3 Ways to Defrost a Meat
When you get your meat order at home, you receive your food completely frozen. So, to consume it, before cooking it, you must have it absolutely thawed for better results.
However, there are some basic rules to follow to ensure food safety and also better flavours.
3 ways to defrost
There are 3 main ways to defrost a meat.
1. In the refrigerator
The first way to thaw a meat is to place it in the refrigerator. However, it must be done in advance, because it’s a slow process. So be sure to put your food in the fridge about 24 hours in advance.
We recommend that you leave the meat in the skin-pack, if applicable, or in its packaging. If you take out the meat and put it on a plate or in another dish, be sure to sanitize the dish and leave it slightly away to avoid cross-contamination.
*** According to the definition, "cross-contamination occurs, for example, when cooked or ready-to-eat foods come into contact with a cookware, work surface, or hands that have touched raw food."
You should never thaw meat at room temperature, especially if it’s outside its vacuum packaging. Thus, the bacteria form more easily and more quickly.
2. In the microwave oven
At Maillard, we don’t usually defrost a meat through the microwave, but some people use it, because this process is very fast. You may have noticed the Defrost button on most microwave ovens. If you choose to defrost your meat using that way, you MUST use this feature.
However, you must respect some conditions. This can work for small pieces of meat, not too thick. But if you decide to unfreeze a slightly thick piece, the danger will be that the outside will be thawed or even it’ll start a cooking process, but the interior will remain completely frozen.
You should also use a microwave-safe dish, and remove the meat from the vacuum or plastic packaging, which could melt and contaminate the product.
3. In cold water
The third method for thawing food is by submerging it in cold water. You can place your meat in the sink - disinfected - or in a basin or large bowl filled with cold water.
The water must be cold, because if it’s hot, you will cook your meat too quickly and improperly. That way, the exterior stays fresh and the interior is quickly thawed.
If you take the meat out of the skin-pack, seal it in a 100% watertight bag before submerging.
Can we cook frozen meat?
You could still cook your meat from the frozen state. Though, the cooking will surely be very long and be warned that the result will not be the same. The meat’s texture and taste might be slightly different and altered. Moreover, the outside will cook faster, which means the exterior will be charred, while the middle is still cold.
Can we refreeze meat that has been thawed?
You should never refreeze food that has been previously thawed, as this increases the number of bacteria on the product.
It's best to thaw your meat, cook it - killing the bacteria - and refreeze it afterwards.
Maillard, online butcher
At Maillard, all our products are sent to you in a sous-vide packaging. We recommend thawing your product in this package to keep the juice and flavours inside.
Maillard is an online butcher that offers a wide range of exceptional quality meats, delivered right to your doorstep the very next day. You will find all the meat products you love: local and exotic meats, seasoned or regular, ordered by the box or just a single piece, but always with our guarantee of great taste!
Order now: www.maillard.co
