defrosting tip

[dcw@pr]

someone on here a few weeks ago (I can't find the thread) mentioned a tip about putting items to defrost onto the base of a thick based frying pan. I thought this sounded interesting so today I had to defrost two rabbit burgers that I made a while back - ideal for a side by side test. One went on to a plate, the other onto the frying pan.

Result? I didn't do any specific timing, but after a couple of hours the one on the pan is totally defrosted, whilst the one on the plate is still totally solid. So it works!

[Shaw Tarse]

I've tried this & it does work

[Scott328i]

How does that work. I don't really get it?

What do you mean on the base?

Thanks

[dougc]

Presumably something to do with the metal of the pan base being a better conductor of heat than the plate.

[dcw@pr]

put a frying pan upside down on your counter, and put your frozen food on top of it

the metal conducts the heat into it much better (or the cold out t of it, depending on how you look at it)

[Shaw Tarse]

Scott328i said:

How does that work. I don't really get it?

What do you mean on the base?

Thanks

You just put the burger/chicken breast in the pan as if you were going to cook it (no heat) & leave it on the worktop.

[Scott328i]

Ahh I thought it had to be upside down?

[dcw@pr]

Scott328i said:

Ahh I thought it had to be upside down?

i think that part was just so you don't get the inside of the pan dirty!

[Shaw Tarse]

dcw@pr said:

Scott328i said:

Ahh I thought it had to be upside down?

i think that part was just so you don't get the inside of the pan dirty!

Probably? I've also got a defroster/griddle thingy that works in the same way, think I bought it from Woolies, JML/Bettereaze probably sell them.

[Cotty]

Shaw Tarse said:

I've also got a defroster/griddle thingy that works in the same way, think I bought it from Woolies, JML/Bettereaze probably sell them.

I have a similar thing, small and very heavy. Suggests you run it under a hot tap first. Works very well.

[tog]

dcw@pr said:

someone on here a few weeks ago (I can't find the thread) mentioned a tip about putting items to defrost onto the base of a thick based frying pan. I thought this sounded interesting so today I had to defrost two rabbit burgers that I made a while back - ideal for a side by side test. One went on to a plate, the other onto the frying pan.

Result? I didn't do any specific timing, but after a couple of hours the one on the pan is totally defrosted, whilst the one on the plate is still totally solid. So it works!

That would have been me. One of the most useful cooking things I've ever been told!

[smack]

tog said:

dcw@pr said:

someone on here a few weeks ago (I can't find the thread) mentioned a tip about putting items to defrost onto the base of a thick based frying pan. I thought this sounded interesting so today I had to defrost two rabbit burgers that I made a while back - ideal for a side by side test. One went on to a plate, the other onto the frying pan.

Result? I didn't do any specific timing, but after a couple of hours the one on the pan is totally defrosted, whilst the one on the plate is still totally solid. So it works!

That would have been me. One of the most useful cooking things I've ever been told!

When I didn't have a microwave, and wanted to defrost some meat out of the freezer reasonably quickly (I am bad at pre-planning my meals), fill the sink with hot water, put the meat (wrapped in cling film from a bigger batch bought from the shops) in a saucepan and float it in the sink of water. A block of meat would be defrosted around 30 minutes.
I would shape the meat into a flat pancake in the cling film rather than a ball before I put it in the freezer.

[neilsfishing]

dougc said:

Presumably something to do with the metal of the pan base being a better conductor of heat than the plate.

[sherman]

smack said:

When I didn't have a microwave, and wanted to defrost some meat out of the freezer reasonably quickly (I am bad at pre-planning my meals), fill the sink with hot water, put the meat (wrapped in cling film from a bigger batch bought from the shops) in a saucepan and float it in the sink of water. A block of meat would be defrosted around 30 minutes.

And the how to get food poisoning award goes to. ^

[smack]

sherman said:

smack said:

When I didn't have a microwave, and wanted to defrost some meat out of the freezer reasonably quickly (I am bad at pre-planning my meals), fill the sink with hot water, put the meat (wrapped in cling film from a bigger batch bought from the shops) in a saucepan and float it in the sink of water. A block of meat would be defrosted around 30 minutes.

And the how to get food poisoning award goes to. ^

How so? Meat gets frozen on the day it is purchased. The pot had been cleaned properly, but regardless, the meat stays within the cling film is not in contact with anything else during the whole process until it hits a hot pan for cooking. And regarless, the cling film is most likely a cleaner environment than anything else in the kitchen. If you try this on a meat they is turning and on the best before date, then you take a big risk.
I read the recommended way to defrost meat in is in a fridge, but if you do it the mircowave, fridge, or open air, if the nasties are on the meat to begin with, they still will be once defrosted.
4 years of being a poor uni student, many years ago, and it worked for me, with no ill effect. Better than a piece of meat that has been sitting in the fridge for a week.

[sherman]

smack said:

sherman said:

smack said:

When I didn't have a microwave, and wanted to defrost some meat out of the freezer reasonably quickly (I am bad at pre-planning my meals), fill the sink with hot water, put the meat (wrapped in cling film from a bigger batch bought from the shops) in a saucepan and float it in the sink of water. A block of meat would be defrosted around 30 minutes.

And the how to get food poisoning award goes to. ^

How so? Meat gets frozen on the day it is purchased. The pot had been cleaned properly, but regardless, the meat stays within the cling film is not in contact with anything else during the whole process until it hits a hot pan for cooking. And regarless, the cling film is most likely a cleaner environment than anything else in the kitchen. If you try this on a meat they is turning and on the best before date, then you take a big risk.
I read the recommended way to defrost meat in is in a fridge, but if you do it the mircowave, fridge, or open air, if the nasties are on the meat to begin with, they still will be once defrosted.
4 years of being a poor uni student, many years ago, and it worked for me, with no ill effect. Better than a piece of meat that has been sitting in the fridge for a week.

It is your use of the HOT water in your defrosting process that gives me the greatest concern. The clingfilm is as good as useless and will just keep the bacteria in the juices closer to the meat. In the 4 years of you being a poor uni student you have just been lucky.


The Big Thaw - Safe Defrosting Methods
for Consumers
Uh, oh! You're home and forgot to defrost something for dinner. You grab a package of meat or chicken and use hot water to thaw it fast. But is this safe? What if you remembered to take food out of the freezer, but forgot and left the package on the counter all day while you were at work?

Neither of these situations are safe, and these methods of thawing lead to foodborne illness. Food must be kept at a safe temperature during "the big thaw." Foods are safe indefinitely while frozen. However, as soon as food begins to defrost and become warmer than 40 °F, any bacteria that may have been present before freezing can begin to multiply.

Foods should never be thawed or even stored on the counter, or defrosted in hot water. Food left above 40 °F (unrefrigerated) is not at a safe temperature.

Even though the center of the package may still be frozen as it thaws on the counter, the outer layer of the food is in the "Danger Zone," between 40 and 140 °F – at temperatures where bacteria multiply rapidly.

When defrosting frozen foods, it's best to plan ahead and thaw food in the refrigerator where food will remain at a safe, constant temperature – 40 °F or below.

There are three safe ways to defrost food: in the refrigerator, in cold water, and in the microwave.

Edited by sherman on Friday 6th March 02:40

[miguel38]

If i havent defrosted anything for dinner, i always chuck it covered in a bowl of warm water, then i cook it and have never had any ill effects, although i may have built up a good tolerance to it by now, same goes when i normally defrost food, i usually just throw it on the work top for the day instead of the fridge...

[Cotty]

sherman said:

Foods should never be thawed or even stored on the counter, or defrosted in hot water. Food left above 40 °F (unrefrigerated) is not at a safe temperature.

Its supprising how anyone survived before the invention of the fridge.

[dcw@pr]

quite

i used to live with a guy who would put food away that I was cooking with as he thought anything left out of the fridge for more than 90 seconds would suddenly become lethal.

[Davi]

while we've got the experts on freezing here - can anyone explain why a packet of Richmond Sausages purchased from the freezer have on the packet that they are best cooked from frozen, yet Richmond sausages that are purchased from the chiller say they can be frozen, but must be fully defrosted before cooking according to the packet ?