Leaving chicken out all day to defrost?

Sponge_Cake

I took some chicken breasts out of the freezer this morning and have left them on the counter to defrost over the course of the day. I'll be eating them tonight.
Is this a safe way to defrost? My mum always did it.

sarah1972

Sponge_Cake wrote: »

I took some chicken breasts out of the freezer this morning and have left them on the counter to defrost over the course of the day. I'll be eating them tonight.
Is this a safe way to defrost? My mum always did it.

Thats how I have always done it and I am still here.

Chicken will smell off if its off.

mylastpound

Thats how i do mine as i dont trust the defrost option on the microwave lol


However, i dont leave them out in direct sunlight I.G) window ledge

paulbrighton2018

i'd say bin it!

Left to thaw to room temperature - breeding ground for bacteria, god knows what else!

sarah1972

paulbrighton2018 wrote: »

i'd say bin it!

Left to thaw to room temperature - breeding ground for bacteria, god knows what else!

Thats just wasting good food,

Robin9

It will take forever to thaw out if you put it in fridge .

We thaw ours out in the microwave (switched off) otherwise the cats pinch it.

Marmaduke123

I take things out of the freezer the night before, and leave them out overnight. I then put them in the fridge during the day before cooking them in the evening. That works for me.

If it was very hot I think I would be concerned about leaving chicken out all day. I don't like to defrost in the microwave as it never seems to give an even result, some bits begin to cook while other thicker parts are still semi frozen.

On the odd occasion I forget to get something out of the freezer I find it really speeds up defrosting if you put the wrapped items on a metal surface like a drainng board

spadoosh

paulbrighton2018 wrote: »

i'd say bin it!

Left to thaw to room temperature - breeding ground for bacteria, god knows what else!

Or you could just cook it and kill any bacteria that had bred.

spadoosh

Marmaduke123 wrote: »

I take things out of the freezer the night before, and leave them out overnight. I then put them in the fridge during the day before cooking them in the evening. That works for me.

If it was very hot I think I would be concerned about leaving chicken out all day. I don't like to defrost in the microwave as it never seems to give an even result, some bits begin to cook while other thicker parts are still semi frozen.

On the odd occasion I forget to get something out of the freezer I find it really speeds up defrosting if you put the wrapped items on a metal surface like a drainng board

I dont get the overnight practice. I know plenty of people do it but it doesnt make sense to me.

So lets say you take it out at 8pm after your tea. Youre putting it back in your fridge at 7am thus 11 hours of exposure. It goes back in the fridge, which doesnt kill bacteria and for things like listeria actually thrive in a fridge which youre then putting around food that wont be cooked.

Where as i take my chicken out at 8am as im leaving the house. And start cooking it straight from the plate its been sat on the side on when i get in from work at 6pm so only 10 hours and not risking spreading anything at all. The exposure time is certainly less, i get there will be a few degrees difference in house temperature between night and day but most houses are heated so that itd barely make a difference.

Sponge_Cake

We're going to cook it throughly so hopefully it'll be okay.

My mum always left the chicken out on the top, it never made us unwell.

I'm hoping I've done the right thing.

redfox

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