Thawing Meat In The Fridge

[Half Baked]

Has anyone EVER put a frozen piece of meat in the refrigerator to thaw it for the next day - and it thawed?

In my experience it works with fish, but not beef, poultry, lamb, pork etc. Shoot, I've put a turkey in 3 days ahead of time and the darned thing was still partially frozen.

 

[Alix]

Ground beef thaws in one day. Everything else, forget it. My trick is to start thawing in cold water, then toss in the fridge when my finger sinks in a bit. That usually works for most stuff. NOT turkey though. I just toss that in the brine partially frozen.

 

[ChefJune]

Has anyone EVER put a frozen piece of meat in the refrigerator to thaw it for the next day - and it thawed?

In my experience it works with fish, but not beef, poultry, lamb, pork etc. Shoot, I've put a turkey in 3 days ahead of time and the darned thing was still partially frozen.

...and not even with fish if the fillets are thick!

I try to do what Alix does, but usually my procedure goes in reverse. I'll take it out of the freezer in the morning before I leave the house, and when I get home, I'll finish defrosting it under cold running water.

I'd forgotten how long it takes a turkey to thaw. I haven't bought one frozen in years.

 

[Andy M.]

I usually end up defrosting under running water or on a cast aluminum two burner griddle.

 

[Gretchen]

Just a note to self. Start thawing the T'giving turkey a week before.

 

[Andy M.]

Just a note to self. Start thawing the T'giving turkey a week before.

It ALWAYS seems to take longer than you figure. The thaw timing on the package is rubbish.

 

[cjs]

Jan, just think of it this way - your frig keeps things safely cold for you and out of the danger zone!!

 

[Claire]

I know that it isn't the accepted way, but I've found that leaving something -- especially a bird -- on the counter for a few hours, then refrigerating speeds the process and is safer than the alternative of leaving meat on the counter in the last stages. I nuke when I have to, but prefer not to. I've never had turkey thaw in the times recommended. I've bought birds a week in advance and still had to muscle frozen innards out of them. BTW, I've been cooking Turkey dinners for freinds for over 30 years and never even given anyone a belly ache. And yes, when you do have to speed the process, cold water (salt it if you wish and you'll do some brining along the way) in a very clean sink is the way to speed the process.

 

[mugsy27]

the ice bath method works wonders! i thawed a completely frozed, 4lb chuck/pot roast in less than 5 hours!!

 

[attie]

Jan, just think of it this way - your frig keeps things safely cold for you and out of the danger zone!!

My thoughts as well.

 

[BreezyCooking]

Never - not even with fish or ground meat. I don't even bother anymore. For the last several years we've been buying our organic free-range Thanksgiving turkey fresh, so no worries there. But as far as everything else goes, I begin defrosting something like a duck, goose, or chicken out on my counter & then move it back into the fridge (while the meat is still ice cold). Everything else gets defrosted in the microwave right before cooking.

Water is a precious commodity, & I don't have the time to spend a week defrosting a chicken in the fridge. And yes, I'm aware of all the people who are going to jump up & scream about food safety, but I'm one of those people whose been doing it this way for over 30 years without a problem, so I'm not about to change now.

 

[TATTRAT]

yea, I typically pull it two days prior to service. Earlier if the item is larger.

 

[VeraBlue]

...and not even with fish if the fillets are thick!

I try to do what Alix does, but usually my procedure goes in reverse. I'll take it out of the freezer in the morning before I leave the house, and when I get home, I'll finish defrosting it under cold running water.

I'd forgotten how long it takes a turkey to thaw. I haven't bought one frozen in years.

It's my opinion that it takes 10 days to 2 weeks to thaw a 20 pound turkey in the fridge. There has got to be something in the makeup that makes a frozen turkey more solid than the iceberg that did the Titanic in! I start mine under running water and then toss it into the brine.

 

[Alix]

It's my opinion that it takes 10 days to 2 weeks to thaw a 20 pound turkey in the fridge. There has got to be something in the makeup that makes a frozen turkey more solid than the iceberg that did the Titanic in! I start mine under running water and then toss it into the brine.

Boy, truer words were never spoken. What container do you use for a 20lb turkey? My stockpot is what I thaw/brine mine in, but it will only hold about a 15lb bird MAX!

That reminds me of a joke too. I'll have to see if I can find it to post it.

 

[Andy M.]

Several years ago, I bought a set of 4 stainless steel stock pots - 8, 12, 16 & 20 quart sizes. I paid $20. for all 4 with lids. They are as thin as paper and beginning to pit but I have found so many uses for them it's surprising.

One of them is the brining container for a turkey. I used another to make corned beef. The 20-qt. size usually ends up as my chicken stock pot because I accumulate too many bones to fit in a smaller pot.

 

[carolelaine]

I thought I was the only one putting a partly frozen turkey into the brine. I never have had one thaw in time. I brine mine in this huge plastic tub that I use to wash vegtables in the summer.

 

[Shunka]

Well, in the grocery store this morning, I came up with what I am cooking for Thanksgiving!! I am not going to battle with a frozen turkey and since the oldest daughter is going to try to come that day, I am going to make a giant pot of gumbo!!!!! I can freeze leftovers that I don't send home with her; she is all for it as she hasn't had any of my gumbo for a couple of years. I have never had a turkey thaw all the way by the time that I want to get it in the oven. If I get one for Christmas (that depends on if any the the kids will be here), I already know that it will be a small one-set in the fridge at least a week before!!!

 

[Gretchen]

Boy, truer words were never spoken. What container do you use for a 20lb turkey? My stockpot is what I thaw/brine mine in, but it will only hold about a 15lb bird MAX!

That reminds me of a joke too. I'll have to see if I can find it to post it.

Use a cooler? You can get food grade plastic bags now that are that big--ZipLoc makes them. Put in bag. Put ice bags on top for cooling. I am sure you are thawing before brining.

 

[Gretchen]

And yes, I'm aware of all the people who are going to jump up & scream about food safety, but I'm one of those people whose been doing it this way for over 30 years without a problem, so I'm not about to change now

Not from me. Done it too. And DH is a water conservation freak--as we all should be. Common sense takes over in these cases.

 

[VeraBlue]

Boy, truer words were never spoken. What container do you use for a 20lb turkey? My stockpot is what I thaw/brine mine in, but it will only hold about a 15lb bird MAX!

That reminds me of a joke too. I'll have to see if I can find it to post it.

I have a gigantic stock pot that can hold up to a 22# turkey. I usually use the pot to make gallons of sunday gravy, or I fill it with beer and soak corn, still in the husks.