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How to quickly and safely defrost meat or poultry: when a microwave is no help
18.01.2023 09:47
Updated: 13.04.2023 12:34
One of the mistakes that causes tough meat is cooking frozen meat or defrosting it incorrectly. This applies not only to pork or beef, but also to poultry.
Here's how to quickly defrost meat without compromising its taste.
It is best to take the meat out of the freezer and let it stand in the refrigerator, and then leave it at room temperature. But this will take at least 12 hours. When there is no time, it is also better to refuse to heat it in the microwave or oven.
For chicken breast and chicken in general, quick defrosting is not the best option. The taste and structure of the product deteriorates. And in general, the faster any meat product is defrosted, the more moisture it loses, which means it is drier.
Why a microwave is not suitable
The meat will not defrost evenly in it anyway, and may overheat in one place and remain cold in another.
Small pieces can easily be overheated, which will definitely affect the taste.
The best option
As already mentioned, the best option is gradual defrosting in the refrigerator and at room temperature. But this takes a long time.
Therefore, if the task is to defrost quickly and without damage, defrosting in water is suitable.
1. To do this, you need to fill a container of a suitable size with cold water. If you put the piece in hot water, the same thing will happen to the protein as when boiling. You will have to periodically refresh the water or simply throw in ice cubes to maintain the right temperature.
The meat should be in a bag, and the water should cover it completely. An average piece of meat can be defrosted in a couple of hours.
2. You can also add salt to the water, in which case the meat is defrosted without packaging. But after defrosting in a concentrated salt solution, you need to cook it carefully, because the dish can be oversalted.
3. Use a multicooker for gentle defrosting. To do this, place the meat without packaging in a steaming tray, fill the bowl with water and activate the "steaming" mode. Everything should be ready in 10-25 minutes.
