed up the thawing process without a microwave oven, the semi-finished product wrapped in polyethylene is placed in a bowl filled with hot or cold water. Meat for defrosting can be placed in an oven heated to 100 degrees, or blown over the product with hot air from a hair dryer. The defrosting time depends on the shape and weight of the frozen food. Correct defrosting of minced meat is carried out naturally within 12 hours in the refrigerator or 3–7 hours in the air. The recommended shelf life of minced meat in the refrigerator after defrosting is no more than 12 hours.

Frozen minced meat is inconvenient in cooking, fried unevenly, loses taste qualities... To avoid uneven frying, excess water in the pan, "clumping", you need to know how to quickly defrost minced meat in a microwave, multicooker or at home.

The right conditions for natural defrosting of minced meat

According to the recommendations of SanPiN, natural thawing of meat or chicken semi-finished products should be carried out within 2–5 hours, depending on the thickness of the briquette. At catering facilities, for defrosting, tables equipped with a function of gradual surface heating from 0 to +8 degrees should be used.

At home, we carry out thawing of semi-finished meat products at room temperature, away from the switched on burners, a working oven, and heating appliances.

For correct defrosting do not use water, it leaches nutrients from meat products.

What determines the defrosting method

Factors influencing the defrosting method:

• the type of meat from which the semi-finished product is made;
• method of freezing meat;
• shape, weight of the meat briquette.

How the type of product affects the thawing process

The type of meat from which the semi-finished product is prepared affects the thawing time. Minced meat takes the most time - about 5-6 hours. Chicken, turkey, rabbit meat thaws up to 2-3 hours. Fish products thaw the fastest, they take less than 1 hour.

How the type of freezing of minced meat affects the thawing process

When choosing a way to defrost semi-finished products, you need to take into account the type of their freezing:

1. During deep industrial freezing, minced meat is pressed, placed in sealed bags, quickly cooled to very low temperatures, ensuring the safety of nutrients. These products take a significant amount of time to thaw.
2. Quick "shock" freezing in a home refrigerator allows you to chill the product down to -32 degrees in a short time. It allows you to preserve all the useful components of the semi-finished product, but does not have much effect on the defrosting process. Minced meat is defrosted according to the same principle as with regular home cooling.
3. With ordinary freezing of meat in a home refrigerator, there is no strong pressing of the product, it retains its loose structure. When thawing, it allows you to break off thawed pieces, split layers, which significantly speeds up the defrosting process.

How the type and shape of the briquette affects defrosting

Minced meat, placed in the freezer in one large piece, thaws in the correct natural way for a long time. You can defrost it in a slow cooker or microwave, but this will reduce the usefulness of the product.

Important! To speed up the correct thawing process for meat or minced chicken it is recommended to freeze it in portions, in thin plates.

Quick ways to defrost minced meat

To quickly defrost chicken or meat, you can use a slow cooker, microwave, oven, hair dryer and other methods that have their own advantages and disadvantages.

Defrost minced meat in the microwave

Modern models of microwave ovens are equipped with an additional function of auto-defrosting products, which allows you to get thawed cutlets or meatballs in a few minutes.

Algorithm of actions:

1. We take out the semi-finished product from the freezer, remove the packaging, it can give an unpleasant plastic aftertaste.
2. We place the product in a special microwave oven, glass or ceramic container.
3. We put it in the microwave, set the type and weight of the meat.
4. We launch the program. After 3-5 minutes, turn the semi-finished product for even thawing.

Defrosting in a microwave oven should be carried out taking into account some recommendations:

1. Use deep dishes to avoid.
2. Do not use the "Quick defrost" function, which shortens the thawing process to 5 - 7 minutes due to a more intense effect on the product. Minced meat can be cooked on the outside, leaving a block of ice inside.
3. Some models of LG, Samsung, Bosch ovens give a sound signal reminding you to turn over the defrosting product. Press "Stop", open the stove, turn it over, start the continuation of the cycle.

This defrosting method has disadvantages:

• minced meat may defrost unevenly;
• the product dries up, loses its juiciness;
• increased energy consumption when defrosting large pieces of significant weight.

At the same time, the microwave oven greatly simplifies and speeds up the defrosting process.

Defrosting in a slow cooker

The express method of defrosting in a multicooker has a number of advantages over the previous method:

• the meat does not lose its juiciness;
• thaws evenly.

Algorithm of actions:

1. We take out the minced meat, remove the plastic packaging.
2. We place the product in a special grid in a multicooker. Pour the amount of water required according to the instructions into the bowl.
3. We set the "Steam cooking", "Multipovar" mode.
4. Turn over periodically, controlling the degree of thawing. It will take about 10-12 minutes.

The disadvantage of the method of defrosting meat in a multicooker is the high probability of the product being cooked, the process must be closely monitored. In addition, it will be necessary after the thawing process

By a similar principle, you can use an ordinary steamer to thaw meat.

Defrost minced meat in water

Defrosting meat with water is carried out in a hot or cold way, which has certain disadvantages.

Hot defrost

The method allows you to get a thawed product in 15–20 minutes. We put the meat in a sealed plastic bag, place it under a stream of hot water or in a cup of boiling water. We change the water as it cools.

Boiling water negatively affects the state of the minced meat, the protein on the outer layer coagulates, the meat becomes tough and loses its taste.

Cold defrost

A method that preserves the integrity, taste and useful microelements: put the wrapped minced meat in a bowl of cold water, leave for 1-3 hours, depending on the volume of the semi-finished product being thawed.

Important! When defrosting in water, the minced meat must be protected from the ingress of water by wrapping it in a double layer of polyethylene.

Defrost minced meat in the oven

You can defrost meat, chicken, fish without a microwave or multicooker using a conventional oven or with, using refractory dishes:

1. We release the minced meat from the packaging, fill it with a baking dish.
2. Add a couple of tablespoons of cold water.
3. We heat the oven to 100 degrees, defrost it for 4–6 minutes, periodically turning the product so that it does not cook.

The disadvantage of this method is the danger of getting burned when turning over and the high probability of cooking the minced meat.

Safer method: place the minced meat bowl on the open door oven... The thawing process will take longer, but the likelihood that the minced meat will cook is reduced.

Defrosting with a hair dryer

A powerful jet of hot air from a hair dryer, directed at the product, allows you to defrost chicken, fish, minced meat in 5-7 minutes. During this time, the semi-finished product winds up, loses its juiciness and appearance. This method is not recommended.

Defrost in a water bath

A quick way to thaw semi-finished products in a water bath does not harm the appearance and taste of the products:

1. We take 2 containers, one of which fits freely into the other. Glassware cannot be used; it may burst under the influence of boiling water.
2. Pour half a liter of water into a large saucepan, put on fire.
3. In the smaller one, we put the minced meat taken from the package.
4. We install the pots into each other. Place a towel or terry napkin between us.
5. We are waiting for the water to boil.
6. Turn the semi-finished product periodically so that it thaws evenly.

It takes about 10 minutes to defrost.

Correct defrosting of minced meat

The correct defrosting process helps to preserve their taste and also helps to avoid food poisoning. Optimal, from this point of view, methods take a longer time, which directly depends on the size and shape of the minced meat piece.

Defrost in the air.

The method is most effective when the air temperature in the kitchen is high:

1. We take the minced meat out of the freezer, chop it as much as possible with a kitchen hatchet or a large knife. Put it in a bowl.
2. We close the top with a plate so that the semi-finished product does not wind up.
3. The process will take about 3-7 hours. The minced meat retains its juiciness and freshness.

Defrost in the refrigerator

The longest and most gentle way of thawing meat, in which it retains freshness, juiciness, and is completely protected from the effects of microorganisms.

The best place for defrosting will be the middle shelf or compartment for storing fruits and vegetables, where a constant air temperature is maintained.

We leave the semi-finished product for 12 hours until it is completely defrosted.

Important! When placing minced meat for defrosting in the refrigerator, it should be isolated from other products, especially fresh vegetables, fruits, herbs, in order to avoid their possible contamination with dangerous microorganisms from raw meat.

Common defrosting errors

The main mistake is carrying out the thawing-freezing procedure several times. This leads to the destruction of the structure of nutrients, active reproduction of pathogenic bacteria.

Other common mistakes:

• incorrect input of data on the weight and type of minced meat when processing it using a microwave;
• ignoring recommendations for frequent turning the semi-finished product during thawing;
• ingress of water into the package during water defrosting;
• long-term storage of thawed meat in the refrigerator.

What minced meat cannot be defrosted

Semi-finished products that have violated the terms or conditions of storage should not try to defrost and cook. It is not difficult to identify them: they stick to your hands, smell bad, have a grayish or greenish tint. It is better to discard the meat.

Manufacturers do not recommend defrosting cutlets, meatballs, meatballs that contain soy ingredients. They should be prepared immediately after purchase.

Shelf life of defrosted minced meat

After thawing, the active vital activity of pathogenic bacteria begins in meat products. It is not recommended to use minced meat 12 hours after defrosting.

Onions, garlic, salt, spices shorten this period. Such semi-finished products should be cooked immediately after thawing.

Knowing how to quickly and correctly defrost minced meat, chicken or fish, you can keep it fresh and juicy.

Ground beef can be used in many different ways. However, if you keep minced meat in the freezer, thaw it before cooking. There are three main ways to defrost ground beef. It is best to put it in the refrigerator to keep it from deteriorating and thaw gradually at a relatively low temperature. After that, the minced meat can even be frozen again. If you're short on time, you can defrost the minced meat with cold water or the microwave and cook it right away.

Steps

In fridge

Determine in advance when you need minced meat so that you have 1–24 hours in stock. If you have frozen minced meat in small portions no more than 5 centimeters thick, you can put it in the refrigerator an hour before cooking. If the minced meat is frozen in a solid piece, plan the time at the rate of 24 hours for every 0.5 kg of minced meat.

• Please note that the lower the temperature in the refrigerator, the longer the minced meat will take to defrost. It will thaw faster at 4 ° C than at 2 ° C.

1. Place the ground beef in a plastic bag or bowl. When defrosting, minced meat can leak and leave behind blood and bacteria. Place the minced meat on a plate, bowl, or plastic bag to keep the liquid from spilling over the refrigerator.

   • Minced meat can be left uncovered.

2. Defrost the minced meat on the lower rack. Place the ground beef near the back of the refrigerator. It is better to place it on the lower shelf so that the liquid released during defrosting does not flood the food below.

   • Place the minced meat at the back of the refrigerator to keep it at a constant temperature.

3. Check the minced meat before using it. Wash your hands and lightly press the minced meat through the packaging. If there is a dent in this place, then the minced meat is sufficiently defrosted and can be used.

   • You can also split a piece of minced meat in half and press in the middle. If the meat is soft to the touch, then it is thawed. If the minced meat remains firm, then it is not completely thawed.
   • If necessary, you can finish defrosting the minced meat in the microwave.

4. Use the minced meat within 1–2 days. Although it takes a long time to thaw minced meat in the refrigerator, this is the safest method, as the meat is kept at a constant low temperature. The minced meat thawed in this way can be stored in the refrigerator for another 24–48 hours.

   • After defrosting in the refrigerator, the minced meat can be frozen again. If you change your mind about using thawed minced meat, put it back in the freezer no later than 24 to 48 hours after defrosting.

   In cold water

   1. Schedule defrosting in advance at the rate of 60 minutes for every 500 grams of minced meat. Start defrosting the ground beef at least 1 hour before using it. This gives you enough time to defrost the meat.

      Wrap the minced meat in a tight-fitting plastic bag. Place the ground beef in a zippered plastic bag and seal tightly.

      • If the bag leaks, bacteria can get on the minced meat. In addition, in this case, the minced meat can absorb water and get wet.

   2. Place the minced meat in cold tap water. Place a tightly sealed bag of ground beef in a large bowl or plate and fill it with cold tap water. Make sure that all the minced meat is under the water. Leave the bowl in the sink to thaw the minced meat.

      • Use cold water. Hot and warm water, as well as water at room temperature, are not suitable, as they can provoke the reproduction and growth of bacteria. If the water is too warm from the tap, add a couple of ice cubes to cool it down a bit.
      • You can also fill the sink with cold water and dip the bag of minced meat into it. Pre-wash the sink and be sure to plug the drain hole tightly.

   3. Change the water every 30 minutes. Drain the old water from the bowl and draw in fresh cold water so that the meat continues to defrost and bacteria do not grow in the water.

      • Keep the water cool. If it gets hot, add 1–2 ice cubes.

   4. After about an hour, check if the minced meat is defrosted. Press down on the minced meat bag with a clean finger. If the minced meat is soft to the touch, then it is thawed.

      • Divide the minced meat in half and touch the middle. If it is firm to the touch, then the minced meat has not thawed yet.

   5. Use thawed minced meat immediately. To prevent bacteria from growing in the minced meat, it should be cooked within 2 hours. If you are not going to use the defrosted minced meat immediately, put it in the refrigerator.

      • Do not re-freeze minced meat after thawing in cold water, as bacteria can grow in it. If you cannot use the minced meat within 2 hours after it has thawed, put it in the refrigerator and try to cook it before it freezes.

   In the microwave

   Remove the minced meat from the packaging. Do not put meat in the microwave along with the packaging, as you do not know if it is suitable for this. Some packaging contains metal foil that can ignite in the microwave.

   • This quick way defrosting can be used shortly before cooking. You don't have to plan ahead for defrosting the minced meat.
   • If the minced meat is very cold and stuck to the Styrofoam tray, it can be difficult to get it out of the packaging. In this case, wrap the minced meat in a plastic bag and seal it tightly. After that, put cold water from the tap on the foam tray and wait for the minced meat to lag behind it.

5. Place the minced meat in a microwave-safe glass dish. Place the raw minced meat in a dish deep enough to prevent any moisture from defrosting from splattering over the microwave. Cover the plate with a lid or other plate.

Any housewife is faced with the fact that she needs to decide how to quickly defrost minced meat. If we are talking about semi-finished meat products, and, in particular, about fish and chicken, it is by no means possible to shorten the cooking time, since in this case there is a high risk of poisoning. However, if there is no time, you can speed up the process and turn the frozen mass into a product that you can start cooking right away.

Defrosting can take from 3 to 24 hours under standard conditions. Depending on the dimensions of the mass. Today there are several effective ways to quickly defrost minced meat at home. Let's consider the most popular ones.

How to defrost minced meat quickly? Method one

So. The easiest way to reheat frozen minced meat is in the microwave. Perhaps, today this device can be found in the kitchen of almost every housewife. However, this method is fraught with the fact that the microwave will overheat or become too dirty. This can lead to its permanent breakdown.

In order not to spoil the unit and defrost the meat mass, it is enough to follow the easiest path. How to quickly defrost minced meat in the microwave in this case? Very simple. To do this, it is enough to use special dishes for such ovens. These bowls are equipped with a tight-fitting lid. However, even in this case, it is imperative to ensure that the minced meat does not overheat or cook. To do this, periodically turn off the microwave and turn the meat mass. Then it will warm up evenly.

There are also several ways to quickly defrost minced meat without a microwave. Let's consider.

Water bath

If the kitchen does not have a microwave, it doesn’t mean that you will have to wait several hours before the meat is thawed. In this case, you can try making a water bath. To do this, use a saucepan or large saucepan, into which you need to pour 0.5 liters of water. Place the dishes on the stove and turn on low heat. After that, it is enough to put the frozen minced meat in any ceramic container and place it in a container with boiling water.

However, in this case, it is necessary to be vigilant and constantly monitor the melting mass. As soon as the top layer of minced meat becomes liquid, it must be removed and the composition mixed. Otherwise, the mass may be cooked.

But this is far from the last method of how to quickly defrost minced meat. There may be ingredients in the kitchen to help with this.

We use seasoning

In this case, it is sufficient to use regular salt. To do this, before quickly defrosting the minced meat, you need to cut it into small pieces. It will be difficult to do this on your own, so the help of your husband may be required. It is also better to use not an ordinary knife for cutting, but a special hatchet. When everything is ready, it is enough to sprinkle the cut pieces with salt and wait no more than 30 minutes. After that, the minced meat will be ready to use.

A little more time

Another option for heat treatment will allow you to defrost the lump rather quickly. minced meat... To do this, just put the mass in a plate and place it next to the radiator or stove, on which there is a boiling pot of water. In this case, defrosting will take no more than 2-3 hours.

There is another variation of this method. How to defrost minced meat quickly? In this case, you need to put the meat mass in a plastic bag and wrap it tightly. After that, the bundle is lowered into a basin, which is placed in the sink. If you run cool water and wait 20-30 minutes, you can quickly get a thawed product suitable for cooking.

Warm water

Sometimes only a little thawed minced meat is enough for cooking. In order to quickly get it, you also need to wrap the mass in polyethylene and hold it under warm water. After a while, the minced meat will thaw a little, and you can fry it in a pan.

If you have an extra 5-6 hours in stock, you can simply lay out the meat in a warm room. At room temperature, it will take a long time to reach the desired condition, but this method is considered the best. In this case, the meat will not lose its taste. However, it is worth keeping a close eye on the pets, as they will certainly want to enjoy a delicious product.

In order not to guess how to quickly defrost minced chicken, beef, or any other, before sending it to the freezer, it is recommended to create thin plates from the meat mass. The thinner the layer is, the faster you can soften it.

Why do chefs recommend defrosting meat naturally? Microwaves make life much easier for housewives and help to quickly soften minced meat. However, experts recommend resorting to this method in exceptional cases. The faster the meat products thaw, the more moisture will accumulate in the dishes, which will re-penetrate into the minced meat fibers. Because of this, dangerous bacteria can begin to multiply in the meat. In addition, the product can become chapped, tasteless and discolored. Also, under the influence of ultraviolet radiation and warm air, nourishing and beneficial features meat can be completely lost. Because of this, it will take a lot more meat to feed one adult.

How to store frozen meat properly

• The temperature in the freezer should be set at 20-24 degrees below 0. In such conditions, meat can be stored for about 2 years, and it will not lose its useful properties.
• Do not re-freeze the meat mass. In this case, the product will lose absolutely all useful properties, and also change its taste. In addition, such minced meat cannot be stored for a long time.
• Do not throw meat into the freezer without packaging. In this case, it will weaken and greatly change its taste. It is best to store minced meat wrapped in plastic. In this case, you need to ensure that this material does not allow air to pass through.

Cooking guides often recommend that you do not defrost poultry or meat if you intend to cook it whole. This will keep all the juices in the meat and get a more tasty and healthy dish... But most often purchases are made for several days at once, and it is more convenient to store the product in the freezer.

What determines the defrosting method?

Most often, meat products have to be thawed in order to perform pre-processing (cut, marinate, shape cutlets, etc.). It is necessary to choose methods of defrosting meat and semi-finished products from it, depending on the availability of time to prepare the product for cooking.

A piece of meat weighing about 1 kg will thaw for the following time:

• 8-10 hours thaws in the refrigerator;
• 3-3.5 hours - at room temperature (on the table);
• 2-2.5 hours - in cold water;
• 30-40 minutes in warm water;
• 20-30 minutes - in the microwave or oven;
• Defrosting in a slow cooker lasts 8-10 minutes.

It is best to thaw meat or minced meat for extended periods at room temperature or in the refrigerator. When frozen, the moisture inside the piece causes the growth of ice crystals, which tear apart the membranes of cells and small muscle fibers.

Thawing will cause the meat juices to flow out. The slow process at low temperature allows some of the juice to be absorbed and the product retains moisture. When cooked, this results in more juicy and softer meat. Delicate varieties of the product are especially sensitive to rapid thawing: poultry, veal, rabbit, etc. Minced meat also loses a lot of moisture, but you can add a little water or milk to semi-finished products from it, tomato juice etc.

When choosing a method, you need to be guided by:

• type of meat, its sensitivity to moisture loss;
• the time allotted for preparing products for processing;
• cooking method (for example, when marinating, part of the moisture is absorbed from the marinade, and when stewing - from the broth).

How does the type of product affect the thawing process?

Defrosting meat can be faster or slower depending on the variety. Dense varieties (for example, beef) warm up more slowly, and under the same conditions, meat thaws longer than tender pieces with thin fibers (chicken, veal, etc.). The difference is quite large: a 1 kg piece of beef and the same piece of turkey will completely thaw out in 3-4 and 1.5-2 hours, respectively

Defrosting a duck or goose is often more difficult than defrosting a chicken of the same weight and size. The thawing process is affected by the presence of a fatty layer under the skin of waterfowl. Chicken skin is thinner, devoid of fat and allows heat to penetrate tissue faster. Due to the low thermal conductivity, pieces of pork or lamb covered with fat take longer to thaw.

The exception is chunks, where the meat layer alternates with lard (as in pork belly). The delicate structure of adipose tissue allows it to thaw much faster than meat. Pork fat or brisket can be easily cut after a short time (up to 1 hour).

How does the type of freezing affect the thawing process?

When buying commercially frozen meat or minced meat, you may find that it thaws longer than similar pieces removed from the home freezer. This is due to the freezing process. In industrial conditions, minced meat is pressed, pieces of meat or offal (in briquettes) are also subjected to the procedure. After that, they are cooled to a temperature that a household freezer does not give (below -35 ° C). In this case, the briquette becomes monolithic, without air cavities and interlayers.

In home freezing, even cuts or minced meat, packed in bags, retain their porous structure. Warm air quickly penetrates between the individual pieces, accelerating the thawing process. This feature allows you to quickly thaw and home-made quick-frozen meat (at a temperature of -32 ° C). To further speed up defrosting, you can try to split the minced meat or diced mass into separate pieces.

How does the type and shape of the briquette affect defrosting?

Meat or minced meat frozen in one piece or in a large briquette will thaw as long as possible. In order not to have to resort to emergency thawing methods, it is better to immediately pack the food in one-time portions. In this case, the meat for stewing can be cut into pieces immediately. It is recommended to freeze minced meat in thin layers (up to 2-3 cm). This will help to shorten both the blast freeze time and the thawing time of the food. The result will be better preservation of juice and all nutrients, as well as better quality of the food prepared.

The use of small briquettes allows not to subject the product residues to an unnecessary freeze-thaw cycle if the entire volume is not consumed at once.

Quick ways to defrost meat and minced meat

If you need urgent defrosting of meat, you can achieve the desired effect using household appliances or in the traditional way using water. All methods have their drawbacks, and the general can be considered the loss of juice with a part of useful substances.

Defrosting in the microwave

An effective and modern method that allows you to reduce the loss of meat juice to a minimum. The peculiarity of the microwave oven is to heat the inside of a piece of meat or minced meat briquette. Until the end of the process, a layer of frozen tissue remains on the outer surface. If you do not thaw the meat to the end, then you can keep its juiciness, leaving the piece for a short time after microwave processing.

Remove a plastic bag or film from the meat, put it in a ceramic or glass (for microwave) dishes. If the microwave has an auto defrost function, then you need to enter the time interval, power and the approximate weight of the product. To defrost meat in the microwave without this function, just set the appropriate mode (indicated by a snowflake) and turn on the device for 3-5 minutes. Turn over and, if necessary, continue until a thawed spot appears on the frosty surface. Leave the product to thaw completely at room temperature.

Defrosting in a slow cooker

Remove a piece of meat from the bag, place it in the multicooker grid. Pour water into the bowl (according to the instructions for the device). Set the cooking mode for steam or "Multipovar" and set the time for about 10 minutes. During thawing, you need to turn off the oven 2-3 times, turn the piece over for uniform steam treatment. The main disadvantage of this method is the likelihood of scalding the top layer.

Defrost in water

You can quickly defrost minced meat without a microwave in the old way - immersing frozen pieces in water. The high heat capacity of the liquid makes it possible to better warm up the layers of muscle tissue to a positive temperature. Minced meat is not thawed in water: it quickly loses all nutrients flowing into the water with juice. If you need to thaw a briquette wrapped in polyethylene, then the effect is reduced due to the presence of an air gap between the meat and water.

Hot defrost

Hot water defrosting involves using a stream of running water from a tap or immersing a piece in a container with liquid collected there. The duration of the process is short, even a large piece or chicken carcass will easily thaw out in 20-30 minutes. The disadvantage is the folding of the upper layer of protein substances (the meat will be covered with a white crust). Chicken skin can become tough and negatively affect boiling. To prevent this from happening, use water with a temperature of up to + 50 ° C, but this will make the process longer.

Cold defrost

In cold water, changes in protein substances do not occur. Thawing stretches up to 1-1.5 hours (per 1 kg). Cold water also defrosts minced meat if it is tightly wrapped in an impervious bag.

Defrosting in the oven

With this method, it is important to set the minimum heating temperature. A number of ovens involve switching off only at + 50 ° C, and the oven will maintain approximately this temperature. The top layer of the minced meat briquette will surely curl up. Both poultry and meat will suffer: the effect is similar to thawing in hot water. But the process takes place rather quickly, although in the depths of a large piece of ice will persist for a long time. Packaged meat must not be thawed in the oven: polyethylene, foam trays, etc. must be removed.

Defrosting with a hair dryer

A household hair dryer or air heater of the "Veterok" type drives a stream of hot air, contributing to the rapid heating of meat or minced meat. With this method, the surface temperature is insufficient for the protein to curl up. The meat is not scalded or covered with a white film.

The disadvantage of this method consists in another effect: when heated in a stream of air, the liquid quickly evaporates from the surface of the piece. Hairdryer-defrosted meat and poultry look windy. Minced meat is able to dry out so much that when mixing, hard lumps remain in the mass.

Defrost in a water bath

To quickly defrost meat, prepare a container with slowly heating water. You need to place a smaller saucepan in it, where the minced meat or meat piece will lie. The advantage of the method over direct placement in water is the absence of contact with the liquid, which flushes out all the juices from the meat. It is easier to regulate the heating of a water bath than an oven or multicooker, so the protein does not curdle. The lid helps keep the meat in the container warm.

You can also defrost a piece wrapped in plastic in this way. The foam backing can also not be removed: it will keep the bottom of the piece in contact with the hot bottom of the container from overheating. Defrosting a 1 kg piece is enough for 20-30 minutes.

Common defrosting errors

The main mistake that inexperienced housewives make is storing and defrosting a large piece. The rest of the product is frozen again, which further destroys the internal structure of the meat and allows bacteria to multiply until the piece is frozen again.

Defrosting in the microwave is often done at high power (to speed up the process). This causes the protein to be cooked inside the lump. You need to thaw in a special mode or at minimum power, turning on the oven for 1-2 minutes and letting the piece rest between turns on for 2-3 minutes.

To properly defrost a chicken in the microwave, you need to take into account the structure of the carcass: there is a cavity inside it. It is better to defrost a whole chicken in advance (at room temperature) or bake in a partially thawed state.

Shelf life of defrosted meat and minced meat

When the product is thawed, the activity of bacteria and its own enzymes begins. Spoilage occurs faster than steamed meat. You can store defrosted meat for no more than 12 hours.