Struggling with defrosting food

calleyw

I am old enough so feel a bit silly asking about this.  But I really struggle with defrosting food.  Be it joints/steaks etc.  I do tend to be over cautious and no idea when I should take things out to defrost.  I tend to do it the fridge as that is what suggested rather than what my mum use to do take out the joint saturday evening and leave it in the sink over night. 

I have a joint of pork I took out saturday afternoon and put in the fridge.  Because it was not defrosted we had to forgo sunday roast at lunch time or evening meal yesterday.  its still in the fridge now and I have no idea if its going to be defrosted in time for me to pop in slow cooker in a hour or two. I have had a good squish on it and can't feel any hard bits. I assume its still safe to eat if defrosted due to being in the fridge?

I sometimes pop things in a bowl of cold water to help defrost quicker.  I did a google yesterday and saw so many different answers.  Some even suggesting using warm water to defrost which I have always been told is a big no no.  I don't have a microwave and even if I did would not use it to defrost.

But it seems I might need to be a bit better organised. 

Yours

Calley x

 

comeandgo

Very rarely do I defrost anything in the fridge.  I do as your mum did, out the freezer on Saturday night to sit in the sink or bowl and if it has defrosted on Sunday morning and I’m not going to cook it until evening I will put item in fridge.  It’s only chicken that needs to be thoroughly defrosted prior to cooking.  Pork could still be slightly frozen and cook ok. Why are you so scared of defrosting?  If you are cooking thoroughly you will kill bugs.

TheCheerleader

I freeze meat on the day of purchase, separating beforehand if I want individual chicken breast, bacon slices etc.
 If I want to cook a joint/ whole chicken for Sunday lunch, I always take out Friday morning to defrost in the bottom of the fridge, this timing works without fail. 

If forgotten I will defrost on a covered plate in the kitchen overnight, providing the room temperature is not overly warm.

Wicked_Lady

I always put the meat in the fridge the night before and then put it on the worktop at lunchtime, if needed for an evening meal. After breakfast if needed for lunch.

I understand where you're coming from as I prefer to defrost things thoroughly before cooking.

coffeehound

It's one of those things where there's so many variables, it's difficult to have any clear rules, isn't it.  I had undercooked chicken once due to 'only' defrosting in the fridge for 24 hours.  Even fridge temperatures can vary a lot.  Although it's meant to be below 5 ℃, some people's will be warmer, while others' will be barely a degree above freezing.  

calleyw

comeandgo said:

Very rarely do I defrost anything in the fridge.  I do as your mum did, out the freezer on Saturday night to sit in the sink or bowl and if it has defrosted on Sunday morning and I’m not going to cook it until evening I will put item in fridge.  It’s only chicken that needs to be thoroughly defrosted prior to cooking.  Pork could still be slightly frozen and cook ok. Why are you so scared of defrosting?  If you are cooking thoroughly you will kill bugs.

I have major anxiety over cooking for others as I am scared of giving people food poisoning.  Things like spag bog sauce and mince I am happy for cook from frozen as easy to see when its cooked and you can get it up to boiling temps easily.  its joints and meats and steaks I struggle with defrosting.

The rules keep changing and I never sure if what I am doing is right.  My kitchen is cool most of the time.  So in theory defrosting over night on a plate on the side probably would be ok.  But its just something that worries me.

Not all bugs can be killed with heat.  And there are danger zones of temp which can cause the bugs to start rapidly grow.

I normally get my groceries on friday/saturday so the meat is ok for sunday.  But I am changing back to instore shopping and finding monday/tuesday after 9pm are best for me.  So it will be more frozen meats I have to contend with defrosting.

Yours

Calley x

SootySweep1

Hi
If I'm defrosting a chicken or a joint I don't defrost in the fridge as takes too long.
Just don't let it defrost & reach room temperature and leave it out at room temperature especially if it's warm.
Jen

maman

For small things like chicken thighs or breast or sausages I generally take it out and put it in the fridge when I'm clearing up dinner the night before. Sometimes I'll leave it on the draining board through the evening and then put it in the fridge at bed time.

If desperate I do have a defrost facility on my microwave.

For our joint yesterday I took it out about Saturday lunchtime and left it in unheated conservatory overnight. It wasn't sunny yesterday though, today it would have been too hot. We eat in the evening so wasn't cooking it until late afternoon.

If you are unsure just put it in the fridge for longer. It won't matter if it's defrosted too soon. So, perhaps take Wednesday's meat out tonight. HTH. 😊

getmore4less

Get a meat thermometer if that worried.
I have one a bit like this I got from Aldi(£14 on sale)  and use it all the time on lumps to(try) avoid overcooking
https://www.amazon.co.uk/AmazonBasics-JC117-Wireless-Thermometer/dp/B07VYKYMG3
£11 is a decent price for a remote one (you can take the bit in the cradle out to monitor the temp from somewhere else )


you can cook anything from frozen just got to cook  it enough problem is for big bits the outside gets over done before the inside is up to temp unless you modify temps and time

My first Panasonic combo(over 30 years ago) had a cook whole chicken from frozen button and it worked every time juicy inside and crispy skin.

if lobbing the pork  in a slow cooker it won't matter that much for a long slow cook just takes a bit longer.


Another trick if you have a fan oven is stick food in on fan only it defrosts quicker.

Apintplease

calleyw said:

comeandgo said:

Very rarely do I defrost anything in the fridge.  I do as your mum did, out the freezer on Saturday night to sit in the sink or bowl and if it has defrosted on Sunday morning and I’m not going to cook it until evening I will put item in fridge.  It’s only chicken that needs to be thoroughly defrosted prior to cooking.  Pork could still be slightly frozen and cook ok. Why are you so scared of defrosting?  If you are cooking thoroughly you will kill bugs.

I have major anxiety over cooking for others as I am scared of giving people food poisoning.  Things like spag bog sauce and mince I am happy for cook from frozen as easy to see when its cooked and you can get it up to boiling temps easily.  its joints and meats and steaks I struggle with defrosting.

The rules keep changing and I never sure if what I am doing is right.  My kitchen is cool most of the time.  So in theory defrosting over night on a plate on the side probably would be ok.  But its just something that worries me.

Not all bugs can be killed with heat.  And there are danger zones of temp which can cause the bugs to start rapidly grow.

I normally get my groceries on friday/saturday so the meat is ok for sunday.  But I am changing back to instore shopping and finding monday/tuesday after 9pm are best for me.  So it will be more frozen meats I have to contend with defrosting.

Yours

Calley x

A joint is never going to defrost over night in a Fridge - at least 48 hrs is required

What your mum did is what I do today, take it out the night before and defrost it in the sink in a bowl to collect any juices

Im now going to petrify you and admit to taking a joint out mid morning and sticking it in the greenhouse to get it defrosted in summer

Ive been cooking for the family and professionally for over 40 years ( and yes even in professional kitchens short cuts are taken ) and Ive never poisoned anyone yet

Unless you have underfloor heating thats on all night in your kitchen, leaving the joint in the sink over night isn't going to harm you as long as you cook it properly. If you are unsure about reaching internal temperature , get a meat thermometer and remember safe cooking doesn't mean it has to be cremated, you can still do rare and med rare beef

The only "meat" I worry about is Chicken, and thats become a lot safer over the years. If I do have to defrost chicken quickly I use the defrost function on the microwave , but then I alway make sure chicken is cooked thoroughly 

mjm3346

I don't freeze stuff and only buy things that can be cooked from frozen - family member who does freeze lots of stuff (joints on offer etc) always seems to thaw at room temp under a mesh cover to keep flies out, family of 5 and no side effects in approx the last 18 years.