Thawing meat safely: how to do it?

Thawing meat is a process that we consider simple and harmless: just take the meat out of the refrigerator and place it on the kitchen counter until it reaches room temperature. Unfortunately, this is where we make the mistake. So, what is the right way to safely thaw meat? We've answered that question in this article.

Putting the meat in the refrigerator

This is generally the safest method of thawing. Because the temperature of the refrigerator is constant, the meat can be thawed at its own speed. Therefore, this method improves the texture and flavor of the protein.

In addition, since one of the greatest dangers of improper thawing is microbial contamination of the environment, thawing meat in the refrigerator can also prevent the growth of fungi and bacteria. What can be changed here is that the length of the process depends on the size of the meat: for example, ground beef tends to thaw in a few hours, but large pieces of meat can take up to a day to thaw in the refrigerator.

Thawing meat with cold water

This method is best suited for people who don't have a microwave oven or who don't have enough time to defrost in the refrigerator. In this case, don't forget to take the meat out of the package and put it in an airtight bag to prevent water from coming into contact with the protein. Another interesting thing to consider is that you need to change the water at least every 30 minutes so that the environment is conducive to thawing.

This method depends on the size of the cup and may take more than an hour to thaw completely, but compared to the previous method, it speeds up the process.