EntranceHow to defrost meat in the microwave. At room temperature
Every lover of delicious and satisfying cooking often faces the need to defrost meat. Many people think: what could be easier than defrosting a beef steak or a pork escalope? You just need to put the meat on a plate, pour it hot water- and soon it becomes soft. Unfortunately, not every housewife knows that the use of such a defrosting method significantly worsens the properties of meat.
Why is this method unsuitable for defrosting meat?
Appearance becomes less aesthetic. Hot water makes the color of the meat pale, it loses its natural color. In addition, when ice crystals rapidly thaw, they destroy the integrity of muscle fibers. As a result, the meat preparation is shapeless.
The meat is deprived of a large proportion of valuable substances that move into the water during the defrosting process. A portioned piece loses all the necessary juiciness, richness of taste and becomes hard.
Protein elements on the surface of the meat tend to coagulate, which may not be the best way to affect the taste of the finished dish.
Meat thawed in this way can be fraught with danger to the human body. The fact is that under the influence of hot water in the product, the active reproduction of various bacteria begins. It may happen that the meat is frozen in the middle, but its edges reach a temperature of more than 4 ° C (this environment is comfortable for the growth of bacteria).
If, after such defrosting, the workpiece is not immediately cooked, then it acquires a characteristic smell of a stale product. Eating a dish of such meat is unsafe for health, it can lead to food poisoning.
Obviously, defrosting in hot water should be avoided. It is better to use a more efficient and "useful" way to defrost: shift required amount product (preferably in vacuum packaging) from the freezer to the refrigerator 12-18 hours before cooking.
Almost every housewife sooner or later faces the following question: "How to quickly defrost meat?" It should be noted that there are many nuances in this matter, because if this is done incorrectly, you can simply get non-nutritious and tasteless biomass. Therefore, it is still recommended to adhere to some simple rules.
So, in order to save all the meat, it is necessary to transfer it from the freezer to the refrigerator compartment (on the top shelf), where it will gradually thaw. At the same time, lay it on a plate or bowl, since excess liquid will flow out of it. A day later, when the temperature of the product reaches zero degrees, and it becomes soft and plastic, it is transferred to warm water it is not used for fifteen minutes, as the upper protein elements may curl). Then the meat is transferred to a dry towel and blotted on top with a napkin. It's the only one The right way defrosting.
However, there are times when there is absolutely no time to execute the above instructions, so consider alternatives how to quickly defrost meat.
1. You can put the product in cold water after packing it in a plastic bag. In no case should hot water be used for this, since it is a breeding ground for bacteria, moreover, the taste of the dish will be somewhat different from what you want.
2. If the house has a microwave oven, then the question of how to quickly defrost meat is completely solved. To do this, put the product in it and press the defrost button. The program will prompt you to select the operating mode, so you need to enter the size of the piece used. You can defrost meat in this way in twenty minutes. But for a uniform process, you need to turn it over every two minutes.
3. Meat will defrost quickly if placed under a stream of air. To do this, you can use a fan or an open window.
There are several culinary tricks how to quickly defrost meat. So, frozen it is cut into small pieces, which contributes to its rapid thawing. Small chunks can be passed through a meat grinder without defrosting, and then drained of excess water.
Before defrosting meat, it must be properly frozen. The dry method works best for this. Since when defrosted it will not stand out a large number of meat juice containing nutrients needed by the human body. If you quickly, and most importantly, correctly freeze the product at home, then you can defrost it quickly enough.
Thus, it is not difficult to quickly defrost meat, you just need to remember some rules and recommendations. For example, some meat products or semi-finished products are placed frozen directly in the pan and cooked a little longer than usual.
It should be noted that any intervention in the natural thawing process leads to the rupture of the fibers by large ice crystals, as a result of which the juice will flow out, and the meat itself will lose nutrients, become tasteless, dry, hard and friable, and most importantly, not so appetizing, because it will lose its smell and color. Therefore, it is recommended to plan in advance when and what will be prepared. And should in small portions. All these simple tricks will make it possible to do without re-freezing products, which is unacceptable in cooking. Meat dishes will be nutritious, tasty and beautiful only if all the rules for their preparation, including defrosting, are followed.
Fresh or thawed meat can be stored in the refrigerator for no more than 2 days. That is why it is convenient to freeze meat, especially in small portions.
But the question is how to properly defrost meat, because if you do it wrong, the meat can change its taste and even become unusable!
We will share some tips on how to properly defrost meat.
1. Defrost in the refrigerator.
Unfortunately, this method is not the fastest, but you do not have to worry about bacteria, and also that the meat will go bad. In addition, if you change your mind about cooking the meat, you can move it back to the freezer without even waiting for it to completely thaw. But it is worth considering a few details, for example, the temperature in the refrigerator. It should not exceed + 4-5 degrees. Remember also that when properly defrosted, the meat should not release a lot of moisture or smell bad. Leave it either in its original packaging, or in a plate, on the bottom of which it is worth laying a paper towel. Do not defrost meat in a bag, as it can "suffocate".
2. In cold water.
This option is faster and will take about 2-3 hours, but you will have to tinker with it.
Type cold water into a convenient container and dip the meat into it right in the package. If there is no packaging, pack the meat tightly in a bag or wrap it with a film, but only so that water and air do not get into the meat, otherwise the bacteria will not keep you waiting, and after cooking the meat will become rubbery. You need to change the water every 20-30 minutes so that the temperature remains unchanged and the meat thaws evenly.
3. In a microwave oven.
It is extremely rare to use this option, since bacteria in meat spread at the speed of light. And yes, do not forget that after the microwave you cannot put the meat back into the freezer, it will spoil very quickly and become unusable. Carefully study the function of defrosting meat, compare the time and grams. When sending meat to the microwave oven, do not leave it unattended, turn every 3 minutes so that it thaws evenly. Drain the secreted liquid as soon as it appears, otherwise it will bake and the meat will begin to cook in it, remaining frozen inside.
4. In the oven.
This option is only suitable for those who have a modern gas stove and oven with the option of regulation and various additional functions. To defrost meat, you will need the “drying” function, but the main thing is to adjust the temperature so that it does not exceed +25 degrees.
Place a plate of meat on a baking sheet (do not forget to remove the packaging), cover with another plate on top. Turn off the convention if it doesn't turn off automatically and watch. If liquid appears, do not forget to drain it. Also turn the meat over, but every 5 minutes, and you don’t have to worry, the taste will not deteriorate from such defrosting.
How to defrost meat properly? "Do not remove the product from the factory vacuum packaging…" Come on! And so I wanted to taste marbled beef and so that without packaging ...
Agree, not very funny, right? A good half of the country buys meat in the market, only for big holidays. This way it turns out cheaper and you don’t have to pay for beautiful polyethylene in the store. Therefore, I want to preserve all the nutritious and taste qualities right up to serving. And where does the cooking of meat begin in an ordinary average family? That's right, defrosting. How to do this without loss and damage to the product - read below.
Fridge
What to do. Leave the meat in the bag on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. Or remove the polyethylene, but be sure to wrap it in cotton fabric. Even an ordinary waffle towel or a piece of an old baby diaper will do. Naturally washed and dried.
Pros. The meat is defrosted under optimal conditions of air humidity and low temperature. The process takes place without the participation of pathogenic bacteria.
Minuses. Defrost is very slow. For example, about 3 kg of meat thaws per day. If you are in a hurry, then this method is not for you.
Open air
What to do. The meat is taken out of the freezer and simply left on the table until completely thawed.Pros. We have not found. Maybe you can do it? Share a secret?
Minuses. Defrost is very slow. Pathogenic bacteria already after 2 hours begin their active development on the surface of the meat. If a piece is larger than 2 kg, then by the time the inner part is thawed, the outer part is often windy and looks like a film.
For lovers of extreme nutrition, the method is ideal. For those who think that it is he who eats, the method is not suitable.
Microwave
What to do. Remove the meat from the freezer, free from all types of packaging (remove the package, what's incomprehensible?). Put in a deep plate, be sure to cover with a lid or another plate. Put the structure in the microwave, turn on the "quick defrost" function. Stop the process every 3 minutes, turn the meat over to the other side and turn on the machine again. Continue until completely defrosted.
Pros. The thawing process is very fast. On average, defrosting takes 20 to 35 minutes. It all depends on the power of the unit and the size of the piece. The meat under the lid does not lose juice, retains its structure and most nutritional value. Due to the short thawing time, putrefactive bacteria simply do not have time to begin to actively develop.
Minuses. Older models of microwaves do not have this feature. If you forget to turn the meat over, then the output will be a very unappetizing half-cooked dish with a frozen barrel.
Oven
What to do. Remove the meat from the freezer, remove the plastic bag or foil (well, what are you used to storing it in there?). Place a piece in the center of the pan. Turn on the oven at a temperature not higher than + 30 ° C. As a rule, this is the “drying” function. Periodically check for defrosting and turn the piece over for more even defrosting.
Pros. Meat thaws very quickly and evenly. Delicious juice is not lost in the process, but remains in the fibers. The aroma, texture and taste of the meat are preserved.
Minuses. Not every home has an ultra-modern oven with the required function. Old-style ovens have a minimum heating temperature ranging from +110°C. BUT ovens the latest design often do not have the ability to turn off convection. At the same time, the meat will simply wind up faster than it will defrost.
We recommend that when using this method, cover the piece with a deep heat-resistant plate or glass saucepan. The defrosting time will increase slightly, but the output will be the most tender meat, and not a dried piece.
Water
What to do. Take the meat out of the freezer. Prepare a cup, saucepan or bowl of cold water. add a little crushed ice. Immerse meat in liquid until completely thawed.
Pros. Meat thaws much faster than in air. Because of the water, putrefactive and pathogenic bacteria will not be able to get close to the product, so you don’t have to worry about the usefulness of the dishes. The meat remains juicy, soft, does not lose its nutritional value.
Minuses. Some houses have disgusting water that can transfer its flavor to the meat. Not everyone always has ice on hand. Sometimes this defrost time seems too long.
According to reviews, this method of defrosting meat is considered optimal by more than 90% of women. Nutritionists agree with them.
Advice. Do not defrost meat in hot water. This will speed up the process, but will significantly affect the quality of the final dish. If you are a fan of chewing the sole instead of a juicy piece of chop, then feel free to dip the tenderloin in hot water to thaw.
- Some sources recommend freezing unused meat again after thawing. Say, then it will remain the same juicy and soft. Do not console yourself with hope, it will not remain. With any method of defrosting, all types of meat lose some of the internal juice. And directly freezing itself partially deforms the fibers. Every time. Therefore, dragging meat to the freezer and back, in the end, you risk getting something completely inedible.
- Before thawing meat in water, do not forget to place it in an airtight bag. This way, the nutrients don't pass into the water, and the smell of bleach (which utilities do) won't soak into your future roast.
- Always remove any excess liquid when defrosting. This is an ideal environment for the rapid reproduction of putrefactive and pathogenic bacteria. A mixture of blood and thawed water will not give your meat good taste, but to spoil something that is not even ready yet is capable of quite and very quickly.
Now experience has been added to your piggy bank of worldly wisdom. And you know exactly how to properly defrost meat so that it does not spoil and remains soft and juicy. And what to cook from it - you will probably figure it out without our help.
Video: how to defrost meat