How to defrost meat seems simple, but it is a process that is directly linked to the quality of the meat, and there is the right way to do it.
Do you know the right way to defrost meat? Or are you one of those people who leave the meat frozen in the corner of the sink until it’s time to prepare the meal?
Well, first of all, it must be said that frozen meat saves. This is because, in the rush of everyday life, it is not always possible to stop by the supermarket.
Therefore, the most common thing is to buy enough food for a few days and store it at home. Some foods, such as meat, need to be stored in a refrigerated environment and in a frozen state. This is the best way to preserve meat.
But how to defrost meat without losing its quality?
The main point, when talking about how to defrost meat, is to do it as quickly as possible. Sometimes we come home late to make lunch, only to discover that we didn’t put the meat out to defrost. Because it is a time-consuming process, we almost always have to change the entire meal menu.
However, much more important than defrosting the meat quickly is doing it the right way, so that the food is not harmed in the process. It may seem simple, but not everyone does it correctly, and that can be a problem. In addition to losing nutrients, it can even increase the chances of food poisoning.
Therefore, today we are going to learn tips on how to defrost meat in the best way possible and what never to do.
Defrosting the meat
After shopping and separating the meat into portions, it’s time to freeze it. This is the correct procedure for storing meat.
But to prepare it, you need it to be defrosted. And therein lies the dilemma, because you need to know what you are doing in order not to lose the quality of the food or put your health at risk.
It is very common for people to resort to the quickest and easiest method, which is to take the meat out of the refrigerator and leave it outside until it thaws. Everyone has done this, but it is not the ideal procedure.
The meat defrosting process is much slower, taking up to 24 hours for the entire process.
How to defrost meat correctly?
Firstly, the ideal is to defrost the meat using a slower method, as already mentioned. In other words, in the refrigerator itself, outside the freezer.
In this case, the correct thing to do is to take the meat you are going to use from the freezer and place it in the refrigerator, at least one day before use. To set the correct time, you must take into account the amount of meat that will be defrosted.
If it is up to 5 kg, for example, one day is enough. More than that, at least two.
What to avoid when defrosting meat?
The method of simply taking the meat out of the refrigerator hours before preparing it is not the best method, as we have just said. Because in the meantime, the meat can become contaminated.
According to the National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa), ideally, food should be defrosted in refrigerated conditions, with a temperature below 5ºC.
To make this clear, take into account that your kitchen may have an average temperature of 27ºC and that the meat will take at least two hours to defrost completely. During this period, the meat can be contaminated by external agents in the environment.
This is proven by the fact that most cases of food poisoning occur from eating food at home. Proving that incorrect food handling – combined with poor conservation, incorrect freezing or thawing – is responsible for this type of problem.
Not to mention that when defrosting meat is done like this, the food can lose a lot of liquid. As a consequence, the softness and juiciness of the piece are altered.
There are even those who place the meat in a container with water, to make the process even faster. Which is also not recommended. This is because meat can lose some of its vitamins and flavor.
And finally, the quickest method of all: the microwave. It is also not the best option, considering that there is a loss of liquid and it even starts cooking the meat.
Tips on how to defrost meat
Knowing what to avoid and the right thing to do, we are aware that it is not always possible to do everything in the rush of everyday life. Therefore, these basic tips on how to defrost meat quickly will help you.
Vinegar
Vinegar has many uses in the kitchen, and can also be used to speed up the process of defrosting meat. To do this, simply remove the meat from the refrigerator and packaging, and bathe it with white vinegar.
Then, just leave the meat to marinate in the vinegar for about 15 minutes. It will increase the temperature of the meat, defrosting it quickly.
After this time, since the meat has already defrosted, just wash it with water and cook it normally.
plastic bag
Finally, to defrost the meat using this method, you will need a pan and a plastic zip-lock bag. So, you will put water in a pan, over low heat, and wait for the first air bubbles to appear at the bottom. When this happens, turn off the heat.
Then, with the frozen meat inside the closed bag, place it in the pan with the water and the heat off. Approximately 15 minutes later, the meat will be ready for preparation.
Anyway, what did you think of this article? Take the opportunity to also check out basic tips for those who want to learn how to cook.
Sources: Clube do Malte Terra
Featured image: Bol
Images: Live Well, Lifestyle by the Minute, 365 Tips, Minerva.
